Foreseeing the Coming Calamity: the Ghost Ship

Grimm's Saga 281: The Phantom Ship

People who live on the Baltic Sea believe they can often foresee a shipwreck or stranding because the ship appears as a phantom several days or weeks before it sinks, at the very spot of its future demise. In the dark of night all parts of the ship, hull, rigging, mast and sail appear enveloped in fire. This they call wafeln. Men who will drown wafle as do houses that will burn and cities that will fall . On Sundays you can often hear the bells of sunken cities ringing, as they lie beneath the waves.


Fairytale Factum:
Wafeln probably comes from the Anglo-Saxon word wafian or the Old Norse vafra. It means to move unsteadily or flicker. Wafeln describes a swaying motion similar to undulating waves; the object seen is often enveloped in an eery light. According to folk tradition, Wafeln portends coming calamity to those who can perceive it. Waffle, waver and waft probably derive from this word. 

Fairy Tale from Latvia: The Old Witch, The Devil and The Bear

A Fairy Tale from Latvia: The Old Hag is Coming:

Once a harp player met the devil on one of his sojourns. The devil asked him: “Where are you going?” –

“I myself do not know,” was the reply. “They chased me away because my fingers became stiff!”

And so they walked together. They walked and walked until they met a bear. The bear asked: “Where are you two going?” 

“We don’t know ourselves,” was the reply. We were chased away!”

“Dear brothers! Let us walk a while together. We all have the same fate. The other bears have also chased me away!”

They walked and walked and then they decided to build a house. So good, they built a house and drank a beer and then an entire barrel of beer. Suddenly they noticed that the beer in the barrel was receding. Now what? They decided to guard the barrel. The bear took over the first watch and crouched next to the barrel. Yes, it was only a matter of minutes before he saw an old woman approaching with a broad hatchet in her hand.

Now the bear broke off a tree and flung it at the old woman. But unfortunately only branches hit her: the old woman shook herself a bit and then raised the hatchet and struck the bear in its back. She hit him so miserably that the poor animal could only return home with the greatest effort. The next evening the devil stood watch. Again the old woman took aim. The devil threw stones into the woman’s face rather haphazardly. But the old woman aimed her hatchet at the devil, and he, too, only escaped under enormous effort.

Now the harp player went out in the middle of the night to guard the barrel. He sat down next to the barrel and played his harp. The old woman came and slithered up close to the player and listened intently with both ears, but the harp player continued playing. Finally the old woman was so pleased with the music that the hatchet fell from her hand. The harp player quickly seized the hatchet, took aim at the old woman and quickly chopped into the woman’s back. Then he buried her under the threshold of a house and lay down to sleep. When he awoke in the morning, he saw the blood of the old woman running into the house, and a young maid sat before it. The maiden spoke: “Why are you approaching? Don’t you know that an enormous robber lives here? But if you can raise this ball and this sword, you will be able to overcome the robbers.”

The harp player pulled and pulled, but could not lift up the ball or sword. “Don’t worry!” the maid said. “Here in the corner is a potion to give you strength. Take a sip!” The harp player drank and now he could lift the ball like a marble and the sword in his hands wasn’t much heavier than a shingle wood chip. He immediately lifted up the ball and flung it against the house door: the door now collapsed. Then he took the sword, killed the robber and led the maid back to the devil and bear, who was looking out the window and called out: “Friend, the old woman is coming, the old woman is coming!”  Both the devil and bear thought to themselves: “That terrible old woman, now she is coming to kill us both!” And they fled immediately. But the harp player lived alone in the house with his young bride.

For Earth Day: a Fairy Tale of the Moon, Earth and Cosmos

The Moon, the Earth, the Cosmos 

In ancient times there was a land where night was always black and the heavens were draped like a black shroud. The moon never rose and the star, in perpetual gloom, never twinkled. When the world was created, endless evening shadow had sufficed. Out of this land once journeyed four fellows. And on their wanderings they came to another kingdom where the sun had vanished behind the hills and where a shining orb hung from an oak tree and spread a soft glow far and wide. Here it was possible to see and distinguish everything, even if the light wasn’t as bright as the sun.

