Grimm, Grimmer, Grimmest — "The Secret Language"
Host: Adam Gidwitz
Episode Date: November 6, 2025

Episode Overview

In this "Grimmer"-rated episode of Grimm, Grimmer, Grimmest, Adam Gidwitz retells “The Secret Language,” a lesser-known but deeply eerie Grimm-style fairy tale by Franz Xaver von Schönwerth. Joined by an inquisitive group of young listeners, Adam unravels a story about sibling bonds, exclusion, magical danger, and clever teamwork. As always, kid commentary brings laughter, fresh insights, and occasional squeals to this dark and funny adventure.

Key Discussion Points & Story Progression

1. Setting the Spookiness Level (00:46-03:14)

• Adam sets expectations for the episode’s “Grimmer” rating, warning there’s no gore but a “bad person” and a “very creepy place.”
• Reassures listeners on how to cope with scary moments: "You know how much weird and gross and scary you’re ready for? You know what you need?" (Adam Gidwitz, 01:36)

2. Sibling Dynamics & Secret Codes (03:14-06:37)

• Introduction to four siblings: three sisters with a secret code, and their little brother who is left out.
• Kids in the room chime in about family fights and their own secret languages/codes.
  • Memorable moment: "Me and this person over here have a code together that we...call it upper be gone..." (Child Listener, 04:01)
• Adam and the kids experiment with reversing words and Pig Latin, echoing the story’s code.

3. Exclusion and Hurt Feelings (06:37-07:57)

• The sisters use their code to talk about their brother, mixing both teasing and affection.
• The brother feels embarrassed, upset, lonely, and runs away behind the house.

4. The Stranger in the Meadow — "Stranger Danger" (07:57-08:36)

• An old lady appears, asking the sisters to thread needles for her.
• Children in the group loudly discuss “stranger danger” and their skepticism (“If someone walks up to you and says, here, take these three needles, I would say, no.” — Child Listener, 08:09)

5. The Spell and The Graveyard (08:36-10:12)

• Threading the needles places the sisters under a magical spell; they must follow the old lady to a graveyard.
• The old lady (revealed to be a witch) brings them to a stone house and makes them her magical helpers.
• Vivid group reactions as Adam describes tombs as “vampire beds” and a “coffin made of stone.”

6. The Peddler and the Sisters' Magic (10:12-14:46)

• A traveling peddler visits and falls victim to the sisters’ new magic, inherited from the witch:
  • Needle threading (eldest sister)
  • Pouring sand from bottle to bucket (middle sister)
  • Resting on a feather bed (youngest sister)
• The combined spells transform the peddler into stone.
• Notable quote: "Rest in peace, buddy.” (Child Listener, 14:14)
• Kids question the witch’s motives: "This witch is just plain mean." (Child Listener, 14:49)

7. The Brother Grows Up and Searches (15:37-18:29)

• The family searches for the missing girls and eventually moves to town; years go by.
• The brother, now grown, dedicates his life to finding his sisters, combing the land for clues.

8. The Graveyard Encounter (18:29-20:23)

• The brother stumbles into the strange graveyard filled with stone effigies—innocent travelers turned to stone.
• The sisters, under the witch’s spell, spot him and quickly communicate in their “secret language,” vowing "We must save our brother.” (20:10-20:23)

9. The Siblings Outsmart the Witch (23:37-31:23)

• The brother is tricked into entering the witch’s home and is passed from sister to sister, each following the witch’s instructions.
• Each sister coughs out a backwards warning—“tonad” (“don’t”)—and the siblings work together non-verbally to foil each spell.
• The boy intentionally fails each magical task until the increasingly exasperated witch demonstrates herself, falling victim to her own magic:
  • She threads her own needle, pours sand, then is coaxed to lie on the bed and say “rest in peace”—turning herself to stone.
• Notable exchange:
  • Child Listener: "You missed the bed, you moron." (30:30)
  • Adam Gidwitz: "The eldest girl said, mother, why don't you show him how to lie on a bed?" (31:07)
• With her spell broken, all the stone figures in the graveyard awaken—including the peddler and others. The family is joyfully reunited.

10. Ending & Reflections (32:26-32:36)

• Light-hearted reflections from the kids on magical and real-life plans for the future (“When I grow up, I’m gonna live with my best friend Hazel. And a cat, a black cat, if I can find it, named Wendy.”—Child Listener, 32:26)
• Adam responds warmly: “That’s a great plan. I love that.” (32:36)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On family fights:
  "I never fight with my sibling."
  "That's amazing. That's very rare." (03:14-03:16)

• On secret codes:
  "It's called ziggleswarp." (04:00, Child Listener)

• Safety advice:
  "Stranger danger. No. If someone walks up to you and says, here, take these three needles, I would say, no." (08:09, Child Listener)

• On dark fairy tale logic:
  "She just wants to, like, decorate her backyard or something... Some people buy, like, plastic flamingos or little gnomes. She kills people and puts them on tombs." (15:15-15:26)

• Sibling solidarity in a crisis:
  "We must save our brother." (20:10, Eldest Sister via secret language)

• Teamwork and cleverness:
  "The old lady grabbed the needle and she showed him how by threading the needle herself." (27:16, Adam Gidwitz)

• Comic kid commentary on magical mishaps:
  "You missed the bed, you moron." (30:30, Child Listener)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Grimmer warning and setup: 00:46–03:14
• Sibling secrets and codes: 03:14–06:37
• The exclusion and hurt: 06:37–07:57
• The witch’s arrival ("stranger danger"): 07:57–08:36
• Spell, graveyard, and captivity: 08:36–10:12
• First transformation (the peddler): 10:12–14:46
• Brother’s quest: 15:37–18:29
• Unlocking the secret language: 20:10–21:02
• Siblings’ plan and witch’s downfall: 23:37–31:23
• Happy reunion and comic reflections: 32:26–32:36

Tone & Style

The episode blends Adam Gidwitz’s vivid storytelling, a suspenseful and macabre fairy tale, and lively, often hilarious interjections from the kids (“Rest in peace, buddy!”). The mood swings between laughter and goosebumps, with an emphasis on smart, creative teamwork and a gentle nudge towards being safe and kind.

In summary:
“The Secret Language” is equal parts spooky, silly, and smart—a classic fairy tale with a twist, brought to life by a master storyteller and an irrepressible gang of kid co-hosts. Listeners come away with chills, giggles, and a fresh appreciation for secret codes—and maybe, just maybe, a reminder to be kind to siblings.