# The Knapsack, the Hat, and the Horn explained — Household Tales

> Chapter companion for Household Tales by Jacob Grimm.

## What happens

Three impoverished brothers set out to seek their fortune. The eldest takes silver from a hill and returns home; the second takes gold and does the same. The youngest continues and acquires a magical wishing-cloth, then a knapsack that summons soldiers, a hat that commands cannons, and a horn that destroys walls. He returns home to find his brothers have rejected him, uses the knapsack to subdue them, then demands the king's daughter in marriage. His wife steals the knapsack and hat, but he uses the horn to destroy the kingdom and makes himself king.

## Themes in this chapter

### Greed and Its Downfall

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

### Family Dynamics and Betrayal

The brothers reject the youngest upon his return, and the princess betrays her husband by stealing his magical items.

### Transformation and Redemption

The youngest brother transforms from a poor wanderer into a king, though his redemption is violent.

## Character check-ins

### the youth

The youngest brother who seeks fortune beyond silver and gold, acquires magical items, and becomes king.

### the son

The eldest brother who takes silver and returns home.

### Unknown

The second brother who takes gold and returns home.

### the princess

The king's daughter who marries the youth but tries to steal his magical items.

### the king

The ruler who opposes the youth and is ultimately killed by the horn's destruction.

## Key lines

> There were once three brothers who had fallen deeper and deeper into poverty, and at last their need was so great that they had to endure hunger, and had nothing to eat or drink.

Three brothers became so poor they faced starvation.

_Opening situation of the tale._

> He took as much of the silver as he could possibly carry, and then turned back and went home again.

The eldest brother loaded up with silver and returned home.

_First brother's choice._

> The third said, 'Silver and gold do not move me, I will not renounce my chance of fortune, perhaps something better still will be given me.'

The youngest brother refused silver and gold, hoping for greater fortune.

_The youngest's ambition._

> He tapped his knapsack until a hundred and fifty men stood before him armed from head to foot.

He summoned an army by tapping his knapsack.

_Power of the knapsack._

> He turned his hat twice round on his head, and heavy guns began to play, and the king’s men were beaten and put to flight.

Twisting his hat twice caused cannons to fire, defeating the king's troops.

_Power of the hat._

> In great anger he blew it with all his strength. Instantly all walls, fortifications, towns, and villages, toppled down, and crushed the King and his daughter to death.

He blew the horn, causing everything to collapse and killing the king and princess.

_Destructive power of the horn._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/household_tales_se/chapters/the-knapsack-the-hat-and-the-horn
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/household_tales_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/household_tales_se/chapters