Hermynia zur Mühlen's Why?

Hermynia zur Mühlen (1883–1951) was the most famous and prolific writers of fairy tales for children during the Weimar Republic (1919–33). Born into an Austrian aristocratic family, she "betrayed" her heritage to become a communist and major translator of American writers. She also published antifascist and mystery novels under a pseudonym. The story "Why?" was a direct response to the Great Depression and appeared in a collection of tales with the title Es war einmal … und es wird sein (Once upon a Time … and It Will Be, 1930).