The wanderers stopped and asked a farmer driving by in his wagon what kind of illumination lit up the sky. “It is the moon,” he answered. “Our mayor bought it for three Talers and hung it on the oak tree. Every day he must pour in oil and keep it clean so that it always burns brightly. In exchange we pay him one taler every week.”

When the farmer had driven away one of the fellows said “We could use this lamp. At home we have an oak tree that is just as big and we could hang it from there.  What joy there will be when we don’t have to stumble around in the darkness!” The second fellow said “You know what? Let’s fetch a horse and wagon and take the moon away. They can buy another one here.”  The third fellow said “I am a good climber. I can bring it down.”  The fourth brought his horse and wagon and the third fellow climbed the tree, drilled a hole in the moon, slipped a string through the hole and lowered it to the ground. When the shining ball lay in the wagon, they covered it with a cloth so that no one would discover their theft.  Happily they brought it to their country where they hung it on the bough of a giant oak. Old and young alike rejoiced at the illumination that the new lamp spread over all the fields, rooms and chambers. The gnomes came out of their caves and the elves in their red jackets danced a roundelay on the meadow. 

The four chaps took care of the moon with oil, cleaned the wick and in exchange received one taler weekly. But when they became old men, one fell ill and knew his end was near.  He ordered that the quarter of the moon that belonged to him should be laid with him in his grave. When he died, the mayor climbed the tree and with the hedge clippers cut down a quarter of the moon and laid it in the coffin. The light of the moon was now diminished, but not by much. When the second fellow died, his quarter was placed in his grave and the light decreased. It became even weaker after the death of the third fellow, who likewise took away his portion. When the fourth man was carried to his grave, the black night returned. When people went out at night without a lantern, they stumbled into each other and bumped their heads.

When the four parts of the moon were reunited in the underworld where darkness had always reigned, the dead became uneasy and awoke from their sleep. They were amazed at what they could see. Their eyes had become so weak that they could not bear the light of the sun. They got up, rejoiced and began their old lives all over again. Some went out dancing, others went to the pubs, where they drank wine, got drunk, raged and bickered, and finally lifted their bludgeons and beat each other. The pandemonium became more and more bitter and finally rose to the heavens. 

St. Peter, who guarded heaven’s gate, believed the underworld was in revolt and called out to the heavenly host.  “Depose the evil one,” he cried for “he and his disciples shall enter the place of the blessed.” But they never arrived so he mounted his steed and rode out beyond heaven’s gate to the underworld.  There he calmed the dead, commanded them back into their graves and took the moon away, which he then hung up in the heavens.

Happy St. Patrick' Day!

Rapunzel: Read a Fairy Tale!

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Summer Fairy Tale of Newt and Cuckoo

How the Cuckoo Came to Call

There once was a mother who raised a flea in her bathroom. The flea became so large that she was able to make an entire pair of shoes from its skin for her daughter. Soon thereafter the mother was invited to a wedding with her daughter. At the wedding feast the mother promised to give her daughter’s hand in marriage to the first person who could guess the kind of hide the shoes were made from. One after another tried to guess, but in vain. Suddenly a newt poked his head through a crack in the floorboard and cried “The shoes are made from the skin of a flea!” And so, nothing could be done, the mother had to give her daughter to the newt in marriage.

The newt led his wife to his castle by the sea. They lived there for a long time. One day, the wife became restless and desired to see her parents again. But the newt would not allow it, she must first find her way and walk in iron shoes, then he would allow it. Well and good, after seven years she had mastered walking in iron shoes and they were ripped to shreds. The wife took her three children by the hand to visit her parents. The newt led all four to the seashore. He said: “When you return, step very closely to the edge of the sea and call out: “Newt, if you live, let a maelstrom of milk rise up; if you are dead, let a maelstrom of blood rise up. When I hear your words, I will come to meet you.”

And so they said their good-byes. After the newt’s wife had spent some time with her parents, she became homesick for her newt. Her parents did not want her to go. But the newt’s wife praised her life with the newt; life in the castle by the sea was good for her and her children; it was now time to go home. The parents wanted to follow her and find out how she met the newt by the big water and how they could find the castle, but she would not tell them. So, if she would not say, they would have to worm it out of the small, dumb children.

