Asbjornsen- Boots and His Brothers

Boots and His Brothers
By: Peter Christen Asbjørnsen, and Jorgen Moe
1888

and
The Three Billy-Goats Gruff
Thumbikin
The Three Aunts

"Well, after all, Jack wasn't so much out of his mind when he took to wondering."

The Story of Boots and His Brothers is one I easily related to. Because even though I'm not a boy and don't have two brothers, I do have two siblings. And it always seems that we are in a constant competition. So this was a perfect tale where the least likely brother succeeds. In the story, the three brothers are told they must go out and make something of there lives, to provide for themselves. So they set out on there journey.
The near by King has the perfect kingdom except two things, first he doesn't have a well deep enough to hold water year round, and second a large tree casting shade on the castle. So the king proclaimed to all the land that anyone who could cut down the tree, and dig a hole for the well could have the Princess along with much wealth untold. Now this wasn't an easy task, for the tree every time a piece was cut, the tree would grow back three times thicker. And the kingdom was on a hill, and only a few feet below the surface was hard rock.
But the brothers decide to go out to try there luck anyways. On there journey Boots, or Jack wonders a lot and finds a magical Axe, spade/ shovel, and a walnut that water flowed out of. So they finally get to the kings tree, since every time someone tried cutting down the tree it only grew larger. The King proclaimed a punishment, anyone who was not successful would be banished to an island, and have his ears cut off. This didn't scare the first two brothers so they tried, and failed. The Third brother came along and cut it right down with the magical axe, as well as dug a well, and put the walnut which provided water year round. So the King gave him his daughter, the Princess along with half the kingdom.

My Recommendation: Fairly long fairy tale, but a good one for all.
Problems: Parents might not want to encourage competition between siblings.
My Reaction: As I said, I really relate to this one and like it because of that. I also like that all the tools and Walnuts talk to him. We often see talking animals, but less likely talking objects.