The Tales of Beedle the Bard

The Tales of Beedle the Bard is a collection of wizarding fairy tales. It was written many centuries ago.

Albus Dumbledore acquired the original copy of the book, written in runes, at some point. He bequeathed it to Hermione Granger in his will. It was given to her in person by Rufus Scrimgeour, who interrogated her as to why this particular book should be left to her, and what might be the significance of it. Hermione, having been raised on Muggle fairytales, had no idea, and simply answered that maybe Dumbledore thought she would like it since he knew she appreciated books.

At some later date, Hermione translated the book into modern English and published a new edition of The Tales of Beedle the Bard. The edition, which was published to raise money for a children's charity, incorporated original notes about the stories written by Dumbledore some months before his death. Noted Muggle author J.K. Rowling provided the introduction.

The Tale of the Three Brothers
"That is a children's tale, told to amuse rather than to instruct. Those of us who understand these matters, however, recognize that the ancient story refers to three objects, or Hallows, which, if united, will make the possessor master of Death"

- Xenophilius Lovegood



One story by Beedle is The Tale of the Three Brothers. This story was about brothers who meet Death on the road and each try to outwit him.

In 1998, Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, and Ron Weasley came to discover the truth beneath the legend. The three brothers were Antioch, Cadmus, and Ignotus Peverell. They came to a river that was too deep to wade across and built a bridge using magic. Death appeared to congratulate them for their ingenuity, and offered them rewards. Antioch asked for a tool to have a greater power than Death. Death, maddened, snapped a twig off a elder tree and gave it to him - the Elder Wand. Cadmus asked for something to give him power over Death, for he had lost his loved one before this encounter. Death gave him a river stone - the Resurrection Stone. However, Ignotus did not trust Death, and asked him for his own Cloak of Invisibility. The brothers continued on and went their separate ways.

Time passed. Antioch got into a duel and boasted how he had gotten an unbeatable wand, and was later killed in the night, unexpectedly by someone who wanted the wand. Cadmus found misery when he brought his former lover back to life with the Resurrection Stone and learned she had been happier dead, ultimately committing suicide in order to truly join her. Ignotus hid from Death his entire life using the cloak until they "met as old friends" when Ignotus had reached his elderly years.

The items mentioned in the Three Brothers tale became legendary artifacts known together as the Deathly Hallows. If joined together, they would make the wielder extremely powerful. In fact he or she would become the "Master of Death." Lord Voldemort sought out the Elder Wand because he believed it would allow him to defeat Harry Potter.

However, it was Harry himself who temporarily became the Master of Death, as he ultimately united all three artifacts.

Other Stories
Other tales include:
 * The Fountain of Fair Fortune
 * The Wizard and the Hopping Pot
 * Babbitty Rabbitty and her Cackling Stump
 * The Warlock's Hairy Heart
 * Grumble the Grubby Goat

Behind the scenes

 * Antioch was also the name of an ancient town where the disciples of Jesus Christ were first dubbed Christians.
 * Cadmus was also the name of the legendary Greek founder of Thebes. He introduced Greece to the alphabet.
 * Harry is surprised that Ron has heard of the book while Hermione has not; Hermione has to remind Ron that she and Harry were both raised by Muggles.
 * A real version was written by J. K. Rowling and seven copies were produced on the 1st of November 2007 a copy for herself, five for her close friends and one copy being auctioned for charity. A mainstream edition was published for the general public in 4th December 2008, with all proceeds going to charity.
 * Unlike her other spin-off works which were written under the name of one of the characters in the book, Rowling writes an in-universe introduction to the book (which ostensibly has been edited and translated by Hermione Granger). As such she establishes that a J. K. Rowling also exists in the Potter universe.

Notes and references
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