Known collectively as the Black Brothers, they are Gluck's older siblings whose greed and inhospitality drive much of the plot. Their actions contrast sharply with Gluck's kindness.

A magical being who serves as a guide and judge, challenging the brothers with a quest. He embodies natural justice and imparts the story's central moral lesson.

A personification of a natural element who appears at the brothers' home seeking shelter. His treatment by the brothers sets off a chain of events that propel the story forward.