The Queen Bee facts for kids

Quick facts for kids The Queen Bee
Illustration of the tale by Otto Ubbelohde.
Folk tale
Name	The Queen Bee
Data
Aarne–Thompson grouping	ATU 554
Country	Germany
Published in	Grimm's Fairy Tales

"The Queen Bee" is a classic German fairy tale. It was collected by the famous Brothers Grimm and is part of their well-known book, Grimm's Fairy Tales. This story is known for showing how animals can help people who are kind to them. It's a tale about kindness, courage, and how even the simplest person can achieve great things.

The Story of the Queen Bee

Three Brothers and Their Journey

Once upon a time, a king had three sons. The two older sons left home to find their way in the world. But they soon started to get into trouble and behave badly. The youngest son, often called Simpleton, decided to go find his brothers. When he met them, they just made fun of him.

As they traveled, Simpleton showed his kind heart. He stopped his brothers from destroying an ant hill. He also prevented them from killing some ducks. Later, he even saved a bee hive from being suffocated by smoke. His brothers didn't understand why he cared so much.

The Mysterious Castle

The three brothers eventually arrived at a strange castle. Outside, the stable was full of horses that had turned to stone. There was no one else around. They searched the castle and found a room where a small gray man appeared. He gave them dinner.

The next morning, the gray man showed the oldest son a stone table. On it were three difficult tasks. Whoever could complete these tasks would free the castle from its spell. If they failed, they would turn to stone, just like the horses.

Simpleton's Challenges and Animal Friends

The first task was to find a princess's thousand pearls. These pearls were scattered all over the woods. The older brothers tried first, but they both failed. As a result, they were turned into stone statues.

When it was Simpleton's turn, his kindness paid off. The ants he had saved earlier came to help him. They quickly collected all thousand pearls for him.

The second task was to get the key to the princess's bedroom. The key was at the bottom of a deep lake. Again, Simpleton's animal friends helped him. The ducks he had protected earlier dived into the lake. They found the key and brought it back to him.

The third and final task was the hardest. Simpleton had to pick out the youngest princess from three sleeping princesses. All three looked exactly alike. The only difference was what they had eaten before sleeping:

• The oldest princess had eaten a bit of sugar.
• The second princess had eaten a little syrup.
• The youngest princess had eaten some honey.

Simpleton was unsure, but then the queen bee he had saved flew in. She landed on the lips of the youngest princess. This showed Simpleton exactly who the youngest princess was.

The Happy Ending

When Simpleton picked the correct princess, the spell on the castle was broken. Everyone who had been turned to stone, including his brothers, came back to life. The youngest son married the youngest princess. His two brothers also married the other princesses. Everyone lived happily ever after.

Other Versions of the Story

The Enchanted Princess

Another story, called The Enchanted Princess by Ludwig Bechstein, is very similar. In this version, there are only two brothers, not three. Their names are Hellmerich and Hans, and they are the sons of a leather craftsman, not a king.

In the castle, an old woman tells them the tasks instead of a dwarf. Also, there is only one enchanted princess. The brothers have to find her among three figures covered in veils. The other two figures are dragons working for the sorcerer who cast the spell.

How Young Anglas Became a Marquis

A version from Languedoc, France, tells the story of a young farmer named Anglas. He goes to Paris to find a key to the king's treasure. Many young men had tried before him. Anglas succeeds because a duck helps him. He had promised not to hurt her ducklings.

After this, ants and flyes also help him. In the end, Anglas marries the princess and becomes a marquis, a type of noble.

See also

In Spanish: La abeja reina para niños