Thirteenth (fairy tale)
Encyclopedia
Thirteenth is an Italian fairy tale
collected by Thomas Frederick Crane
in Italian Popular Tales. It is Aarne-Thompson type 328, the boy steals the giant's treasures.
of which was known as Thirteenth. Their mother gave herb soup to whichever one came home first, and Thirteenth always got it. The king proclaimed that whoever brought him the ogre
's coverlet would win a measure of gold. Thirteenth's envious brothers told him that Thirteenth had bragged of being able to do it.
Despite Thirteenth's protests, the king dispatched him. He sneaked in the home when only the ogress was there and hid under the bed. In the night, he pulled off the coverlet, distracting the ogre and ogress by meowing when they reacted, and carried it off.
When the king offered gold to whoever stole the ogre's horse, Thirteenth asked for a silk ladder and a bag of cakes. He used the ladder to scale the ogre's castle, and fed the horse cakes all the way back to the king. Then he tried to steal the ogre's bolster, but the bells on it gave him away. The ogre stuffed him in a barrel and tried to fatten him on raisins and figs, but when he told Thirteenth to stick a finger out, to tell how fat he was getting, Thirteenth stuck out a mouse's tail, and then a spindle, but the third
time, he had to put out his finger.
The ogre arranged a feast, but when the ogress went to put Thirteenth in the oven, he asked her what the black thing inside was. When she bent to look, he pushed her in and escaped with the ogre's bolster and other treasure.
The king wanted the ogre himself. Thirteenth disguised himself as a monk and went to the ogre's castle. There, he told him that Thirteenth had killed his superior, and he intended to shut him up in the chest, but he did not know what he looked like. The ogre said that Thirteenth was as tall as he was, so Thirteenth asked him to get in the chest so he could see whether it was large enough. Then he fastened it and carried the ogre off. The king rewarded Thirteenth richly.
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
collected by Thomas Frederick Crane
Thomas Frederick Crane
Thomas Frederick Crane was an American folklorist, academic and lawyer.He studied law at Princeton, earned his undergraduate degree in 1864, and in 1867 graduated with an A.M. After graduation, he studied law at Columbia Law School but moved to Ithaca when a relative there became ill...
in Italian Popular Tales. It is Aarne-Thompson type 328, the boy steals the giant's treasures.
Synopsis
A family had many sons, the thirteenthYoungest son
The youngest son is a stock character in fairy tales, where he features as the hero. He is usually the third son, but sometimes there are more brothers, and sometimes he has only one; usually, they have no sisters....
of which was known as Thirteenth. Their mother gave herb soup to whichever one came home first, and Thirteenth always got it. The king proclaimed that whoever brought him the ogre
Ogre
An ogre is a large, cruel, monstrous, and hideous humanoid monster, featured in mythology, folklore, and fiction. Ogres are often depicted in fairy tales and folklore as feeding on human beings, and have appeared in many classic works of literature...
's coverlet would win a measure of gold. Thirteenth's envious brothers told him that Thirteenth had bragged of being able to do it.
Despite Thirteenth's protests, the king dispatched him. He sneaked in the home when only the ogress was there and hid under the bed. In the night, he pulled off the coverlet, distracting the ogre and ogress by meowing when they reacted, and carried it off.
When the king offered gold to whoever stole the ogre's horse, Thirteenth asked for a silk ladder and a bag of cakes. He used the ladder to scale the ogre's castle, and fed the horse cakes all the way back to the king. Then he tried to steal the ogre's bolster, but the bells on it gave him away. The ogre stuffed him in a barrel and tried to fatten him on raisins and figs, but when he told Thirteenth to stick a finger out, to tell how fat he was getting, Thirteenth stuck out a mouse's tail, and then a spindle, but the third
Rule of three (writing)
The "rule of three" is a principle in writing that suggests that things that come in threes are inherently funnier, more satisfying, or more effective than other numbers of things. The reader/audience of this form of text is also more likely to consume information if it is written in groups of...
time, he had to put out his finger.