They asked the oldest: he said nothing. They asked the middle child: she also said nothing. They asked the youngest, he said it. As soon as the father found out the secret, he went to the seashore and called out: “Newt, if you live, let a maelstrom of milk rise up; if you are dead, let a maelstrom of blood rise up!” The newt whirled up an eddy of milk and emerged on shore. But the father took aim and shot him dead. The next morning when the wife went to the seashore with her children and called out: “Newt, if you live, let a maelstrom of milk rise up; if you are dead, let a maelstrom of blood rise up!” The newt whirled up an eddy of blood. The mother was terrified and asked the children, which of them had divulged the father’s secret. The youngest acknowledged his misdeed. The mother spoke her judgment on each one. “You my eldest son, shall become an oak tree, so that everyone admires you. You, my middle daughter, shall become a fresh linden tree, so that the maidens adorn themselves with your branches. You, my youngest chatterbox shall become a stumbling block, which shall break the axle of even the largest cart. I myself will become a cuckoo and will call for my newt for ever and always.” And so it was. 

Grimm's Saga No. 248: The Saga of the Little Mouse

Mouse Mythology

According to Jacob Grimm in Deutsche Mythologie, the soul is a winged being often likened to cacoon, butterfly, cat, weasel, mouse, or snake. In the moody tale of the Little Mouse, a kitchen maid falls asleep and a little red mouse escapes from the dreaming girl’s mouth. The fate of the girl is unguessable, much less the significance of the meager mouse.  But when the creature is unable to return to its original place because of the malice of a thoughtless kitchen maid, the sleeper is doomed. The soul is unable to reunite with its body and the girl dies.

The Thumbling of Grimm’s tales is a similar being. It departs from the dying, sinking body and if it returns at all it believes it had been sleeping. In other stories the soul slips out the sleeper’s mouth in the form of small child. This reflects the notion that the soul of a dying person migrates to and then takes possession of a new body.

In some traditions souls marry, or lovers exchange hearts.  Or as punishment gods must become mortal in the next life and mortals must become animals after death. 

According to Plutarch, good souls hover for some time over the meadow of Hades where they approach truth. The souls of the dead hang from a weak blade of grass above a precipice. In other traditions the soul is pushed to the tip of one’s tongue or many souls balance on the tip of a nail.

Grimm’s Saga No. 248: The Saga of the Little Mouse 

The following story purportedly took place at the estate of a noble family at the beginning of the 17^th century near the village of Saalfeld in Thuringia. The maids and servants were all in the kitchen peeling fruit when one of the girls was overcome by fatigue. Removing herself from the workers, she lay down on the kitchen bench to rest, not far from the others. When she had lain there quietly for some time, a little red mouse crept out of her open mouth.  Most of the workers saw it and silently pointed to the animal scurrying away. The little mouse ran hurriedly to the window that was cracked open, slid out and was gone for some time. Now a saucy kitchen maid became curious. Even though the others warned and  tried to dissuade her, the girl approached the  lifeless, soul-less sleeper, shook her, moved her from one spot to the next, and then walked away. Soon the mouse returned, ran to the prior spot where the girl had lain and where the mouse had crept out the girl’s mouth. But now the little mouse could only run back and forth, and because it could not find the place it had originally emerged, it finally disappeared. And so the girl was dead and remained dead. The saucy kitchen girl regretted her deed, but it was all for naught. It was said that in the same household a servant was often pressed while he slept by the Trude, or night spirit. He could not get any rest. But this finally stopped when the maid died.

Fairy Tale of the Foundling Bird

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Grimm’s Fairy Tale No. 51: The Foundling Bird

Once there lived a forester, who went into the woods to hunt, and when he entered the forest he heard crying like that of a small child. He followed the sound of the bawling and finally reached a tall tree and at the top sat a small child. The mother and child had fallen asleep under the tree and a raptor had spied the child in its mother’s lap. It flew down and snatched the babe in its beak and placed it high in the tree.

The forester climbed up, brought the child down and thought to himself “You shall take the child home and raise it with your own dear little Lena.” So he brought the child home and the two children grew up together. But the child who had been found in the tree and had been carried away by a bird was called the Foundlling Bird.  Foundling Bird and Lenchen loved each other so, that when the one did not see the other, it was sad.

