The Seven Swabians facts for kids
The Seven Swabians (Die Sieben Schwaben) is a fun German fairy tale. It was collected by the famous Brothers Grimm in their book Kinder- und Hausmärchen in 1857. The story is number 119 in their collection. The word Swabians refers to people from a region in Germany called Swabia. However, in Switzerland, this word can sometimes mean Germans in general.
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The Story of the Seven Swabians
Once upon a time, there were seven brave (or maybe not so brave!) Swabian men. They decided to travel the world together. To stay safe from any danger, they carried one very long spear with them. They thought this spear would protect them from anything.
The Scary Hornet
One evening in July, the seven Swabians were walking through a meadow. It was almost dark when they heard a strange buzzing sound. They didn't know what it was. The men started to panic, thinking it was a war drum! They believed a huge army was coming to attack them.
One of the Swabians tried to run away. He jumped over a fence in a hurry. But he landed right on a garden rake! The handle of the rake swung up and hit him in the face. He quickly cried out for mercy. He told the "invisible attacker" that he would give up. His six friends, seeing this, also surrendered right away. Later, they realized it was just a tiny hornet! They were very embarrassed. They promised each other to keep this funny story a secret forever.
The Brave Hare Hunt
Later, the seven Swabians saw a hare sleeping peacefully in the sun. They thought the small animal was a giant monster! They decided they had to attack it. The men gathered all their courage. They bravely charged forward with their long spear. But as they got close, the hare simply woke up and hopped away! Once again, the Swabians realized they had been fooled by their own fears.
The Moselle River Mystery
The seven friends continued their journey. Soon, they reached the wide Moselle River. They didn't know how to cross it. They saw a man on the other side of the river and called out for help. Because of the distance and their different languages, the man couldn't understand them. He just kept asking in his local accent, "Wat, Wat?" This meant "What, What?"
The Swabians misunderstood him completely. They thought he was telling them they had to wade through the water! The first Swabian stepped into the river. But the mud was very deep, and the current was strong. His hat was swept away to the opposite shore. Next to the hat, a frog was croaking, making sounds like "wat, wat, wat." The six remaining Swabians thought it was their friend telling them to wade across. They bravely stepped into the river, thinking they needed to wade across. But the current was strong, and the mud was deep. One by one, they were swept away by the powerful water, disappearing from sight.
