The Three Snake-Leaves facts for kids
The Three Snake-Leaves (in German, Die drei Schlangenblätter) is a classic fairy tale collected by the famous Brothers Grimm. It is story number 16 in their collection. This tale is known around the world and teaches us about loyalty, betrayal, and the power of a special secret.
Contents
The Story of the Snake-Leaves
A Brave Prince and a Royal Promise
Once upon a time, a brave young man showed great courage in battle. Because of his bravery, he won the hand of the king's daughter in marriage. However, the princess had a very unusual request for him. She made him promise that if either of them were to die, the other would be buried alive right alongside them. The young man agreed to this strange and serious promise.
The Secret of the Snake Leaves
Sometime later, the princess became very ill and sadly passed away. Following their agreement, the prince was buried alive with her in her crypt. As he waited there, feeling hopeless, a snake attacked him. The prince quickly killed the snake, cutting it into three pieces.
Soon after, another snake appeared. This second snake brought three special leaves and used them to bring the first snake back to life! Seeing this amazing event, the prince had a brilliant idea. He took the magical leaves and carefully placed them on the princess. To his great joy, the leaves worked, and the princess was successfully revived!
A Treacherous Journey
The prince and princess then decided to travel by sea to visit the prince's father. During the voyage, the princess began to fall in love with the ship captain. Together, the princess and the captain made a terrible plan. They threw the prince into the sea, hoping he would drown.
However, a loyal servant of the prince saw what happened. The servant quickly rowed a small boat after the prince's body. He used the same special snake leaves to bring the prince back to life once more. The prince and his servant then returned to the kingdom. They reported the terrible attempted murder to the king. For their actions, the princess and the captain faced serious consequences.