Now the forester had an old cook who took two pails and began to fetch water and she didn’t go out once but went to the well many times. Lenchen saw this and said “Listen, old Sanne, why are you carrying so much water?”  “If you won’t tell a soul, I will reveal it to you.” Lenchen assured her that no, she wouldn’t tell a soul, so the cook said “Early tomorrow morning when the forester is out to hunt, I will boil water and when it boils in the pot I will throw in the Foundling Bird and cook it.”

The next morning bright and early the forester got up and went out to the hunt and when he was away the children were still lying in bed.  Lenchen spoke to the little Foundling Bird “Don’t leave me, I won’t leave you,” and the Foundling Bird replied “Never and nevermore!” And Lenchen responded “I only want to say that old Sanne carried so much water into the house last night that I asked her why she did it.  And she replied she would tell me if I didn’t reveal it to a single soul. She said tomorrow morning when father goes out to hunt she would boil the pot full of water, throw you inside and boil it. Let’s get up quickly, get dressed and make our escape.”

The two children rose, dressed themselves quickly and went out in the world. When the water boiled in the kettle, the cook went into the bedchamber, wanted to fetch the Foundling Bird and throw him into the pot. But when she entered and approached the bed, both children were gone.  She became hideously fearful and spoke out loud to herself “What shall I say to the forester when he returns home and sees the children gone? Quick! Fast behind them so we can catch them!”

The cook sent out three servants to pursue the children and catch them. But the children sat in front of the forest and when they saw in the distance the three servants coming in pursuit, Lenchen spoke to the Foundling Bird: “Don’t leave me, I won’t leave you.” And the Foundling Bird replied “Now and nevermore!”. So Lenchen replied “You shall become a rose bush and I the roses blooming on it!” When the three servants came to the forest, there was nothing more than a rose bush and one rose at the top, but the children were nowhere to be seen. They said to each other “There is nothing here,” and went home and told the cook that they saw nothing in the forest except a rose bush with a little rose blooming at the top. The old cook scolded them “You simpletons! You should have cut the rose branches in two and broken off the little rose and brought it home. Quickly now, go out and do it!” Now they had to go out a second time and search. But the children saw them coming from afar and Lenchen spoke: “Foundling Bird, don’t leave me and I won’t leave you!” The Foundling Bird replied “Now and nevermore!”  Lenchen spoke “You shall become a church and I the crown inside.” When the three servants came this time, they could find nothing but a church and a crown inside They said to one another “What shall we do? Let’s go home”  When they reached home the cook asked if they hadn’t found anything.  They replied, “No, they hadn’t found anything but a church with a crown inside.” “You fools!” the cook scolded, “Why didn’t you smash the church and bring home the crown?”

Now the old cook set out on her own two feet and went to pursue the children with the three servants. The children saw the three servants coming from afar and the cook hobbling behind. Lenchen spoke: “Foundling Bird, don’t leave me, I won’t leave you.  The Foundling Bird replied “Now and nevermore!” Lenchen replied “You become a pond and I the duck swimming on it!” But the cook came running and when she saw the pond, she threw herself over it and wanted to drink it up. But the duck came swimming quickly, grabbed her by the head with its bill and pulled her into the water. And so the old witch had to drown. The two children returned home together with heartfelt joy. And if they haven’t died, they still live today.

Grimm's Fairy Tale No. 51: The Foundling Bird

Grimm’s Fairy Tale No. 51: The Foundling Bird

Once there lived a forester, who went into the woods to hunt, and when he entered the forest he heard crying like that of a small child. He followed the sound of the bawling and finally reached a tall tree and at the top sat a small child. The mother and child had fallen asleep under the tree and a raptor had spied the child in its mother’s lap. It flew down and snatched the babe in its beak and placed it high in the tree.

The forester climbed up, brought the child down and thought to himself “You shall take the child home and raise it with your own dear little Lena.” So he brought the child home and the two children grew up together. But the child who had been found in the tree and had been carried away by a bird was called the Foundlling Bird.  Foundling Bird and Lenchen loved each other so, that when the one did not see the other, it was sad.

