The Singing Bone

"The Singing Bone" is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, tale number 28.^[1]

This tale is also found in ballad form, in "The Twa Sisters", where the siblings are sisters instead of brothers.^[3]

Synopsis

A boar lays waste to a country, and two brothers set out to kill it. The younger meets a little man who gives him a spear, and with it, he kills the boar. Carrying the body off, he meets his brother, who had stayed to drink until he felt brave. The older brother lures him in, gives him drink, and learns of the younger brother's adventure. They then set out to deliver the body to the king, but on passing a bridge, the older kills the younger, and buries his body beneath it. He takes the boar himself to the king, and marries the king's daughter.

One day a shepherd sees a bone under the bridge and uses it to make a mouthpiece for a horn, which begins to sing on its own. The shepherd takes this marvel to the king. On hearing the song, which tells the tale of the murder, the king has the younger brother's skeleton dug up. The older brother cannot deny murdering him and is executed.

References

↑ Jacob and Wilheim Grimm, Household Tales, SurLaLune Fairy Tale site "The Singing Bone"
↑ D. L. Ashliman, "The Singing Bone and other tales of Aarne-Thompson type 780"
↑ Stith Thompson, The Folktale, p 136, University of California Press, Berkeley Los Angeles London, 1977

The Brothers Grimm

Key articles	Jacob Grimm Wilhelm Grimm Grimms' Fairy Tales Deutsche Sagen Deutsche Mythologie

Notable tales	The Frog Prince Cat and Mouse in Partnership Mary's Child The Story of the Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was The Wolf and the Seven Young Kids Trusty John The Wonderful Musician The Twelve Brothers Brother and Sister Rapunzel The Three Little Men in the Wood The Three Spinners Hansel and Gretel The White Snake The Fisherman and His Wife The Brave Little Tailor Cinderella The Riddle Little Red Riding Hood Town Musicians of Bremen Snow White Rumpelstiltskin Sleeping Beauty

Other	Grimm's law Göttingen Seven Grim Tales The Wonderful World of the Brothers Grimm Grimm's Fairy Tale Classics The Brothers Grimm Grimm Tales The Sisters Grimm Fairy tale American McGee's Grimm German Fairy Tale Route Grimm Once Upon a Time

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