Why the Sea is Salt is a Norwegian fairy tale about a poor younger brother who comes into possession of a magical hand-mill that can produce anything he desires. By using the mill wisely, he discovers how careful decisions and patience lead to safety and prosperity, while greed and impatience can bring disaster. The story also explains how the magical mill ultimately ends up at the bottom of the sea, revealing the magical origin of the ocean’s saltiness.
Long ago in Norway, there were two brothers living in a poor village. The older brother was rich, greedy, and selfish, with plenty of everything but never willing to help anyone. The younger brother was poor, kind, and generous, living with his wife in constant hardship. As Christmas approached, the younger brother had nothing to eat, not even a small piece of bread or meat. In desperation, he went to his rich brother asking for some food. The rich brother reluctantly gave him a smoked piece of pork, but only on the condition that the younger brother would never ask him for anything again.On his way home through the forest, the younger brother encountered an old man with a white beard, a figure from legend. The old man asked what he had in his hands, and the younger brother explained he only had a smoked pork leg, gained by promising not to ask his brother for anything else. The old man said, “If you give me that pork, I will give you something very useful. I am very hungry.” The generous younger brother gave him the pork without hesitation, and in return, the old man gave him a small, ordinary-looking hand-mill. The old man explained, “This is a magical mill. If you say, ‘Grind, grind, and grind out food or any item I desire,’ it will produce it. To stop it, say, ‘Enough!’.”
The younger brother brought the mill home and immediately tested it. He commanded it to produce a delicious Christmas feast, and the mill began to spin, filling the table with abundant food. The magical hand-mill saved the younger brother and his wife from hunger, giving them a comfortable holiday.
News of the magical mill quickly reached the greedy older brother, who demanded to know the secret. The younger brother honestly showed him how it worked. However, the older brother’s greed overtook him. One night, he sneaked into his brother’s house, stole the mill, and placed it on a large ship, planning to sail far away to become wealthy alone.
Once at sea, the older brother tested the mill, commanding it, “Grind, grind, and grind out salt! Grind as much as you can!” The mill obeyed, producing an endless stream of white salt. The older brother was delighted, imagining the wealth it would bring, but soon realized he did not know the command to stop it. No matter how he shouted, the mill would not cease. Salt poured onto the ship, accumulating until the vessel could not hold its weight. Eventually, the ship sank to the bottom of the sea, taking the magical mill with it.
From that day forward, the magical mill is said to still grind at the bottom of the ocean, endlessly producing salt. This is why the sea is salty to this very day. The story teaches important lessons about generosity, greed, patience, and the consequences of acting without knowledge, showing that cleverness and kindness lead to rewards while selfishness and greed bring disaster.