Now the forester had an old cook who took two pails and began to fetch water and she didn’t go out once but went to the well many times. Lenchen saw this and said “Listen, old Sanne, why are you carrying so much water?”  “If you won’t tell a soul, I will reveal it to you.” Lenchen assured her that no, she wouldn’t tell a soul, so the cook said “Early tomorrow morning when the forester is out to hunt, I will boil water and when it boils in the pot I will throw in the Foundling Bird and cook it.”

The next morning bright and early the forester got up and went out to the hunt and when he was away the children were still lying in bed.  Lenchen spoke to the little Foundling Bird “Don’t leave me, I won’t leave you,” and the Foundling Bird replied “Never and nevermore!” And Lenchen responded “I only want to say that old Sanne carried so much water into the house last night that I asked her why she did it.  And she replied she would tell me if I didn’t reveal it to a single soul. She said tomorrow morning when father goes out to hunt she would boil the pot full of water, throw you inside and boil it. Let’s get up quickly, get dressed and make our escape.”

The two children rose, dressed themselves quickly and went out in the world. When the water boiled in the kettle, the cook went into the bedchamber, wanted to fetch the Foundling Bird and throw him into the pot. But when she entered and approached the bed, both children were gone.  She became hideously fearful and spoke out loud to herself “What shall I say to the forester when he returns home and sees the children gone? Quick! Fast behind them so we can catch them!”

The cook sent out three servants to pursue the children and catch them. But the children sat in front of the forest and when they saw in the distance the three servants coming in pursuit, Lenchen spoke to the Foundling Bird: “Don’t leave me, I won’t leave you.” And the Foundling Bird replied “Now and nevermore!”. So Lenchen replied “You shall become a rose bush and I the roses blooming on it!” When the three servants came to the forest, there was nothing more than a rose bush and one rose at the top, but the children were nowhere to be seen. They said to each other “There is nothing here,” and went home and told the cook that they saw nothing in the forest except a rose bush with a little rose blooming at the top. The old cook scolded them “You simpletons! You should have cut the rose branches in two and broken off the little rose and brought it home. Quickly now, go out and do it!” Now they had to go out a second time and search. But the children saw them coming from afar and Lenchen spoke: “Foundling Bird, don’t leave me and I won’t leave you!” The Foundling Bird replied “Now and nevermore!”  Lenchen spoke “You shall become a church and I the crown inside.” When the three servants came this time, they could find nothing but a church and a crown inside They said to one another “What shall we do? Let’s go home”  When they reached home the cook asked if they hadn’t found anything.  They replied, “No, they hadn’t found anything but a church with a crown inside.” “You fools!” the cook scolded, “Why didn’t you smash the church and bring home the crown?”

Now the old cook set out on her own two feet and went to pursue the children with the three servants. The children saw the three servants coming from afar and the cook hobbling behind. Lenchen spoke: “Foundling Bird, don’t leave me, I won’t leave you.  The Foundling Bird replied “Now and nevermore!” Lenchen replied “You become a pond and I the duck swimming on it!” But the cook came running and when she saw the pond, she threw herself over it and wanted to drink it up. But the duck came swimming quickly, grabbed her by the head with its bill and pulled her into the water. And so the old witch had to drown. The two children returned home together with heartfelt joy. And if they haven’t died, they still live today.

It was her fairy godmother

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Cinderella: A tale of peas and lentils, turtledoves and of course silver slippers

The Fairy Tale of Cinderella

A rich man’s wife became ill and when she felt that the end was near, she called her only daughter to her bedside and said “Dear child remain pious and good and the dear Lord will always stand by you. I will look down from heaven and be with you.” She then closed her eyes and departed.  Every day the girl went out to her mother’s grave and wept. She remained pious and good and when winter came, white snow blanketed the grave. When spring sunshine melted the white blanket of snow, her father took another wife.

The woman brought her own two daughters into the house, beautiful and fair of face but ugly and black of heart. The stepchild now had to endure a terrible time.  “Shall the stupid goose sit with us in our chamber?” they asked. “Whoever wants to eat bread must earn it: out with the kitchen maid!” They took away her beautiful clothes and dressed her in a gray frock and gave her wooden shoes.  “Look at the proud princess now, how fine she is dressed!” they cried and laughed and led her to the kitchen. There she had do heavy work from dawn until dusk; rise early before daybreak, carry the water, make the fire, cook and wash. On top of it all the sisters caused her the greatest heartache, ridiculed the girl and poured her peas and lentils in the ashes so that she had to sit and pull them out again. At night when she had worked herself to exhaustion she didn’t go to bed but rather had to lie next to the stove in the ashes. And because she became so dusty and dirty they called her Cinderella.

