Old Sultan by Brothers Grimm [PDF]

Information: Old Sultan

• Author: Brothers Grimm
• Publication Date: 1812
• Main Characters:
  • Sultan: An old, faithful dog who has served his master for years but is now considered useless due to his age.
  • The Farmer: Sultan's master, a pragmatic man who plans to kill the dog once he can no longer earn his keep.
  • The Wolf: A wild animal who befriends Sultan and helps him with a scheme, but later reveals his true predatory nature.
  • The Farmer's Wife: The farmer's spouse who witnesses Sultan's apparent heroism and helps convince her husband to keep the dog.
• Brief Summary: Old Sultan tells the story of an aging dog whose master wants to dispose of him because he can no longer work. Sultan strikes a deal with a wolf to stage a fake rescue that will restore his standing in the household. The plan succeeds and Sultan regains his master's favor. However, the wolf later tries to collect on the debt by stealing from the farm, and Sultan must choose between his wild ally and his domestic loyalty. The tale ends with Sultan defending his home and proving that true faithfulness runs deeper than any bargain.
• Thematic Analysis: The central themes of Old Sultan are loyalty, ingratitude, and the conflict between civilization and wildness. The story examines what happens when service goes unrecognized and how alliances of convenience can fall apart when core values differ. It also subtly critiques human fickleness through the farmer's willingness to discard a lifelong companion.
• Historical Context: Old Sultan was published in 1812 as part of the first edition of the Brothers Grimm's Children's and Household Tales. Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm collected this story from oral folk traditions in the Hesse region of Germany during a period of rising interest in national cultural heritage. The tale reflects rural European life where working animals were valued strictly for their utility.