Herschele and the Boiled Chicken

Story

There once was an innkeeper who was not known for her generosity. She would be very mean with the portion sizes of meals and was stingy with the drinks.

One day it was raining hard. The innkeeper put a chicken on the stove for an important guest she was expecting. When a travelling beggar called Herschele knocked on the door the innkeeper let him in to warm by the fire but told him she had no food – it was just her washing boiling. While she slept he helped himself to chicken. When the important guest arrived the pot was empty but for a grey rag. Herschele told the angry innkeeper that as she was boiling clothes he had added his vest to the pot.

Why we chose it

A folk tale about generosity and being kind to strangers

Where it came from

This is a European folktale.

Where it went next

Hereschele is popular with many storytellers.

Associated stories

Stone Soup is also a folktale about soup and generosity.