Now it happened that the father wanted to go away to a fair so he asked his two stepdaughters what he should bring them. “Beautiful clothes,” one replied. “Pearls and gemstones,” the other said. “But you, Cinderella,” he asked,  “what do you want?”  “Father, the first sprig that brushes against your hat on your return journey, break that off for me.”  So he bought beautiful clothes, pearls and gemstones for the two stepdaughters. And on his return, when he rode through the green brush a hazel branch brushed against him and knocked off his hat. He broke off the branch and took it along. When he returned home he gave the stepdaughters what they had requested and to Cinderella he gave the sprig from the hazel bush.  Cinderella thanked him, went to her mother’s grave and planted the sprig and cried so pitifully that her tears fell on the twig and watered it. It grew and became a beautiful tree.  Cinderella went to it each day, cried and prayed and each time a little bird came and sat on the tree. And when she had spoken her wish the bird threw down what she had wished for.

Now it happened that the king was giving a celebration that was to last three days and all beautiful maidens in the land were invited so that his son could select a bride. When the two stepdaughters heard that they were to appear they were of good cheer. They called to Cinderella and said “Comb our hair, brush our shoes and fasten our buckles; we are going to a wedding at the king’s castle.”  Cinderella obeyed but cried because she would have liked to go along to the dance and asked her stepmother to allow it.  “You, Cinderella, she said “are covered in dust and dirt and want to go to a wedding? You don’t have any clothes or shoes and want to dance!” But because she continued her pleading she finally said “I have poured a bowl of lentils in the ashes, if you can pick out the lentils in two hours, you can go.” The girl went through the back door to the garden and called “Tame turtledove, turtle dove, all little birds under heaven come and help me pluck out

“the good ones in the pot

  the bad ones not”

Now two white doves flew through the kitchen window and then the turtle doves came flying in, and finally with a whir all birds under heaven swarmed inside and swooped down into the ashes. And the doves bowed their little heads and began to pick, pick, pick, pick and the others also began to pick, pick, pick, pick and dropped all the good grains into a bowl. Barely an hour passed and it was all done and they flew back out. The girl now brought the bowl to her stepmother and was happy and believed she could now go to the wedding.  But her stepmother said “No Cinderella. You don’t have any clothes and cannot dance: you would only be laughed at.”  But when she began go cry the stepmother said, “If you can pick out two bowls full of lentils from the ashes, you can go.” But she thought “she won’t be able to do it.” When she had poured the two bowls of lentils in the ashes, the girl went out the back door to the garden and cried out “You doves, turtle doves, all birds under heaven, come and help me pluck out

“the good ones in the pot

  the bad ones not”

Two white little doves came flying through the kitchen window, the turtle doves followed, and finally all birds under heaven whirred and swarmed inside before plunging into the ashes. And the doves bent their little heads and began to pick, pick, pick, pick and the others started to pick, pick, pick, pick and placed all the good grain into bowls. And before an half hour had passed, they were finished and flew out again.  The girl carried the bowl to her stepmother and now thought she would surely be able to go to the wedding. But her stepmother said “This doesn’t help you; you can’t go because you don’t have clothes and cannot dance; we would be ashamed of you.” She turned her back and hurried away with her two proud daughters.

When no one else was at home, Cinderella went to her mother’s grave under the hazel tree and called

“Little tree shake shake

“Throw gold and silver over me.”

The birds threw down a gold and silver dress and slippers embroidered with silk and silver.  The girl quickly donned the dress and went to the wedding. Her sisters and stepmother did not recognize her and thought she was a foreign king’s daughter, she was so beautiful in the golden dress. They never thought about Cinderella and supposed she sat at home in dirt picking lentils out of the ashes.  The king’s son approached, took her by the hand and danced with her. He didn’t want to dance with anyone else and wouldn’t let go of her hand and when another one came and asked he said “She is my little dancer.”

