Grimm Brothers
|
Germany

The Old Man and His Grandson

An old grandfather is treated poorly until his grandson’s actions remind his parents to be kind to him.
Kindness
Respect
Empathy
The Old Man and His Grandson
Audio available for B1 version

Once upon a time, there was a very old grandfather whose eyes were not very sharp, and he found it hard to hear. His hands shook a little, so when he ate, sometimes his soup would dribble onto the tablecloth. This made his son and daughter-in-law feel uneasy. Because of this, the grandfather had to sit in a quiet corner of the room, and they gave him his meals in a plain old bowl, and sometimes, it wasn't enough food.

The grandfather often looked sadly at everyone else eating at the table. One day, his hands shook so much that he dropped his bowl, and it broke. His daughter-in-law was upset with him, but the grandfather just sighed without saying a word. After that, they gave him a wooden bowl to eat from.

One day, the grandfather's little grandson, who was only four years old, was thoughtfully putting some pieces of wood together on the ground. "What are you making?" his father asked. The little boy said, "I'm making a little bowl for father and mother to eat from when I grow up."

Hearing this, the mother and father looked at each other and started to feel very sad. They realized they hadn't been very kind to grandfather. So from that day on, they invited the grandfather back to the big table to eat with them every meal, and they didn't mind at all if he spilled a little. And everyone was much happier eating together.

Once upon a time, there was an old grandfather who lived with his son, his daughter-in-law, and their little boy. Grandfather’s eyes weren’t as sharp as before, and his hands sometimes shook when he ate. This made it hard for him to hold his spoon, and now and then, his soup would spill onto the table.

His son and daughter-in-law didn’t like this. It made them uncomfortable. So, they made him sit in a quiet corner instead of at the big family table. They gave him his food in an old, plain bowl, and sometimes, they didn’t give him much at all.

Grandfather watched his family from his little corner, his eyes full of sadness. One evening, his hands trembled so much that his bowl slipped from his fingers and crashed to the floor. It broke into pieces.

“Oh, look what you’ve done!” his daughter-in-law said with a sigh. She was upset, but Grandfather just lowered his head and said nothing. The next day, they gave him a wooden bowl so he wouldn’t break another one.

One afternoon, their little boy, who was only four years old, sat on the floor. He was carefully putting small pieces of wood together. His father noticed and asked, “What are you making, my son?”

The boy looked up and smiled. “I’m making a wooden bowl for you and Mama to eat from when I grow up.”

The father and mother froze. They looked at each other, their eyes wide. At that moment, they realized how unkind they had been to Grandfather.

That very night, they brought him back to the family table. They made sure he had plenty to eat, and if he spilled a little, no one minded at all. From then on, they all ate together, and their home was filled with warmth and love once again.

There is an old man. He lives with his son and his son's wife. The old man is not very strong. His hands shake, and he cannot see or hear well.

When the old man eats, he spills his food. The son and his wife are not happy. They make the old man sit in a corner, and they give him a simple bowl for his food.

One day, the old man drops the bowl, and it breaks. The son and his wife are mad. They give him a wooden bowl instead.

Later, the little boy in the family is playing on the floor. He is making something with wood. The father asks, "What are you making?"

The boy says, "I am making a bowl for you and mother when you are old."

The father and mother look at each other. They feel sorry for the old man. From that day, they let the old man sit at the table with them. They do not get upset when he spills his food.

Now, they are all happy together.

Once upon a time, there was an old grandfather who lived with his son, his daughter-in-law, and their little boy. Grandfather’s eyes weren’t as sharp as before, and his hands sometimes shook when he ate. This made it hard for him to hold his spoon, and now and then, his soup would spill onto the table.

His son and daughter-in-law didn’t like this. It made them uncomfortable. So, they made him sit in a quiet corner instead of at the big family table. They gave him his food in an old, plain bowl, and sometimes, they didn’t give him much at all.

Grandfather watched his family from his little corner, his eyes full of sadness. One evening, his hands trembled so much that his bowl slipped from his fingers and crashed to the floor. It broke into pieces.

