Grimm, Grimmer, Grimmest

Episode: The Three Feathers (Part II)
Host: Adam Gidwitz
Date: September 25, 2025

Main Theme & Purpose

In this lively and imaginative retelling, Adam Gidwitz continues “The Three Feathers,” a classic Grimm fairy tale, with an energetic classroom audience of kids. The episode focuses on the conclusion of the brothers’ quest to inherit their father’s kingdom, blending humor, audience commentary, and insightful asides. As always, the show’s signature tone mixes playfulness with the classic weirdness and darkness of the original tales, inviting children to predict plot twists and share their reactions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Final Contest Begins (04:01–05:14)

• The king announces the final contest to decide the next ruler: each son must find and bring back "the most beautiful maiden in the land."
• The children immediately question the fairness and ethics of this task:
  • "Isn't that kind of rude?" (04:21)
  • Kid commentary: “If you go into a place where there’s a lot of girls and you pick one that’s the beautiful maiden, that’s kind of weird for other girls, because then they’re not considered beautiful maidens.” (04:38)

2. The Search for Maidens (05:14–07:10)

• Feathers are thrown, sending the sons east, west, and back to the castle gate.
• The younger brothers find only two little girls (one indignantly exclaiming "I'm nine!"), leading to comic confusion about eligibility for the challenge (05:36–06:03).
• Foiled, the younger brothers resort to retrieving two elderly sisters, who excitedly prepare to go to the castle (06:29–06:43).

3. The Oldest Son and the Toad Lady (06:53–11:56)

• The oldest son returns to the magical Toad Lady, hoping she can help him find a beauty for the contest.
• A series of clever kid predictions fill this segment:
  • "I think he’s getting the ring and the rug and maybe doing something with them to turn the frog into a beautiful lady.” (07:14)
  • "...the curse will reverse.” (07:23)
• The oldest son realizes the solution is not in objects, but in showing kindness. He asks to kiss the Toad Lady, sparking groans and reaction from the kids about fairytale logic:
  • "That is so disgusting." (10:03)
  • “This is why it’s a fairy tale...when you kiss them, they turn into a nice, beautiful woman.” (10:07)
• After the kiss—described with comic physicality and transformation—the Toad Lady is revealed as a beautiful maiden. There’s a sweet and funny interaction:
  • "I hope that would work. Otherwise, I’d just be kissing a Toad Lady." (11:32)
  • Maiden: "Would that have been so bad?" (11:39)
  • Oldest Son: "This is better." (11:44)

4. The Backstory and Breaking the Curse (12:43–13:26)

• The maiden reveals she didn't remember her own curse until just then, and the curse’s solution was love and kindness:
  • "I think you already know. You saw it all on the carpet." (12:47)
• Kids speculate about the sorcerer, the curse, and the meaning of “true love’s kiss.”
  • “True love’s kiss or something.” (13:51)

5. Final Tests and the King’s Decision (14:10–17:38)

• Rather than judging the maidens by beauty, the king invents a new, physical challenge: each maiden must jump through a hoop.
  • “Instead, they will be judged by their ability to jump through this hoop.” (14:51)
• The elderly women get stuck, much to everyone's amusement.
  • “She was tangled.” (15:45)
• The former Toad Lady easily sails through the hoop, winking at the oldest son—her toad skills still handy:
  • “She used to be a frog. A toad. Exactly right.” (17:36)
• The king finally declares, “My oldest son has won. He will inherit my kingdom.” (17:59)
• But the king then delivers a cold pronouncement: “But you will never have my blessing or my love.” (18:12)
• The classroom erupts with indignation:
  • “That is so rude.” (18:23)
  • “You’re a big donkey, you big, big donkey.” (18:24)

6. Resolution and Reconciliation (19:01–21:26)

• The youngest sons are told they must marry the ladies they brought, “if they'll have you.” The elderly sisters are eager: “Oh, we will. We’re going to be princesses.” (18:57)
• At the wedding feast, the oldest son instructs the chef to not use salt, triggering another callback to the story’s message about love:
  • “It’ll taste terrible.” / “Do as I say. You’ll be glad you did.” (19:43)
• The food is flavorless, leading the king to finally realize the true value of the son’s earlier love.
• Tears and reconciliation follow:
  • King: “If it’s not too late, I would like to give you my blessing and my love.” (21:07)
  • Oldest Son: “You have always had it, Father. You have always had it.” (21:19)
• The story ends with the feast enjoyed by all (“except for the two younger brothers, but the old ladies had a ball”). (21:26)
• The conversation wraps up with the kids riffing about “juicy” romance, in true Grimm, Grimmer, Grimmest fashion.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

Funny, Insightful, and Iconic:

• “Isn’t that kind of rude?” — Oldest Brother (04:21)
• “These maidens are like seven years old.” — Youngest Son (05:36)
• “I was just looking at this nice carpet.” — Oldest Son, caught by his father (08:52)
• “I knocked. I was on the toilet.” — The King (09:05)
  Kids burst into laughter: “That’s the funniest thing I ever heard.” (09:03)
• “That is so disgusting.” — Child Listener, on the toad kiss (10:03)
• “I hope that would work. Otherwise, I’d just be kissing a Toad Lady.” — Oldest Son (11:32)
• “You’re a big donkey, you big, big donkey.” — Child Listener (18:24)
• “You have performed so miserably that your reward will be that you shall marry the maidens you have brought before me, if they'll have you.” — The King (18:48)
• “You have always had it, Father. You have always had it.” — Oldest Son (21:19)
• “‘I don’t like this juicy romantic stuff.’ ‘You always call it juicy. It’s all juicy... Everything is juicy.’” — Child Listeners bantering (22:03–22:16)

Important Segment Timestamps

• 04:01 — The king's final challenge is unveiled.
• 05:36–07:10 — Little girls, ring misunderstanding, and elderly maidens.
• 07:14 — Predicting the curse’s solution.
• 09:05 — The King’s “I was on the toilet” comic reveal.
• 10:03–11:56 — The transformative kiss and resulting magic.
• 14:10–17:38 — The hoop challenge and the triumphant leap.
• 18:12–18:24 — The king’s harsh withdrawal of love, audience reactions.
• 19:36–21:19 — The salt-free feast, reunion, and loving reconciliation.
• 22:03–22:16 — Kids discuss “juicy” romance, maintaining humor and tone.

Tone & Language

The episode is playful, irreverent, and interactive, with Gidwitz’s narration balancing drama with tongue-in-cheek humor. Children’s voices provide real-time reactions, doubts, and jokes, offering both comic relief and sharp insights into the story’s themes of love, value, and family reconciliation.

Summary

In this hilarious, heartfelt episode, Adam Gidwitz and his young co-hosts dissect the final arc of “The Three Feathers”—from magical transformations and comically unsuitable maidens to a king’s grudging acceptance and a final, loving reconciliation between father and son. With lively kid commentary and just the right dash of gross-out fairy tale weirdness, the episode delivers moral lessons, belly laughs, and plenty of “juicy” fairy tale moments.