The Juniper Tree

One of the Grimm Brothers’ most unsettling tales, The Juniper-Tree is a gothic fable of jealousy, murder, and miraculous return. When a stepmother commits an unthinkable crime, a grieving sister lays her brother’s bones beneath a sacred tree—and a radiant, magical bird rises to sing the truth. Its haunting song gathers a gold chain, a pair of red shoes, and a millstone for a reckoning that will set a broken family right. Eric Shipley’s resonant performance honors the tale’s old-world cadence while sharpening its dark suspense. With crisp pacing, textured character voices, and a storyteller’s hush, he guides listeners from kitchen hearth to cobbler’s shop to the turning mill, until justice thunders down and a child is restored. Perfect for fans of classic folklore, dark fairy tales, and gothic morality plays, this faithful, atmospheric recording preserves the tale’s shiver and soul. At once chilling and cathartic, The Juniper-Tree reminds us that even in the bleakest woods, truth finds its voice—and sings.