Greed and Its Downfall

Where it surfaces

• Cat and Mouse in Partnership

  The cat's greed for the fat drives her to lie and consume everything, ultimately destroying the partnership and the mouse.

• The Good Bargain

  The Jew's greed leads him to betray the peasant, but he is ultimately punished when the King sees through his deception.

• Hänsel and Grethel

  The witch's greed for eating children leads to her own death in the oven, while the children's acquisition of jewels symbolizes reward.

• The Fisherman and His Wife

  The wife's insatiable desire for more power leads to the loss of all granted wishes.

• The Mouse, the Bird, and the Sausage

  The bird's desire for a better situation, despite being well off, results in the destruction of the entire household.

• Mother Holle

  The mother's and stepsister's greed for gold leads the lazy daughter to attempt to deceive Mother Holle, resulting in her permanent disfigurement with pitch.

• The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs

  The king's greed for gold drives him to seek the ferryman's treasure, resulting in his perpetual servitude.

• The Wishing-Table, the Gold-Ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack

  The innkeeper's greed leads him to steal the magical objects, but he is ultimately punished when the cudgel thrashes him.

• Thumbling

  The two strangers' greed leads them to buy Thumbling, but they lose both him and their money when he escapes. Similarly, the wolf's gluttony results in his death.

• Godfather Death

  The physician's desire for wealth, kingship, and the princess drives him to break his promise, resulting in his demise.

• Thumbling as Journeyman

  The robbers' greed for the king's treasure is thwarted by Thumbling's cleverness, and the maids' greed for revenge leads to their own failure.

• The Knapsack, the Hat, and the Horn

  The two older brothers settle for silver and gold, while the youngest's restraint leads to greater power.

• Rumpelstiltskin

  The King's greed for gold drives the plot, and the little man's greed for the child leads to his own destruction.

• The Dog and the Sparrow

  The wagoner's greed and disregard for life (running over the dog, refusing to stop) result in the loss of his property and life.

• Frederick and Catherine

  The pedlars' greed leads them to steal the gold, but they are frightened away and lose their booty.

• The Little Peasant

  The peasants' greed for easy wealth leads them to kill their cows and ultimately drown themselves.

• The Three Sons of Fortune

  The king's fear and overreaction to the cat's mewing result in the loss of his palace, showing how greed for safety can lead to ruin.

• How Six Men Got on in the World

  The King's greed leads him to attempt murder and ultimately lose his entire wealth to the six men.

• The Wolf and the Fox

  The wolf's insatiable greed leads him to overeat and become stuck in the cellar, resulting in his death.

• Clever Grethel

  Grethel's greed leads her to eat both fowls, but her cleverness prevents any downfall for herself, while the master and guest suffer loss and confusion.

• The Death of the Little Hen

  The hen's greed in keeping the kernel for herself results in her choking and the subsequent demise of all involved.

• Brother Lustig

  Brother Lustig's greed is evident when he nudges St. Peter to accept payment and later tries to revive a princess for reward, but his incompetence prevents success.

• Gambling Hansel

  Hansel's greed for gambling and winning leads him to lose his house, abuse divine gifts, and ultimately be destroyed, his soul scattered among living gamblers.

• Hans in Luck

  Hans's initial desire for a horse leads to a fall, and his subsequent trades show how each 'improvement' brings new troubles until he is finally freed from all burdens.

• The Gold-Children

  The wife's insatiable curiosity and desire to know the source of their wealth ultimately causes their downfall.

• The Poor Man and the Rich Man

  The rich man's greed for more wishes results in the squandering of all three, leaving him with nothing but regret.

• The Young Giant

  The bailiff and the smith are both greedy, trying to exploit the young giant's strength for free labor, but they face consequences when he demands his agreed-upon blows.

• The King of the Golden Mountain

  The merchant's greed for wealth leads him to promise his son, and the son's impulsive wish for his wife and child brings misfortune.

• Doctor Knowall

  The servants' greed leads them to steal, and their fear of exposure causes their downfall.

• Sweet Porridge

  The mother's uncontrolled eating and inability to stop the pot result in a flood of porridge, illustrating the consequences of excess.

• Wise Folks

  The woman's eagerness to send money to her husband in heaven and the son's desire to learn about heaven lead them to lose their wealth and horse to the cunning peasant.

• Second Story

  The girl's taking of the crown leads to the snake's death and the loss of further treasures.

• The Jew Among Thorns

  The Jew's greed leads him to falsely accuse the servant, but his own crime is exposed, resulting in his execution.

• The Flail from Heaven

  The peasant's desire for more thalers leads to a precarious situation, though he ultimately escapes through resourcefulness.

• The Bright Sun Brings It to Light

  The tailor's greed leads him to kill for money, but he finds only eight farthings, and his crime eventually destroys him.

• The Three Apprentices

  The innkeeper's greed leads him to murder the merchant for his gold, but his crime is exposed and he is executed, showing the destructive consequences of avarice.

• Donkey Cabbages

  The witch's greed for the bird's heart and wishing-cloak drives her to manipulate the maiden, ultimately resulting in her own demise.

• The Fox and the Horse

  The lion's greed for an easy meal leads him into a trap, and the master's initial greed in discarding the horse is reversed when he sees the lion.

• Simeli Mountain

  The rich brother's greed leads him to attempt to take all the treasure, but his avarice causes him to forget the mountain's name, resulting in his death.

• The Turnip

  The rich brother's greed for even greater wealth backfires, leaving him with only the turnip and a desire for revenge.

• Snow-White and Rose-Red

  The dwarf's greed for treasure and his cruel nature lead to his demise at the bear's paw.

• Lazy Harry

  Harry's suspicion that Trina is eating the honey in private leads to their argument and the destruction of the honey pot.

• Lean Lisa

  Lean Lisa's obsessive desire for a cow and her refusal to share even a drop of milk leads to conflict and violence, showing how greed disrupts family harmony.

• The Owl

  The townspeople's fear and irrationality lead them to burn down a valuable barn and its contents, a costly and destructive solution.

• The Moon

  The four men's greed in taking the moon for themselves and later hoarding its quarters leads to the return of darkness and chaos.

• The Little Folks’ Presents

  The goldsmith's greed drives him to return for more treasure, resulting in his gold turning to coal and his body being deformed.

• The Poor Boy in the Grave

  The farmer's greed and refusal to feed the boy properly lead to a chain of events that culminate in the boy's death and the farmer's own ruin.

• The Peasant and the Devil

  The Devil's greed for the fruits of the earth leads him to be outwitted by the peasant, who uses the Devil's own desire against him.

• The Ear of Corn

  Human ingratitude and wastefulness in times of plenty provoke divine anger, resulting in the loss of abundance.

• The Grave-Mound

  The rich farmer's greed is confronted by his conscience, and his soul is nearly lost to the Devil, illustrating the destructive consequences of avarice.