"Fair Katrinelje and Pif-Paf-Poltrie" is a German

fairy tale A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the folklore genre. Such stories typically feature magic (paranormal), magic, incantation, enchantments, and mythical ...

collected by the

Brothers Grimm The Brothers Grimm ( or ), Jacob (1785–1863) and Wilhelm (1786–1859), were a brother duo of German academics, philologists, cultural researchers, lexicographers, and authors who together collected and published folklore. They are among the ...

in ''

Grimm's Fairy Tales ''Grimms' Fairy Tales'', originally known as the ''Children's and Household Tales'' (german: Kinder- und Hausmärchen, lead=yes, ), is a German collection of fairy tales by the Grimm brothers or "Brothers Grimm", Jacob and Wilhelm, first publis ...

'' as tale 131. A nonsense tale, it was introduced into the first edition as number 45 of the second volume.

D. L. Ashliman Dee L. Ashliman (born January 1, 1938), who writes professionally as D. L. Ashliman, is an American folklorist and writer. He is Professor Emeritus of German at the University of Pittsburgh and is considered to be a leading expert on folklore an ...

,
Fair Katrinelje and Pif Paf Poltrie
It is Aarne-Thompson type 2019,

,
The Grimm Brothers' Children's and Household Tales (Grimms' Fairy Tales)"
/ref> one of a number of chain tales, or

cumulative tale In a cumulative tale, sometimes also called a chain tale, action or dialogue repeats and builds up in some way as the tale progresses. With only the sparest of plots, these tales often depend upon repetition and rhythm for their effect, and can r ...

Synopsis

Pif-Paf-Poltrie asks Fair Katrinelje's father for leave to marry her. He is told he needs that of "her mother Milk-Cow, her brother High-Pride, her sister Cheese-Love," as well as her own. Going through the list, he obtains it, on the condition of all the others consenting. Fair Katrinelje is last; then she lists her

dowry A dowry is a payment, such as property or money, paid by the bride's family to the groom or his family at the time of marriage. Dowry contrasts with the related concepts of bride price and dower. While bride price or bride service is a payment b ...

: some pennies, a debt, roots, pretzels, and dried pears—a fine dowry. She guesses at his occupation, and he declares it is finer than what she guesses until she guesses broommaker.

References

{{reflist Grimms' Fairy Tales Literary duos Works about marriage ATU 2000-2199