# Simeli Mountain explained — Household Tales

> Chapter companion for Household Tales by Jacob Grimm.

## What happens

A poor brother discovers a magical mountain that opens to the command 'Semsi mountain, open,' where he finds treasure. He takes only what he needs and lives uprightly. His rich, envious brother tricks him into revealing the secret, then goes to the mountain but forgets the correct name and is trapped and killed by the twelve robbers.

## Themes in this chapter

### Greed and Its Downfall

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.

### Virtue Rewarded and Vice Punished

The poor brother's modest and charitable use of the treasure is rewarded, while the rich brother's envy and greed are punished with death.

## Character check-ins

### the poor man

The poor brother who discovers the treasure mountain, takes only gold, and lives virtuously.

### the rich man

The envious rich brother who tricks the poor brother, goes to the mountain, forgets the name, and is killed by the robbers.

## Key lines

> Semsi mountain, Semsi mountain, open

The magic command that opens the mountain.

_The correct phrase used by the poor brother and the robbers._

> Simeli mountain, Simeli mountain, open

The incorrect command the rich brother utters, which fails to open the mountain.

_The rich brother's fatal mistake due to his confused thoughts._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/household_tales_se/chapters/simeli-mountain
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/household_tales_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/household_tales_se/chapters