Jorinde and Joringel facts for kids
"Jorinde and Joringel" is a famous German fairy tale. It was collected by the well-known Brothers Grimm. This story is number 69 in their collection of tales. It's also known as Aarne-Thompson 405, which is a way to classify fairy tales. You'll mostly find this story in Germany. However, there's also a version from Sweden. An American version called "The Flower of Dew" was found in Kentucky. In English, the story is often called "Jorinda and Jorindel."
Quick facts for kids Jorinde and Joringel |
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Illustration by Heinrich Vogeler.
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| Folk tale | |
| Name | Jorinde and Joringel |
| Data | |
| Aarne–Thompson grouping | ATU 405 |
| Published in | Grimm's Fairy Tales |
What Happens in Jorinde and Joringel?
A mean witch lived alone in a dark castle. This castle was hidden deep in the woods. She had special powers. She could change her shape, like a shape-shifter.
The witch would trick wild animals and birds. She would lure them close to her castle. Then, she would capture them for food. Any man who came near her would turn to stone. She also turned young women into birds. She kept these bird-women in cages.
Jorinde and Joringel were two young lovers. They were planning to get married soon. One day, they went for a walk in the forest. They walked too close to the witch's secret home.
The witch quickly turned Jorinde into a beautiful nightingale. She also froze Joringel to the ground. He could not move at all. After she took the bird-Jorinde away, the witch freed Joringel. She laughed, telling him he would never see Jorinde again.
Joringel was very sad. He wandered for a long time. One night, he had a special dream. He dreamed of a magical flower. This flower could break all of the witch's spells.
He searched for this flower for nine days. Finally, he found it! He carried it carefully back to the castle. This time, he was not frozen to the ground. All the castle doors opened for him.
Inside, he found the witch. She was feeding her many caged birds. The witch tried to curse him, but she could not. Her magic had no power over him. Joringel saw her try to take one cage away. He knew it was Jorinde!
He quickly touched the witch with the magic flower. All her evil magic left her forever. Then, he touched Jorinde with the flower. She instantly changed back into a woman. Joringel then touched all the other caged birds. They all turned back into women too!
How Does the Story Change?
For a long time, the Grimm brothers' version was the only one known. But in the 1900s, new versions appeared.
In a Flemish story, the main characters are siblings, not lovers. The spell is broken by hitting the witch with a snake's skin. In a Dutch version, the brother is turned into a bird. The princess must defeat a dragon to get a magic flower.
An American version from the Appalachian Mountains is called "The Flower of Dew." This story is very similar to the Grimm brothers' tale.
Other Names for the Story
In English, this fairy tale is sometimes called Florinda and Yoringal. It can also be known as Florinda and Florindel.