“Oh, look what you’ve done!” his daughter-in-law said with a sigh. She was upset, but Grandfather just lowered his head and said nothing. The next day, they gave him a wooden bowl so he wouldn’t break another one.

One afternoon, their little boy, who was only four years old, sat on the floor. He was carefully putting small pieces of wood together. His father noticed and asked, “What are you making, my son?”

The boy looked up and smiled. “I’m making a wooden bowl for you and Mama to eat from when I grow up.”

The father and mother froze. They looked at each other, their eyes wide. At that moment, they realized how unkind they had been to Grandfather.

That very night, they brought him back to the family table. They made sure he had plenty to eat, and if he spilled a little, no one minded at all. From then on, they all ate together, and their home was filled with warmth and love once again.

Once upon a time, in a cozy little cottage, there lived a very old grandfather. Now, this grandfather was, well, let’s just say his eyes weren’t exactly eagle-eyed, and his hearing was more like, “Did someone just say something about a camel?” His hands had a bit of the wobbles too, which made eating his soup a bit of a challenge—imagine trying to eat soup while riding a unicycle. Yep, it was a bit like that.

So, every time they all sat down to eat, there was Grandfather, in his own little corner with his own little plain, old bowl. It wasn’t exactly a five-star restaurant setup. And, on top of that, sometimes the poor guy didn’t even get enough to eat! His son and daughter-in-law would look over and see him spilling a bit of soup on the tablecloth, and they’d exchange glances like, “Did you see that? It’s like he’s trying to paint with soup!”

One day, as he was eating, his hands did one of those super-duper shakes, and—whoops!—the bowl slipped right out of his hands and crashed to the floor. It shattered into a million pieces (okay, maybe just five, but still, it was a mess). His daughter-in-law came over, looking more like a grumpy cat than a happy camper, and she scolded him. But Grandfather just sighed, the kind of sigh that says, “Ah, yes, another day, another broken bowl.”

After that, they handed him a wooden bowl. Now, it wasn’t exactly what you’d call high fashion in tableware, but it did the job—sort of. Grandfather wasn’t too thrilled, but he didn’t say a word. He just kept on eating his soup, quietly thinking, “At least it won’t break if I drop it again!”

One afternoon, the little grandson, who was about four years old and had just discovered that you could build things out of basically anything, was busy on the floor with some pieces of wood. He was working away, tongue poking out in concentration, when his father walked over and asked, “Hey, champ, what are you making there? A spaceship? A castle? Maybe a dragon-slaying sword?”

The little boy looked up with the most serious expression, the kind that makes grown-ups suddenly realize they’re about to learn something important. “Nope,” he said, “I’m making a little wooden bowl for you and Mom to eat from when I grow up.”

Well, let me tell you, that got the parents' attention faster than you can say, “Oops, we messed up!” They looked at each other with wide eyes and suddenly felt a little bit like the time they realized they had forgotten their anniversary—only this was much bigger.

From that day on, the grandfather was invited back to the big table, right there in the center of everything, where he belonged. And you know what? No one even cared if he spilled a bit of soup here and there.

And so, the family laughed together, ate together, and most importantly, they were happy together. And every meal was like a little celebration, not just because of the food, but because they were all there, together, where they belonged.

In a home, both warm and bright,
Lived a grandfather, frail and slight.
His hands would shake, his sight was dim,
Eating his soup was tough for him.

His son and wife, without much cheer,
Moved him away, to sit in the rear.
A simple bowl, his meals were served,
But the love he missed was undeserved.

One day, his hands began to quake,
And down went the bowl, it started to break.
They handed him a wooden dish,
But it filled the room with a sorrowful wish.

The grandson, only four years old,
Was busy at play, his hands did mold.
“What are you making?” his father inquired,
“A bowl for you when you’ve retired.”

The parents froze, their eyes grew wide,
They knew they had been unkind with pride.
From then on, with joy and grace,
Grandfather joined them in his place.

No one minded if he made a mess,
They shared their meals with happiness.
Together they ate, both young and old,
In a home filled with warmth, love untold.

