tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1909180632501149670.post3806737472694281507..comments2023-07-21T10:04:22.649-04:00Comments on Fairy Tale Channel (fairytalechannel.com): Fairy Tale of the Little Ringed SnakeRapunzelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08769523472208135974noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1909180632501149670.post-88711455620249099042010-08-24T16:09:27.283-04:002010-08-24T16:09:27.283-04:00Thank you for your comment, I've been remiss ...Thank you for your comment, I've been remiss in updating my blog, just lazy I guess.<br />Anyway, I think you are correct in reading the story as a cautionary tale about humans' mistreatment of animals.<br />Jacob Grimm suggests a meaning along the same line.<br />He sees the the Unke or House Snake as having a similar role as House Ghost, i.e. it is the spirit or heart of a household or family, like a Tomte.<br />He says in Deutsche Mythologie that these "House snakes or Unken appear to lonely children. They drink milk with them from their little bowls. They carry golden crowns, which they remove from their heads when drinking. Sometimes they forget the crown and leave it with the child. They guard children in their cradles and bring them treasures. Killing such a creature brings tremendous misfortune. Almost all of these snakes have the distinction that they drink milk and carry golden crowns, which (Grimm says) brings them closest to the idea of the benevolent, helpful house ghost." If you harm the snake, you harm the child and by extension yourself and your own family. (Very loose translation but the German is pretty dense!)<br />I guess I would even say the story underscores a mostly invisible inner-connectedness that we all share, or something like that!Rapunzelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08769523472208135974noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1909180632501149670.post-52488785905531393142010-08-19T10:20:53.683-04:002010-08-19T10:20:53.683-04:00Good choice of story. I have never even seen a var...Good choice of story. I have never even seen a variant of this one. I wonder, is the message an early one on the easy way humans mistreat animals?<br />The snake is the hero here, if there is a hero.Katewhttp://diamondsandtoads.comnoreply@blogger.com