She danced till evening and when she wanted to go home the king’s son said “Let me go with you.” He wanted to see to whom the beautiful maiden belonged. But she got away and jumped into the dove house. Now the king’s son waited until her father came and said the strange girl had jumped into the dove house. But the old man thought “Could it be Cinderella?” And they had to bring an axe and pick so that he could chop the dove house in two: but no one was inside.  And when they returned home Cinderella lay in her dirty clothes in the ashes and a dirty oil lamp burned in the chimney;  for Cinderella had quickly jumped out of the dove house and ran to the hazel bush. There she pulled off her beautiful clothes and placed them on the grave and the bird took them again and she put on her gray smock and sat down in the ashes.

The next day when the party again approached and the parents and step sisters went away, Cinderella went to the hazel tree and said

“Little tree shake shake

“Throw gold and silver over me.”

Now the bird threw down an even more sublime dress than the day before. When the girl appeared at the marriage feast in this dress, everyone was astonished by her beauty.  The prince had waited until she came, immediately took her hand and only danced with her. When the others came and asked he said “this is my little dancer”. When night fell she wanted to leave and the king’s son pursued her and wanted to see which house she entered: but she jumped away and hid in the garden behind the house.  A large beautiful tree stood there on which the most beautiful pears hung.  She climbed between the branches nimble as a squirrel and the king’s son did not know where she had vanished.  But he waited until her father came and said to him “the strange girl got away and I believe she jumped into the pear tree.”  The father thought “Could it be Cinderella?” and he called for an axe and chopped the tree down. But no one was in it.  When they entered the kitchen, Cinderella lay in the ashes as before because she had jumped down on the other side of the tree and the beautiful bird in the hazel tree took away her beautiful clothes and brought her little gray shift.

On the third day when her parents and sisters were gone, Cinderella returned to her mother’s grave and spoke to the little tree

“Tree, tree shake your branches

Throw gold and silver in avalanches.”

Now the bird threw down a dress that was more splendid and glittering than it ever had, and the slippers were entirely golden.  When the maid arrived at the wedding in this dress, no one knew what to say in their amazement.  The king’s son wanted only to dance with her and if someone else asked he replied “this is my dancer.”

When it was evening Cinderella wanted to leave and the king’s son wanted to accompany her, but she escaped quickly and he could not follow. But the king’s son had thought up a trick and had the entire stairway covered with pitch. When the girl jumped away the left slipper of the girl remained stuck.  The king’s son lifted it and it was small and delicate and entirely golden.  The next morning he went to the man and said to him “no other shall become my wife than the one whose foot fits into this golden shoe.”  Both sisters rejoiced because they had pretty feet. The oldest went into the chamber with the shoe and wanted to try it on and the mother stood by. But she couldn’t get her big toe in, the shoe was too small so she handed her mother a knife and said “Hack off the toe, when you are a queen you won’t have to walk any more.”  The girl hacked off the toe, forced her foot into the shoe, swallowed her pain and went out to the king’s son. He took her on his horse as bride and rode off with her. But they had to pass the grave where two little doves sat on the hazel tree and they called out

“Loop dee hoo, loop dee hoo.

Blood in shoe.

The shoe is too small

The true bride sits at home”

He looked down at her foot and saw that blood oozed out.  He turned his horse around and brought the false bride back to her house. He said she wasn’t the right one, the other sister should try on the shoe.  This one went into the chamber and all toes happily fit inside the shoe, but her heel was too large.  The mother gave her a knife and said “lop off your heel: when you are queen you won’t have to walk on your feet.”  The girl lopped off a piece of her heel, forced her foot into the shoe, swallowed her pain and went out to the king’s son.  He took her as his bride on his horse and rode off. When they passed the hazel tree, the two doves sat there and called out

“Loop dee hoo, loop dee hoo.

Blood in shoe.

