The Golden Arm

written by Joseph Jacobs

compiled by Philip Lenssen

ebook, 2003

genre: children's fiction; fairy tale

reading level: 4-6

1 page

The Golden Arm is somewhat of a scary tale about a man who is searching for a wife, he travels all over to find one, until finally he meets a woman with a golden arm and marries her. He really loves her arm and hopes that people don't notice just how much. After his wife dies he puts on a very sad face and appears to be mourning, until that night he goes and digs up her body and cuts off the golden arm. He sleeps that night with it under his pillow. He wakes up to his wife's ghost in his room and he asks her what has happened to her rosy cheeks, red lips, beautiful hair, she answers that they have all withered away. Then he asks her what happened to her golden arm and she answers, "Thou hast it!"

I would recommend this to any child who enjoys a scary short and sweet tale.

I think that some parents might think this tale is a little too scary.

I really liked this story. It was short and still intriguing and entertaining. It seems to be the original of a lot of books based on a similar story.

My rating: 4 out of 5

I also read: Tom Tit Tot, The Three Sillies, and Fairy Ointment