The final story written by Beedle is The Tale of the Three Brothers. It is one of his best known stories and has been retold many times through the generations with the odd change here and there. And for a story which has spread mostly through word of mouth, I feel it is only fitting for the story to be read out loud. As read by Hermione Granger, here is...
The Tale of the Three Brothers
NOTE: Please watch this video on this page and do not click onto youtube. I know that the video is safe but I cannot say the same about the comments underneath it on the youtube page!
Professor Dumbledore's Notes
The Tale of the Three Brothers was Professor Dumbledore's favorite out of Beedle's stories. According to him, the message behind the story is that no matter how hard people try to avoid death, they will never be successful. The youngest brother knew that taunting Death would be a useless tactic as Death was a cunning enemy who could never lose.
Some wizards and witches believe that Death's gifts actually refer to the Deathly Hallows, the most powerful magical objects ever made. According to the legend, it is believed that if someone succeeded in acquiring all three of the Hallows, he or she would become the Master of Death. It is also believed that the brothers mentioned in the story, refer to the Peverell brothers (Antioch Peverell, Cadmus Peverell, and Ignotus Peverell) who actually possessed the Deathly Hallows.
As it so happens, the Deathly Hallows do actually exist. The wand that Death gave to the first brother, which is famously known as the Elder Wand, is the most powerful wand that exists. It was first owned by Antioch Peverell. The Elder Wand has had a long, bloody history of ownership. Harry Potter is the current master of the Elder Wand, despite the fact that he refuses to own and use it.
The Resurrection Stone, which is the stone Death gave to the second brother, was first owned by Cadmus Peverell. Many years later, it came to the hands of Morfin Gaunt, Lord Voldemort's grandfather, in the form of a ring. Voldemort had turned the ring into one of his Horcruxes, and it was later destroyed by Albus Dumbledore.
The last Hallow, the Cloak of Invisibility, is a cloak that hides everything it covers from sight. It was first possessed by Ignotus Peverell, until he handed it down to his son, who, in turn, handed it down to his own son. This tradition has been continued through many generations. The Cloak now belongs to Harry Potter, and from this, we can conclude that Harry is a descendant of Ignotus Peverell.
Some wizards and witches believe that Death's gifts actually refer to the Deathly Hallows, the most powerful magical objects ever made. According to the legend, it is believed that if someone succeeded in acquiring all three of the Hallows, he or she would become the Master of Death. It is also believed that the brothers mentioned in the story, refer to the Peverell brothers (Antioch Peverell, Cadmus Peverell, and Ignotus Peverell) who actually possessed the Deathly Hallows.
As it so happens, the Deathly Hallows do actually exist. The wand that Death gave to the first brother, which is famously known as the Elder Wand, is the most powerful wand that exists. It was first owned by Antioch Peverell. The Elder Wand has had a long, bloody history of ownership. Harry Potter is the current master of the Elder Wand, despite the fact that he refuses to own and use it.
The Resurrection Stone, which is the stone Death gave to the second brother, was first owned by Cadmus Peverell. Many years later, it came to the hands of Morfin Gaunt, Lord Voldemort's grandfather, in the form of a ring. Voldemort had turned the ring into one of his Horcruxes, and it was later destroyed by Albus Dumbledore.
The last Hallow, the Cloak of Invisibility, is a cloak that hides everything it covers from sight. It was first possessed by Ignotus Peverell, until he handed it down to his son, who, in turn, handed it down to his own son. This tradition has been continued through many generations. The Cloak now belongs to Harry Potter, and from this, we can conclude that Harry is a descendant of Ignotus Peverell.
Sources
- The Tales of Beedle the Bard by J.K. Rowling (ISBN 978-0-7475-9987-6)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1