Household Tales · Chapter
The Two Brothers explained
Two twin brothers, sons of a poor broom-maker, accidentally eat the heart and liver of a golden bird, which grants them a daily gold piece.
What happens
Two twin brothers, sons of a poor broom-maker, accidentally eat the heart and liver of a golden bird, which grants them a daily gold piece. Their envious goldsmith uncle convinces their father they are in league with the Evil One, so the father abandons them in the forest. A huntsman takes them in, teaches them hunting, and they become skilled huntsmen. They set out into the world, encounter magical animals, and eventually separate. One brother rescues a princess and becomes king, while the other is turned to stone by a witch. The free brother rescues his twin, but jealousy leads him to kill his brother, who is revived by a life-giving root. They reconcile, and the true husband is identified by a necklace on his lion.
Themes in this chapter
Jealousy and Envy
The goldsmith's envy leads him to slander the twins and cause their abandonment.
Family Dynamics and Betrayal
The father betrays his sons out of fear, and one brother later kills the other out of jealousy.
Transformation and Redemption
The twins transform from abandoned children to skilled huntsmen and rulers; the murderous brother repents and is reconciled.
Characters to notice
- the boy
One of the twin brothers; eats the heart and liver of the golden bird, becomes a huntsman, later rescues his brother from a witch.
- the son
The other twin brother; shares the same fate, separates from his brother, is turned to stone, then revived.
- the rich man
The goldsmith uncle; envious and hard-hearted, he convinces the father to abandon the twins.
- the poor man
The father of the twins; a broom-maker who reluctantly leaves his sons in the forest.
- the princess
The young Queen; marries one twin, identifies her true husband by the golden clasp on the lion.
Key passages
“The father feared the Evil One, and painful as it was to him, he nevertheless led the twins forth into the forest, and with a sad heart left them there.”
Despite his sorrow, the father abandoned his twin sons in the forest because he feared they were possessed by the devil.
Highlights the theme of family betrayal driven by fear.
“If ever you separate, stick this knife into a tree at the place where you part, and when one of you goes back, he will be able to see how his absent brother is faring, for the side of the knife which is turned in the direction by which he went, will rust if he dies, but will remain bright as long as he is alive.”
The foster-father gave them a magic knife that would rust on the side of a brother who died, allowing the other to know his fate.
Introduces a magical object that enables the brothers to stay connected.
“My brother delivered me," cried he, "and I have killed him for it," and he bewailed him aloud.”
The brother who had struck off his twin's head immediately regretted his jealous act and mourned loudly.
Shows the moment of repentance and the theme of redemption.