Name: The Hope of the Katzekopfs; or, The Sorrows of Selfishness. A Fairy Tale. by Paget
Availability: InStock
Rating: 4.3333333333333 (3 reviews)
Author: Paget, Francis Edward, 1806-1882

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The Hope of the Katzekopfs; or, The Sorrows of Selfishness. A Fairy Tale. by Paget

(3 User reviews) 548

By Sarah Bauer Posted on Mar 30, 2026

In Category - Reporting

Authors: Paget, Francis Edward, 1806-1882 Published By : Paget, Francis Edward, 1806-1882

Book Language: English

Okay, so imagine a classic fairy tale, but instead of a princess in a tower, the villain is... a child's own bad attitude. That's 'The Hope of the Katzekopfs.' We follow young Prince Eigenwillig, whose name basically means 'self-willed,' and boy, does he live up to it. He's spoiled, stubborn, and thinks the world revolves around him. His long-suffering parents, the King and Queen of the Katzekopfs, are at their wit's end. The real hook? They call in a mysterious tutor named Discipline, who arrives with a very strange companion: a donkey with a bell around its neck. This isn't your average schoolmaster. This is a fairy tale fixer, and his methods are as magical as they are unsettling. The central mystery isn't about a hidden treasure or a sleeping curse—it's about whether this utterly selfish little boy can ever change, and what fantastical, possibly humiliating, lessons he'll have to endure to learn. It's a surprisingly sharp and clever story about the very real 'sorrows' that selfishness brings, wrapped up in a package of talking animals, magical transformations, and a journey to the heart of a child's character.

File: The Hope of the Katzekopfs; or, The Sorrows of Selfishness. A Fairy Tale. by Paget

Let's be honest, we've all met an Eigenwillig. Maybe you were even a bit of one yourself as a kid (I know I had my moments). This fairy tale from 1844 takes that universal childhood flaw and builds a whole magical world around it.

The Story

Prince Eigenwillig is the spoiled only child of the Katzekopf monarchs. He throws tantrums, ignores his studies, and cares for nothing but his own immediate wants. After one too many outbursts, his parents are advised to hire a tutor named Discipline. This stern but wise figure arrives with a donkey named Weariness, who has a prophetic bell around its neck. Discipline's teaching methods are... unconventional. He uses fairy magic to show Eigenwillig the consequences of his actions, often through humbling and transformative experiences. The prince is whisked away from his cushy palace life and forced to see the world from the perspective of those he's ignored or mistreated. It's a journey less about slaying dragons and more about slaying the dragon of his own rotten personality.

Why You Should Read It

What grabbed me wasn't just the moral, but how it's delivered. This isn't a dry lecture. Paget has a witty, almost sarcastic narrative voice when describing Eigenwillig's antics. You can feel the author's eyebrow raised. The magic feels like a direct result of the boy's behavior—a kind of poetic justice made real. The donkey, Weariness, is a fantastic symbol. Isn't dealing with a selfish person utterly exhausting? The story acknowledges that. It's a fairy tale that understands how selfishness is a burden on everyone, especially the selfish person themselves. It's also a fascinating look at Victorian ideas about child-rearing, but the core struggle feels timeless.

Final Verdict

This is a perfect pick for fans of classic, moral-driven fairy tales like those by George MacDonald or even the sharper edges of Hans Christian Andersen. It's also great for parents who might want a story with a point (but one that's actually fun to read). If you enjoy seeing a thoroughly unlikeable protagonist get a magical reality check and maybe—just maybe—learn a lesson, you'll get a kick out of this. It's a short, clever, and surprisingly satisfying little fable about the hope that even the most stubborn of us can change.