The Porridge of the Countess Berthe

Readers will be more familiar with other works by Dumas, such as The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers, so this little novella is often overlooked. Translated for the first time in 2023, it's worth a few hours of anyone's time.

Opening the book with a brief biography of Dumas to give the reader context, we then dive into the fairytale within a tale.

The story comes as a tale told by a traveller chatting with a fellow passenger on a steamer down the Rhine, telling him a story about a castle they are passing. Count Osmond and his wife Countess Berthe rebuild Wittsgaw Castle after it had fallen into ruin. The most notable traits of the Countess were her kindness and compassion. Always with a kind word and alms for the needy, the Count and Countess were beloved. And not just by the people living under their rule. For the castle was home to a colony of dwarves - the Cobolts. They loved and protected the castle, and rewarded good owners with their protection and support. As a thank you for their help in restoring the castle, and their ongoing protection, the countess decreed that every year, everyone was invited to partake of a meal, including a honey porridge.

The tale follows the story of the castle, as it is passed down through generations and conquered by opposing forces. Many of these did not follow the decree and did not see why they should be providing food to those that should be providing for their lords. Successive owners were incompetent or mean or cruel, and paid the price for their misdeeds, until a new owner is found that could restore kindness.

In a world that feels so mean sometimes, it's takes a novella from 1847 to see kindness be rewarded.

The translation is excellent, keeping the conversational tone of the writing, and the book is beautifully narrated by Jason Don. Listening to the audiobook took me back to being read to as a child again - we're never too old for a truly delightful fairy tale.

‘The Porridge of the Countess Berthe’ is a fairy tale by Alexandre Dumas, père, which goes to further reveal the enormous breadth of the writer’s range, with gems continually being unearthed for the world to enjoy. It does make one wonder, what else of Dumas remains to be discovered?

Alix Daniel has here produced a delightful translation, one which remains faithful to the original and yet speaks to a modern anglophone audience.

You can but enjoy this little novella, so do not think twice about purchasing it!

Alexandre Dumas's short story is not one that is typically cited when listing his works. has been masterfully translated into English by Alix Daniel, all the while retaining the structure and tone of a traditional folk or fairy tale. Beneath its seemingly whimsical surface, the story deals with multiple themes, including social responsibility, greed, and the importance of tradition. It is interesting that Dumas chose German folklore with the cobolds as the enforcers of moral order, and the ghostly spectre of the countess reappears several times within the story. The story unfolds over several generations, the characters as varied in personality and morality as the various monarchs of Dumas' time, and could be interpreted as a satire of the society of his era. In the end, the humble and good guy wins, with a charming happily ever after that leaves the reader satisfied and content as a good fairy tale should. Having only read Dumas' more celebrated epic works, this tale was refreshing and delightful for me, and after reading Alix Daniel's English translation, I was curious enough to seek out the original French version for a second look and enjoyment. I really enjoyed this novella!

I’m delighted that The Porridge of the Countess Berthe, one of Alexandre Dumas’s lesser-known fairy tales, has been translated into English! I’ve enjoyed Dumas's more famous works, such as The Three Musketeers and The Count of Monte Cristo, but this is the first time I’ve had the opportunity to read this enchanting tale, thanks to Alix Daniel's superb translation.

Unlike the epic adventures Dumas is famous for, this story features a more intimate and humorous portrayal of his characters. It’s full of charm, and it’s easy to imagine this story being turned into a film.

If you’re a fan of Dumas or just love fairy tales, you’ll definitely want to check this out. Highly recommended!

This lovely vintage fairy tale is described as a goblin story, but the little Cobolds who live in the medieval Rhine castle are more like brownies than D&D kobolds. These friendly, secretive but powerful little creatures once lived happily in the castle’s foundations, doing secret tasks to help beneficent rulers. There are hints from the beginning that these castle Cobolds would be more than capable of pranks and vengeance on unkind humans, but fortunately, the original Count and Countess are kind to everyone.

The good Countess Berthe is as thoughtful and honest as she is lovely. She is respectful to the tiny cobolds, earning their trust and assistance. She asks for help in completing the new castle, and promises an annual feast of honey porridge for all the castle’s tenants if the work is done quickly and well. Sweet Countess Berthe follows her promise and offers some more appetizing fare, too, putting on a huge feast for the castle’s tenants every year. Countess Berthe’s lifetime is the golden era of harmony between generous countess and hardworking tenants, and between human and supernatural residents of the castle, but of course that can’t last. What follows is a fairy tale/ghost story about the perils of ignoring Countess Berthe’s legacy.

There are magical elements and classic fairy-tale character types, including some power-hungry villains with no concern for other people. Yeah, The Count of Monte Cristo has some pretty dark characters, too, but that atmosphere feels much more serious. The Porridge of Countess Berthe has that wonderful fairy-tale feeling that all the villains will be punished, and the good, kind characters will be rewarded.

The book is vintage in beautiful and charming ways, like the scenes of old chivalry, where men are trapped by honor and custom into keeping their word, even if they would prefer to back out. A lot of the story hinges on the annual banquets, and I enjoyed those scenes a great deal.

The Porridge of the Countess Berthe really was a fun and interesting old find, full of classic fairy tale elements and little funny asides.