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, grimmer, and grimmest.

The story I'm going to tell today is grim. It's not too scary, but it is disgusting, and

it is full of mean and horrible parents who are quite grim, indeed. 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?

Grimm, grimmer, grimness.

We want a gross one. This one is gross.

Yay! It's called donkey lettuce.

Once upon a time, a boy lived with his father in a small hut in the forest. His father

was a great hunter, and the boy always asked to join his father in his hunting. But while

the father was a great hunter, he may not have been the best father. He always laughed at

...