Defying Difficulties: Grimm’s Fairy Tale ‘Brother and Sister’

Perseverance pays off for a brother and sister who endure many troubles.

“Brother and Sister, 1970, by Katharina Szelinski-Singer, sculpture. A brother and sister face great difficulties in this Grimm Brothers’ fairy tale. Jcornelius/CC BY-SA 3.0

Since life is full of difficulties and sorrows, it’s paramount that children be taught the importance of loyalty and perseverance in seemingly impossible circumstances.

The Brothers Grimm shared these values in their fairy tale, “Brother and Sister.” By following a brother and sister through their many trials, the Brothers Grimm demonstrated that they just don’t endure, they overcome their struggles.

Into the Forest

After their mother died, a brother and sister lived with their cruel stepmother; she beat them and barely fed them. Unable to endure their stepmother’s cruelty anymore, the brother and sister flee into the forest.