“Faithful John,” a Brothers Grimm fairy tale, follows a loyal servant named John who promises a dying king to protect his son, the young prince, and keep him from harm. The king entrusts John with the secret of a forbidden room containing a portrait of a beautiful princess, warning that if the prince sees it, he will fall in love and face grave dangers. Despite John’s efforts, the prince discovers the portrait and insists on finding the princess to marry her. During their journey home with the new queen, John overhears three ravens foretelling three upcoming dangers for the royal couple and learns that revealing these dangers will turn him to stone. He secretly intervenes to save the king and queen from each peril, but the king misunderstands his actions and orders his execution. At the last moment, John reveals the ravens’ prophecy, instantly turning to stone. Years later, the king, wishing to revive John, learns he must sacrifice his own children to break the curse; he does so, and John is restored to life, then magically restores the children, and they all live happily ever after.
Jacob Grimm (born 1785) and Wilhelm Grimm (born 1786) were German scholars and folklorists. They became known for their collection of folk tales and fairy tales.
Bert Stauff is a family nurse practitioner specializing in pediatrics. Reading is a lifetime fascination for her. It started as a young mother and has been an integral part of who she is for many years. Reading stories to young children has been a lifetime dream. Now that she is retired from nursing, she can devote time to this pursuit. She passed her passion for books on to her children, who have excelled in their career because of their love for words.