A fairy tale of the Brothers Grimm
Finally it is here again: the snow. For a few days now, Frau Holle has been shaking out her pads and has thus allowed winter to return to the valley. But who is this Frau Holle and why does everybody talk about her as soon as it has snowed?
The fairy tale of Frau Holle comes from the Brothers Grimm, whom we all know only too well. In it there is a stepmother with a biological daughter and a stepdaughter. The stepdaughter is beautiful and hardworking and had a very hard time because she had to work a lot. She sat down day after day at the well, where she had to spin until her fingers bled. One day she wanted to wash the spindle in the well and it fell in. Afraid of her stepmother, she jumped in after the spindle. She fainted.
When the girl woke up again, she found herself in the middle of a beautiful flower meadow. She set out to explore the area a little and discovered a small house. There, a woman was looking out. The woman introduced herself and said, "You shall be well if you stay with me and help me in the house. All you have to do is make my bed well." The woman was Frau Holle and when she stripped and shook out her bedding, the feathers flew and descended on the world as snowflakes.
At this point the fairy tale goes on, but now at least it is clear who Frau Holle is and why she is always mentioned when it snows.
