# The Wise Servant explained — Household Tales

> Chapter companion for Household Tales by Jacob Grimm.

## What happens

A master sends his servant John to find a lost cow, but John instead pursues three blackbirds, claiming he found something better. The master eventually finds John running in a field and learns that the servant has not obeyed his orders, instead following his own wisdom. The tale concludes with a moral advising readers to ignore their masters' orders and do as they please.

## Character check-ins

### Faithful John

The clever servant who ignores his master's orders to find a cow and instead chases three blackbirds.

### his master

The master who sends John to find a lost cow and later searches for him.

## Key lines

> How fortunate is the master, and how well all goes in his house, when he has a wise servant who listens to his orders and does not obey them, but prefers following his own wisdom.

A master is lucky when his servant is clever enough to ignore orders and act according to his own judgment.

_Opening moral of the tale._

> I see one of them, I hear the other, and I am running after the third.

I have located one blackbird, can hear another, and am chasing the third.

_John's explanation of his pursuit._

> Take example by this, do not trouble yourselves about your masters or their orders, but rather do what comes into your head and pleases you, and then you will act just as wisely as prudent John.

Learn from this: ignore your master's commands and do whatever you feel like, and you will be as wise as John.

_Closing moral of the tale._

## Links

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