Bearskin

If you ask people which fairytale they liked as a child, most likely, most of them will say The Bearskin. It is a German folktale, and we have three versions of it. This is the one below, which was written by the brothers Grimm. The Bearskin story is about a soldier who returns from the war and finds no one waiting for him. A devil talks to him, offering riches in exchange for not grooming himself for seven years. He accepts the deal and starts his journey. You will discover what happens as time passes by reading this tale.

Bearskin promising with his bride-to-be

The Brothers Grimm Bearskin

Once upon a time, a man who had served as a soldier returned to find that his parents were dead and his brothers would not let him live with them.

A devil-looking man with cloven hooves appeared before him and offered to make him rich if he would give up bathing and cutting his hair or nails for seven years.

The soldier agreed to the devil's conditions; if he survived, it would be as though nothing had ever happened. If he died during combat, the devil could have his soul. The desperate man quickly donned a green coat, telling him that it would always contain an endless supply of money, and then offering a bear pelt to sleep, which he should henceforth call "Bearskin".

Bearskin initially gave much money to the poor so that they would pray for him during his seven years of exile. But as he became increasingly repulsive, he had to pay heavily to find shelter wherever he could.

In the fourth year, he heard an older man moaning and persuaded him to tell his tale because he had lost all of his money, did not know how to provide for his daughters and could not pay the innkeeper; this poor fellow would be sent off to jail.

Bearskin paid the innkeeper, then gave the older man a purse of gold as well.

The older man gave him one of his daughters in marriage out of gratitude. The oldest daughter ran away screaming when she saw him, while the middle one said he was worse than a bear trying to pass itself off as human.

The youngest daughter was the only one who agreed to fulfil her father's promise. Bearskin gave her half a ring and said he would return in three years, but her sisters made fun of this for quite some time afterwards!

After seven years, Bearskin found the devil again and demanded that he fulfil his promise. The devil soaked Bearskin in water until it reached his knees, clipped all his claws, and brushed him thoroughly so that he was as good as new.

Bearskin demanded that the devil repeat the Lord's Prayer. The devil warned Bearskin not to push his luck; after all, he had already won their bargain and disappeared.

Clean and well-dressed, Bearskin went to the older man's house. The older sisters served him as usual; his bride (who dressed in black) likewise showed no reaction when she saw her intended husband for the first time that day. Everything was going according to plan! He then announced that he would marry one of these women.

The two older sisters hurried to dress in their finest clothes. Bearskin dropped the half ring into a wine cup and gave it to his bride. She drank from it, then realised that he was her husband.

They married and stayed together happily for many years.

The Moral of the Story 

The moral of the above-given story is: “Beauty can be fleeting, and the true character lies within yourself.”

Summary 

The brothers Grimm’s Bearskin story talks about a handsome former soldier who must decide what to do with his life after returning from war. After meeting a devil, he agreed to wear a bearskin for seven years and in the end he married the youngest daughter of the farmer who gave him the bearskin. This story teaches that judging someone based on skin tone, or appearance is never a good idea. Instead, we should always learn to love people’s minds. The former soldier in the story was patient and it was the beautiful heart of the farmer’s youngest daughter that helped them find each other.