# The Beam explained — Household Tales

> Chapter companion for Household Tales by Jacob Grimm.

## What happens

An enchanter performs a trick with a cock carrying a heavy beam, but a wise girl sees through the illusion and exposes it as a straw. The enchanter vows revenge and later humiliates her on her wedding day by making her believe she is wading through water when she is actually standing in a field of blue flax, leading to her being ridiculed and chased away.

## Themes in this chapter

### Magic and the Supernatural

The enchanter uses magic to deceive the crowd, and the girl's clover grants her insight to see through the illusion.

### Virtue Rewarded and Vice Punished

The enchanter is initially driven away in shame for his deception, but later the girl is humiliated despite her earlier virtue.

## Character check-ins

### the enchanter

Performs illusions and seeks revenge after being exposed.

### the girl

A wise girl who sees through the enchanter's trick and later becomes a bride humiliated by him.

## Key lines

> He had a cock brought in, which lifted a heavy beam and carried it as if it were as light as a feather.

The enchanter made a rooster lift a beam that seemed heavy but was actually light as a feather.

_Describes the initial illusion performed by the enchanter._

> Aha! Where are thine eyes that thou takest that for water?

The enchanter mocked the bride for mistaking a field of blue flax for water.

_The enchanter's taunt reveals the second illusion on the wedding day._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/household_tales_se/chapters/the-beam
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/household_tales_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/household_tales_se/chapters