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The Straw, the Coal, and the Bean

A tale from Grimms' Fairy Tales, by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

This tale comes from Grimms' Fairy Tales, collected by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm in the early nineteenth century. The Grimm brothers gathered folktales from across Germany, preserving stories that had been told aloud for generations. This story explains, in a playful and imaginative way, why beans have a black line down their side. It is a pourquoi tale—a story that answers the question 'why?'—and it rewards readers who notice how character traits (boldness, caution, laughter) shape what happens. The tale reminds us that even small choices have consequences, and that kindness can mend what has been broken. This text reflects its era.

Band

Green · Independent readers, earlyTypical starting range: ages 9–11

Length

medium · about 839 words in 5 sections · 3 pictures

Source

Grimms' Fairy Tales, Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm

First published

see the About page in the reader

Regions

Canada · United States

Included formats

• · Web reader and PDF
• · EPUB for e-readers
• · Home-print sheet
• · Folded booklet
• · Binder edition (8.5 × 11)
• · Worksheet
• · Quick Check (10 questions) with answer key
• · Read-aloud script
• · Teacher’s Edition (members)

Readers are engineered from the original public-domain text with AI under HummingRead’s published canon and Content Philosophy, checked by automated audit and sampled by a person. Pictures are made with AI to HummingRead’s brief for each story. How a reader is made.

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