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Word Finder

  1. Grandfather

    Father's or mother's father; an old man.

  2. Trembled

    Shook slightly because of weakness or fear.

  3. Spill

    Let liquid fall out of a container.

  4. Uncomfortable

    Not feeling good or happy about something.

  5. Plain

    Simple, without fancy decorations or colors.

  6. Sigh

    Breath out loudly to show sadness or tiredness.

  7. Lowered

    Moved something down or made it smaller.

  8. Wooden

    Made of wood, like trees.

  9. Carefully

    Doing something with great attention and caution.

  10. Realized

    Understood something clearly in a moment.

Understanding Questions

  1. Why did Grandfather have trouble eating his food?
  2. Where did the family make Grandfather sit when he spilled his soup?
  3. What happened when Grandfather’s hands trembled too much one evening?
  4. What was the little boy doing with small pieces of wood?
  5. How did the parents feel when they heard what their son was making?
Word Finder
  1. Spills

    Food or drink falls from bowl.

  2. Corner

    Place in the room's edge or side.

  3. Bowl

    A round dish for holding food.

  4. Wooden

    Made from the material of trees.

  5. Mad

    Feeling very angry or upset.

  6. Playing

    Doing something fun or for enjoyment.

  7. Making

    Creating something with your hands.

  8. Feel

    Have an emotion like happy or sad.

  9. Sorry

    Feeling bad about something you did.

  10. Together

    Being with other people in one place.

  1. Grandfather

    Father's or mother's father; an old man.

  2. Trembled

    Shook slightly because of weakness or fear.

  3. Spill

    Let liquid fall out of a container.

  4. Uncomfortable

    Not feeling good or happy about something.

  5. Plain

    Simple, without fancy decorations or colors.

  6. Sigh

    Breath out loudly to show sadness or tiredness.

  7. Lowered

    Moved something down or made it smaller.

  8. Wooden

    Made of wood, like trees.

  9. Carefully

    Doing something with great attention and caution.

  10. Realized

    Understood something clearly in a moment.

Understanding Questions
  1. Where does the old man live?

    1. Alone
    2. With his dog
    3. With his son and son's wife
    4. In a big house
  2. Why do the son and his wife make the old man sit in a corner?

    1. Because he is strong
    2. Because he spills his food
    3. Because he is happy
    4. Because he can’t walk
  3. What do the son and his wife give the old man after he drops the bowl?

    1. A new glass bowl
    2. A wooden bowl
    3. A spoon
    4. A cup
  4. What is the little boy making with wood?

    1. A toy
    2. A chair
    3. A bowl
    4. A table
  5. How do the father and mother feel after hearing what the little boy says?

    1. Happy
    2. Sorry
    3. Angry
    4. Scared
  1. Why did Grandfather have trouble eating his food?
  2. Where did the family make Grandfather sit when he spilled his soup?
  3. What happened when Grandfather’s hands trembled too much one evening?
  4. What was the little boy doing with small pieces of wood?
  5. How did the parents feel when they heard what their son was making?
  1. Why did the elderly grandfather have difficulty eating his meals, and how did his son and daughter-in-law react to this?
  2. What caused the grandfather to be given a wooden bowl instead of his usual one?
  3. How did the little boy’s activity on the floor lead to a change in his parents' behavior toward the grandfather?
  4. What realization did the parents have after hearing their son's words about making a bowl for them?
  5. How did the family's attitude and actions towards the grandfather change after the boy's comment?
Reflection Questions
  1. Why do you think the parents made the grandfather sit away from the table?
  2. How did the little boy’s actions change his parents’ behavior towards the grandfather?
  3. Why is it important to treat everyone with kindness, no matter their age or abilities?
  4. Do we have anyone in the family or community whom we should treat better?
  5. What can we do today or tomorrow to make a small positive change?
Fable Quotes
A little kindness can make a world of difference.
Respect is earned not by demand, but by giving it first.
Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another, and feeling with the heart of another.
Just One More Fable
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