Pina. Hi, my name is Adam Gidwitz. I'm an author. I'm also a storyteller. I like

telling all kinds of stories, but I especially like telling grim fairy tales.

You may think you know Grim Fairy Tales, and you may think that they are sweet and boring.

But listen, those tales you heard were the cute, happy little kid bedtime versions of the grim tales.

The original grim fairy tales aren't like that at all.

They're weird and sometimes gross and often scary.

In other words, they're grim.

And I'm about to walk into a classroom and tell one of the original grim, grim tales, to

a bunch of kids. Do you want to join me? Do you want to hear a grim fairy tale?

Let me help you decide. On a scale of grim, grimer, and grimest. The story I'm going to tell today is grimest.

It is gross, it can be sad, there is some death, and the bad guy is as evil as bad guys can

possibly get.

If I get to a part of the story and you start to feel scared or uncomfortable, this is what

you could do.

You could turn down the volume and count to five then turn the volume back up

If it still seems like a part you don't want to hear just turn the volume down and count to five again

You know how much weird and gross and scary you're ready for. You know what you need.

Okay, I'm at the classroom door now. There are kids inside, waiting to hear a grim fairy tale.

So, are you coming in? Grim, Grim Grimer, Grimest.

This story I specifically chose for you guys because it's just like weird in a way I think you guys

would like.

Okay?

...