The Tale of Gockle, Hinkel & Gackeliah

Here, for the first time in English, is one of the most unusual and beloved fairy tales ever written. This is a story which has delighted children in German-speaking countries for over a century, and now children in America can enjoy the fantasy, the adventure and the charm of Gockle, Hinkel & Gackeliah.

Clemens Brentano ranks as one of the finest authors of German folk tales and poetry, although his name is little known outside his native land. Of all his stories, The Tale of Gockle, Hinkel & Gackeliah is the most famous and best beloved. The reason for its long-lived popularity becomes clear as the reader travels through Brentano's enchanted kingdom of animals and people.

As the story unfolds, the world of the barnyard becomes real. The noble rooster Gockel, after much misfortune, recovers the marvelous magic stone which rightfully belongs to him. The honest and faithful mice endure many hardships but finally regain their kingdom and rightful rewards. In this enchanted world, all good things–be they people of animals–are equally important and always win over evil.