The Three Feathers (Part I)
Grimm, Grimmer, Grimmest
In this episode of 'Grim Grimmer Grimmest,' author Adam Gidwitz introduces listeners to a dark, original version of the classic fairy tale 'The Three Feathers.' Set in a royal court where
Key takeaways
- The story subverts traditional fairy tale tropes by portraying the eldest son as wise and responsible, not selfish or lazy.
Main topics
- Fairy tale reimagining
- Parent-child relationships in royal inheritance
Notable quotes
I love you more than life itself. When you are gone, I will throw myself from the highest tower.
I love you more than that. The moment you die, I will die of heartbreak.
Conclusion
The episode concludes on a cliffhanger, leaving listeners eager for the next
Transcript preview
Speaker 2 (0:01) Pinna! Speaker 1 (0:04) Hey Grimm fans, I've got some great news. Season 6 of Grimm Grimmer Grimmest is now releasing exclusively on the Pinna app. You're listening to a taste of Grimm Grimmer Grimmest with the sneak peeks and some Grimm Grimmer Grimmest episodes here in the feed. But the brand new Season 6 episodes are on Pinna, recorded live with kids in Brooklyn and Staten Island and releasing every week. Subscribers get every new episode as soon as it's released, plus every episode from the past seasons and 20 sneak peek episodes. That means there are currently 70 episodes and one more releasing each week available on the Pinna app. If you're not listening on the app, you're missing out. Head to pinna.fm to subscribe. I'll see you there. Speaker 2 (0:53) Pinna! Speaker 7 (1:08) My name is Adam Gidwitz. I'm an author. I'm also a storyteller. I like telling all kinds of stories, but I especially like telling grim fairy tales. You may think you know grim fairy tales, and you may think that they are sweet and boring. But listen, those tales you heard were the cute, happy, little-kid-bedtime versions of the grim tales. The original grim fairy tales aren't like that at all. They're weird and sometimes gross. and often scary. In other words, they're grim. And I'm about to walk into a classroom and tell one of the original grim, grim tales to a bunch of kids. Do you want to join me? Do you want to hear a grim fairy tale? Let me help you decide. On a scale of grim, grimmer, and grimmest, this episode is grim. Nothing too bad happens, but there might be some sudden scares, so get ready. If I get to a part of the story and you start to feel scared or uncomfortable, this is what you could do. You could turn down the volume and count to five. Then turn the volume back up. If it still seems like a part you don't want to hear, just turn the volume down and count to five again. You know how much weird and gross and scary you're ready for. You know. what you need. Okay, I'm at the classroom door now. There are kids inside waiting to hear a grim fairy tale. So, are you coming in? Speaker 1 (2:55) Grim. Grimmer. Grimmest. Speaker 3 (3:05) I am so excited to tell you this Speaker 7 (3:07) story today. It is called The Three Feathers. And it is based on a story by the Brothers Grimm. It's also inspired by an English folk story called Cap O' Rushes. And that story, interestingly, was inspired by a play by Shakespeare called King Lear. Has anyone here read King Lear? Speaker 2 (3:29) No. I didn't know so. I know Romeo and Juliet. Speaker 7 (3:33) Romeo and Juliet, you know that one. Okay, so King Lear is a different one. Anyway, let's just tell the story, shall we? Speaker 2 (3:37) Yes. Everyone Speaker 7 (3:38) comfortable? Speaker 2 (3:39) Everyone ready? Speaker 7 (3:40) Should we do this? Let's do it. Once upon a time, there was a king who had three sons. The king was getting to the end of his life, and so he called his three sons to him and said, Speaker 6 (3:53) Soon I will die, and one of you will inherit my kingdom. But which one will it be? Speaker 7 (4:02) Now, everyone had always assumed that the oldest son would become king after his father died because he was the oldest. He was also the most responsible. He studied long hours with the king's advisors and accountants to be sure he understood how the kingdom worked. He went out among the common folk and spoke to them and learned of their struggles and their dreams. And he was always quiet and humble in everything he did. Speaker 2 (4:25) Why is the oldest son the good one? Generally, it's the youngest one. Speaker 7 (4:29) Usually, that's how it goes. Very interesting. When Speaker 3 (4:32) the two younger sons realized that they had a chance to be king, instead of their older brother, they were very excited. The king said, You three boys will Speaker 6 (4:42) undergo a series of contests, and whoever I deem the winner of those contests will inherit my kingdom when I die. Are you ready? Speaker 3 (4:53) The youngest son said, Yes. The middle son said, Yes. And the oldest son said, If you say so, father. Speaker 6 (5:03) I do say so. Speaker 3 (5:07) Why is the oldest son not as excited as the younger sons, do you think? Speaker 2 (5:10) I think that, um... He wasn't excited because he thought that he already was going to be king, but now he needed to compete. Speaker 3 (5:20) Yeah, totally. I totally agree. The king announced, For the first test, you'll tell me how much you love me. Does that sound like a nice test? Would that, like, if your dad was like, tell me how much you love me. Now, the two youngest sons never spent much time with their father. They were always going to parties at neighboring castles. Pass the bubbly, will you, brother? And taking long trips to foreign lands. Speaker 1 (5:48) I never knew Tübingen was so lovely in the fall. Speaker 7 (5:52) While the oldest son learned the ways of kingship patiently at his father's side. Speaker 6 (5:57) So in years with good crops, we take more of the people's grain as taxes so that... We can save it and share it with the poor in years Speaker 7 (6:07) with bad crops. Speaker 6 (6:08) Exactly. Speaker 7 (6:10) But when the king demanded protestations of love, the youngest son ran to his father and clutched his hand and declared, I Speaker 1 (6:18) love you more than life itself. When you are gone, I will throw myself from the highest tower. Speaker 3 (6:24) The king smiled and nodded and said, Very good. The middle son ran to his father and clutched his other hand and declared, Speaker 4 (6:34) I love you more than that. The moment you die, I will die of heartbreak. Speaker 3 (6:40) The king smiled and nodded and said, Also very good. What do you think of this? Speaker 2 (6:46) Like, I don't think he loves his dad that much because if he loved his dad that much, he wouldn't be going to parties himself. And he wouldn't say, I'm going to throw myself off a bridge when he doesn't really love his dad so much. He shouldn't be king. Speaker 3 (7:05) The king smiled. Wait, why do you say that? You said he shouldn't be king. Why? Speaker 2 (7:09) If he dies, and then you die, like, you're overreacting a bit. He can't be king. He's dead. Like, what is he even thinking? They're both going to be, like, dead for a very, very long time. And there's basically no end to that. There is Speaker 1 (7:24) basically no end Speaker 7 (7:24) to being dead. Exactly Speaker 1 (7:25) right. Speaker 7 (7:26) The king looked expectantly at the oldest son. The oldest son said, Speaker 6 (7:31) Father, if my younger brothers die when you die, how will they inherit the kingdom upon your death? How can they be king? They're dead. Which is exactly what you all said. Speaker 3 (7:42) Exactly what you said. But the king said, Speaker 6 (7:45) Don't be so logical. Speaker 7 (7:47) Just tell Speaker 6 (7:48) me how much you love me. Speaker 7 (7:51) The oldest son looked at his elderly father, who had taught him so much throughout his life. And even though he knew that the king was being foolish now, he also knew how much he loved him. So he said, Speaker 6 (8:05) I love you, father, as much as meat loves salt. The king squinted at his oldest son. Say that again? I love you as much as meat loves salt? The king rose in fury. Get out of my sight! If you don't love me more than that, you shall live in the stables with the horses and the cows! Speaker 7 (8:28) And the oldest son was banished from the