The ogre arranged a feast, but when the ogress went to put Thirteenth in the oven, he asked her what the black thing inside was. When she bent to look, he pushed her in and escaped with the ogre's bolster and other treasure.
The king wanted the ogre himself. Thirteenth disguised himself as a monk and went to the ogre's castle. There, he told him that Thirteenth had killed his superior, and he intended to shut him up in the chest, but he did not know what he looked like. The ogre said that Thirteenth was as tall as he was, so Thirteenth asked him to get in the chest so he could see whether it was large enough. Then he fastened it and carried the ogre off. The king rewarded Thirteenth richly.
See also
- How the Dragon was TrickedHow the Dragon was TrickedHow the Dragon was Tricked is a Greek fairy tale collected by J. G. von Hahn in Griechische und Albanesische Märchen. Andrew Lang included it in The Pink Fairy Book. It is Aarne-Thompson type 328, the boy steals the giant's treasures.-Synopsis:...
- Esben and the WitchEsben and the WitchEsben and the Witch is a Danish fairy tale. Andrew Lang included it in The Pink Fairy Book. A version of the tale also appears in A Book of Witches and A Choice of Magic, by Ruth Manning-Sanders. It is Aarne-Thompson type 327B, the small boy defeats the ogre.-Synopsis:A farmer had twelve sons, and...
- The Grateful BeastsThe Grateful BeastsThe Grateful Beasts is a Hungarian fairy tale collected by Hermann Kletke. Andrew Lang included it in The Yellow Fairy Book.-Synopsis:Three sons set out to seek their fortune...
- CorvettoCorvettoCorvetto is an Italian literary fairy tale written by Giambattista Basile in his 1634 work, the Pentamerone.It is Aarne-Thompson type 531. Other tales of this type include The Firebird and Princess Vasilisa, Ferdinand the Faithful and Ferdinand the Unfaithful, King Fortunatus's Golden Wig, and The...
- Boots and the TrollBoots and the TrollBoots and the Troll is a Norwegian fairy tale collected by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe in Norwegian Folktales.-Synopsis:An old man died. His three sons set out to seek their fortune. The two older would have nothing to do with the youngest son, whom they said was fit for nothing but...
- The Gold-bearded ManThe Gold-bearded ManThe Gold-bearded Man is an Hungarian fairy tale collected in Ungarische Mahrchen. Andrew Lang included it in The Crimson Fairy Book.-Synopsis:...
- Jack and the BeanstalkJack and the BeanstalkJack and the Beanstalk is a folktale said by English historian Francis Palgrave to be an oral legend that arrived in England with the Vikings. The tale is closely associated with the tale of Jack the Giant-killer. It is known under a number of versions...
- DapplegrimDapplegrimDapplegrim is a Norwegian fairy tale collected by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe in their Norske Folkeeventyr. Andrew Lang included it in The Red Fairy Book.-Synopsis:The youngest of twelve sons goes off to serve the king for a year...
- The Little Girl Sold with the PearsThe Little Girl Sold with the Pears"The Little Girl Sold with the Pears" is an Italian fairy tale collected by Italo Calvino in Italian Folktales, from Piedmont. Ruth Manning-Sanders included a variant, as "The Girl in the Basket", in A Book of Ogres and Trolls.-Plot summary:...
- The Three AuntsThe Three AuntsThe Three Aunts is a Norwegian fairy tale collected by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe in Norske Folkeeventyr.-Synopsis:A poor man made his living by shooting. He had lost his wife, and one day, his pretty daughter decided to go seek her fortune. She got a place with the queen, and...
- Hansel and GretelHansel and Gretel"Hansel and Gretel" is a well-known fairy tale of German origin, recorded by the Brothers Grimm and published in 1812. Hansel and Gretel are a young brother and sister threatened by a cannibalistic hag living deep in the forest in a house constructed of cake and confectionery. The two children...