Their sources were the Hassenpflug family from Hanau, supplemented by Ludowine Haxthausen and by Wilhelm Grimm's friend and future wife, Dorothea Wild.

As they travel to the minstrel's home, the newlyweds pass by the fine lands and properties that belong to King Thrushbeard, and the princess begins to regret scorning him.

Thoroughly annoyed at his wife's constant failures, the minstrel tells her the only job left for her is to work as a servant at the nearby castle of King Thrushbeard himself.

The princess gets hired as a kitchen maid, taking home the leftovers in jars she hides in her apron pockets and sharing the food with her husband.

Out of the blue, King Thrushbeard forces the princess to dance with him, sending her jars of leftovers spilling all over the floor and making the guests laugh at her.