Hans Huckebein

Busch, Wilhelm, 1832-1908Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

4.1

Word count: 12K words
Chapters: 2

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Hans Huckebein by Wilhelm BuschAuthor: Busch, Wilhelm, 1832-1908,Language: German, Class: PZ: Language and Literatures: Juvenile belles lettres, Release Date: Sep 1, 2000

Editor's review

A classic illustrated narrative work by Wilhelm Busch, told in rhymed German with sequential illustrations, recounting the mischievous deeds of a naughty raven and how they ultimately backfire. Busch's drawings are spare yet expressive, and his text has a strong rhythm; the humor carries a slightly dark edge. It is a representative example of the intersection between German children's literature and the tradition of satirical comics. Released free by Project Gutenberg, the German original is short and serves as light reading for anyone encountering nineteenth-century German verse, as well as for readers studying early sequential narrative and the interplay between illustration and text. When reading, it is worth comparing the illustrations with the verse to see how Busch advances the plot and creates contrast with just a few strokes. Because this is a public-domain electronic text, layout and illustration reproduction vary by edition; choose one with clear illustrations.

Who it's for

A good fit for

German learners who want to practice reading with a short German original
Readers interested in nineteenth-century European illustrated narrative and the history of comics
Parents or teachers who want to introduce classic verse stories to children
Literature enthusiasts studying Busch's work and the tradition of German satirical humor

Not a good fit for

Readers with no German at all who only want a Chinese translation
Readers expecting a long, complete story or a modern children's picture book
Readers uncomfortable with didactic themes about naughty behavior being punished

Reading tips

First read through the verse to grasp the plot, then go page by page and examine the illustrations closely.
Circle unfamiliar German words, guess their meaning from the illustrations, then look them up.
Read aloud to feel how Busch handles rhyme and rhythm.
After finishing, compare it with other illustrated stories by the same author and observe similarities and differences in narrative technique.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book in German or English? What language level is needed?

The main text is in the German original, a short rhymed narrative with fairly uncomplicated vocabulary and sentence patterns. Readers with basic German can get through it with a dictionary, and beginners can also use it as easy practice material by comparing text and pictures.

What is the story roughly about, and is it suitable to give directly to children?

It is about a naughty raven that keeps causing trouble and eventually brings the consequences on itself, with a didactic point and Busch-style dark humor. The plot is not complex, but whether it suits children depends on how parents feel about this kind of punitive theme; it is best to look through it yourself first.

Are the illustrations in the electronic edition clear, and what should I pay attention to while reading?

This book comes from a public-domain electronic text on Project Gutenberg, and different editions reproduce the illustrations to different degrees. Choose an edition with complete, clear illustrations, and compare the pictures with the verse as you read, because Busch's illustrations themselves carry an important narrative function.

Comments

Find this book

This site is an index: you start “Search all sources” in your browser, and the entries it lists all point to third-party sites; please judge their availability yourself.

About the author

Busch, Wilhelm, 1832-1908 Author

Wilhelm Busch (1832–1908) was a German poet, illustrator, and writer of satirical stories, known for humorous narratives that combine pictures and verse. His best-known work, Max und Moritz, tells in rhyming lines and sequential illustrations the seven pranks of two boys; brisk in rhythm and sharp in tone, it is regarded as an important precursor of the early comic strip and has had a lasting influence on later comics and children's literature. He also created Hans Huckebein, Kritik des Herzens, Hernach, and other works, whose subjects are mostly human folly and weakness, in a style poised between humor and satire. Ten of his works are held here, including German originals and English and Dutch translations. As public information is limited, biographical details are omitted, with emphasis on the narrative character and influence of his works.