„All was silent and lonely in the forest; the animals were not be seen; ... only a small cat was sitting up in an old tree, glaring with its eyes. They kept silent. "That's the little Hinze," said Häwelmann., "I know him well!; he wants to imitate the stars." And when they went on, the little cat jumped from tree to tree. "What are you doing?" shouted up the small Häwelmann. "I illuminate!" called down the little cat. "Where are the other animals?" shouted up the small Häwelmann. “They are sleeping!" cried the little cat down ...“

For me as a child I loved the idea that the child knew the words to stop the magic pot and all the craziness her mother had caused: „So it went on cooking and the porridge rose over the edge, and still it cooked on until the kitchen and whole house were full, and then the next house, and then the whole street, just as if it wanted to satisfy the hunger of the whole world. It was terrible, and no one knew how to stop it. At last when only one single house remained, the child came home and just said, "Little pot, stop," and it stopped cooking, and anyone who wished to return to the town had to eat his way back.“

This is a really fancy witch, she can be an owl, a cat or an old woman. And she has 7.000 cages in her castle (this fact was the most memorable fact for me as a child). I added a brave mouse which tries to rescue the poor virgins. „If any one came within one hundred paces of the castle he was obliged to stand still, and could not stir from the place until she bade him be free. But whenever an innocent maiden came within this circle, she changed her into a bird, and shut her up in a wicker-work cage, and carried the cage into a room in the castle. She had about seven thousand cages of rare birds in the castle.“

I love and loved this story because this is a funny ghost! An old willow tree, an owl, a rope and the wind team up to scare the people of a small village. „Listen“ shouted the old willow tree „there comes a human and we can have a lot of fun with her. We dress up as a ghost, but we have to be fast! The wind blows the bedsheet to me tree trunk, then the rope fixes it and the owl puts her head out and open her glowing eyes widely. The wind can hide in the bush, and when the human is near, he can blow and the owl cries! You will see how she takes to her heels! This will be a killer.“ 

One day Grandpa Fly told his grandchildren the real story about the valiant little tailor. The Grimms didn’t write it down correctly. The little tailor didn’t kill 7 flies with one stroke, the flies were his friends and helped him with all his adventures and finally became royal flies in his castle. Here is the wrong part: „All the while the scent of the sweet jelly was spreading throughout the room, where there were quantities of flies, who were attracted by it and flew to partake. "Now then, who asked you to come?" said the tailor, and drove the unbidden guests away. But the flies, not understanding his language, were not to be got rid of like that, and returned in larger numbers than before. Then the tailor, not being able to stand it any longer, took from his chimney-corner a ragged cloth, and saying, "Now, I'll let you have it!" beat it among them unmercifully. When he ceased, and counted the slain, he found seven lying dead before him. "This is indeed somewhat," he said, wondering at his own gallantry; "the whole town shall know this." So he hastened to cut out a belt, and he stitched it and put on it in large capitals "Seven at one blow!"

„YOU must attend to the commencement of this story, for when we get to the end we shall know more than we do now about a very wicked hobgoblin; he was one of the very worst, for he was a real demon. One day, when he was in a merry mood, he made a looking-glass which had the power of making everything good or beautiful that was reflected in it almost shrink to nothing, while everything that was worthless and bad looked increased in size and worse than ever. The most lovely landscapes appeared like boiled spinach, and the people became hideous, and looked as if they stood on their heads and had no bodies. Their countenances were so distorted that no one could recognize them, and even one freckle on the face appeared to spread over the whole of the nose and mouth. The demon said this was very amusing.“

As a kid I loved the word ‚Mutabor‘, which is the magic word to restore the Caliph of Bagdad to his human form. While listening to the story I was always so excited because I knew the word that the Caliph had forgotten. Here is a short passage of the text: „The owl answered him, “My lord! this also is plain to me; for once, in early youth, it was foretold to me by a wise woman, that a stork would bring me great happiness, and perhaps I might know how we may save ourselves.” The Caliph was much astonished, and inquired in what way she meant. “The enchanter who has made us both miserable,” said she, “comes once every month to these ruins. Not far from this chamber is a hall; there, with many confederates, he is wont to banquet. Already I have often watched them: they relate to one another their shameful deeds—perhaps he might then mention the magic word which you have forgotten.” “Oh, dearest Princess!” exclaimed the Caliph: “tell us—when will he come, and where is the hall?”

One day Esther left a bottle in the garden. When she wanted to pick it up late at night she discovered something unexpected.