The Louse and the Flea facts for kids

"The Louse and the Flea" is a classic German fairy tale collected by the famous Brothers Grimm. It's also known as "Little Louse and Little Flea" and in German, it's called Läuschen und Flöhchen. This story is special because it's a "chain tale" or "cumulative tale." This means one event leads to another, creating a long chain of reactions. The Brothers Grimm, especially Wilhelm Grimm, likely heard this tale from a woman named Dorothea Catharina Wild in 1808. It's listed as tale number 30 in their collection.

What Happens in the Story?

The story begins with a louse and a flea who are married. One day, the louse is busy brewing something, perhaps a drink, and accidentally falls into the brew and drowns. This is a very sad event for the flea!

The Chain of Events

When the flea starts to cry and mourn for the louse, a door hears the sadness. The door asks why the flea is crying and then starts to creak loudly in sympathy. This creaking sound then catches the attention of a broom. The broom asks the door why it's creaking and then starts sweeping the floor in sorrow.

How the Chain Continues

This pattern continues with many other objects and animals. Each one asks why the previous one is acting strangely and then joins in the mourning in its own way. The sadness spreads from one thing to the next, like a domino effect.

The Sad Ending

The chain of mourning continues until the news reaches a spring. When the spring hears about the louse's death and the widespread sadness, it overflows with water. This overflowing water then drowns all the characters who were mourning. It's a tale that shows how one small event can lead to a big, unexpected outcome.

Different Versions of the Story

Sometimes, in different versions of this fairy tale, the main characters are not a louse and a flea. Instead, you might find a ladybird and a fly as the main characters. The basic idea of the story – a chain of reactions to a sad event – usually stays the same, even with different animals.