The Stolen Farthings facts for kids

The Stolen Farthings is a fascinating story found in the famous collection known as Grimms' Fairy Tales. It's story number 154 in their big book of tales. This particular story is actually a ghost story, which means it has a spooky, mysterious element to it! Experts who study folk tales call it an Aarne-Thompson type 769 story. This type of tale often features a child who returns from the dead for a special reason.

The Stolen Farthings

What the Story is About

The story begins with a couple who had a guest staying in their home. One night, while they were all having dinner, something strange happened. As the clock struck midnight, the guest saw a young girl dressed in a white gown. She quietly walked into the house and went straight into the next room.

This mysterious event didn't just happen once. The very next night, the same girl appeared at midnight and did the exact same thing. And it happened again the night after that! The guest was very curious and a little bit puzzled by what he was seeing.

The Ghostly Secret

Finally, the guest decided to tell the father of the house about the strange girl. The father was surprised and said he had never seen anyone like that before. He couldn't explain who she was.

One night, the guest decided to be brave and peek into the room where the girl always went. He saw the little girl sitting on the floor. She was carefully digging between the wooden floorboards, as if she was looking for something hidden there.

The guest then told the mother what he had seen. The mother suddenly understood. She realized it was probably their own child, who had sadly passed away just a month earlier.

Why the Ghost Returned

The mother explained that before their child died, she had given her two farthings. Farthings were very small coins used a long time ago. The child had planned to give these coins to a poor person.

However, she changed her mind. Instead of giving them away, she decided to hide the farthings between the floorboards. Her plan was to save them so she could buy some tasty biscuits later. But sadly, she died before she ever got to spend the coins.

This is why the child's ghost kept coming back. She was checking on her hidden farthings! Her spirit couldn't rest until the coins were dealt with.

Finding Peace

To help the little girl's spirit find peace, the family decided to do something special. They took the two farthings and donated them to a poor person, just as the child had originally intended.

After the farthings were given away, the ghost of the little girl never appeared in the house again. Her spirit was finally able to rest, knowing her coins had gone to a good cause.

See also

In Spanish: Cuentos de la infancia y del hogar para niños