Week 16- #GRIMMread2019

http://shonnaslayton.com/grimm-read-2019-challenge/

The Queen Bee, The Three Feathers, and The Golden Goose are very similar to each other. They all have three brothers who go on quests, and the youngest brother in each story is named either Simpleton or Dummling because he's basically considered the village idiot. Despite this, he wins out because he is kind and/or because his older brothers underestimate him. The Little Peasant is about a poor peasant, who lives in a town full of rich peasants (oxymoron?). He betters his situation through his cleverness and trickery. This story doesn't seem to have much in common with the others, but each of this week's stories stories do contain examples of how comparing oneself to others leads one to become discontent and/or complacent.

The rich peasants in The Little Peasant become indignant because the little peasant has become richer than them. The rich peasants lived contentedly until they started comparing their riches to the little peasant's riches. This leads to jealousy and they plot to kill the little peasant, but this plan backfires, and they are all killed through his trickery instead.

In the other three stories, the two older brothers compare themselves to Simpleton/Dummling. They mock him and disregard him because he is so simple and they consider themselves clever in comparison to him. Comparing themselves to Simpleton/Dummling does not serve them well. They don't take their quests/challenges seriously because they can't fathom that their youngest brother could possibly beat them. This comparison leads them to be overconfident and lazy. Because Simpleton/Dummling is kind and focuses in his own journey, he wins out.