The shoe is too small

The true bride sits at home”

He looked down at her foot and saw blood oozing out and the white stockings were soaked crimson. He turned his horse around and returned the bride to the house. “This is also not the right one,” he said. “Do you have another daughter?”  “No,” the man said, “only the child from my dead wife is a small stunted cinderella. It is impossible that she could be the bride.”  The king’s son said he should send her up; but the mother said “Oh no, she is much too dirty, you can’t look at her.”  But he insisted and Cinderella had to be called.  First she washed her hands and face, then went and bowed before the prince, who held out the golden shoe.  She sat on a footstool, pulled her foot out her heavy wooden shoe and placed it in the slipper. It fit like a glove.  And when she rose and the king looked into her face he recognized the beautiful maiden that had danced with him and cried out : “this is the rightful bride”.  The stepmother and both sisters became frightened and pale with rage.  But he took Cinderella and placed her on his horse and rode off.  When they passed the hazel tree the two white doves called out:

“Loop dee hoo, loop dee hoo.

No blood in shoe.

The shoe is not too small

The true bride goes with him home.”

And when the birds had finished their song, they flew down and landed on Cinderella’s shoulders. One on the right, one on the left.

When the marriage was to be celebrated the two false sisters came and wanted to ingratiate themselves and share their sister’s good fortune.  When the married couple arrived at church, the oldest daughter stood at the right, the youngest one at the left and the doves picked out one of their eyes. Afterward when they went out, the oldest was on the left side and the youngest one one at the right side: now the doves picked out their other eye.  And so they were punished for their malice and falsehood for the rest of their lives.

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Fairy Tales for the Milder Month of May: Frouwa, Portrait of a Witch as a Young Woman

Diminutive Ancient Wagon, Pergamon Museum, Berlin

The Germanic goddess Frouwa was the sister of the sun god Fro. Because of this solar connection, she is associated with things that shine and glisten, such as brilliant gems and the perfect sunshine of a cloudless spring day. As goddess of love, fertility and beauty, she was held in high esteem by Germanic tribes. But by the Middle Ages she had become associated with witches, devils and other demonic beings.

Frouwa had endured hardship as a young goddess. The source of her trial was that she was not married to a god, but rather to a human, who in stealth abandoned her. Full of longing, she searched the world over for her lost love. She had barely caught up with him, when he vanished again. Tears that fell from her eyelashes touched down on the ground as pearls or droplets of gold. That is why the pearl often represents a tear in German mythology.

The greatest hope of a Germanic woman was to become part of Frouwa’s sacred realm after death. The heavenly palace where Frouwa received these departed women was called Freistatt.

Like other gods, Frouwa also held a procession that lasted twelve nights. On these nights she often appeared riding a boar with golden bristles (witches were also known to ride boars on Walpurgis Night). But usually she traveled in a wagon that was pulled by cats. The cat was sacred to Frouwa and that is why her realm was filled with a vast number of these animals. Carefully tended and revered, no one was allowed to touch them.

The ladybug (or ladybird) was given a special place of honor by Frouwa. It was said that the number of black spots on its back foretold the number of Talers a bushel of corn would cost in the coming year. Later Christian priests renamed this insect after the Virgin Mary, because it was thought the Virgin was most similar to the goddess in regard to purity, goodness and beneficence. The ladybug in German is therefore often called Marienkaefer. Likewise, the church transformed Frouwa’s cats into witches or devils and these became known as the fearful creatures accompanying her on her night flight.

As leader of the Valkyries she also had a swan-feather shirt, which gave her the power to take on the shape of swan and travel through both air and water, doing the gods’ bidding. By some accounts she could also transform herself into a falcon or bird of prey. However, her actions were always honorable and she was therefore considered to be the model of feminine virtue.
By the time of the poet Snorri (12th century AD), Frouwa was the only pagan goddess that was still venerated in Iceland.

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A Fairy Vision on Easter in the Ruins of an Old Castle

In this fairy tale for Easter: the blasphemy of harp playing, the incredible power of the first blossoms of spring, and a fairy vision. 

From the village of Kesseling you can take the road near Weidenbach and travel toward Kaltenborn. About three hours past the Aare River you arrive at the Castle of High Regard. This fortress belonged to one of the knights of Kaltenborn. Later in life this knight had to relinquish the fort to the Archbishop of Cologne,  only to seize the property back from this powerful cleric when it became a well-fortified and protected fief. In the last century the ruins of the old castle finally vanished when the last of its owners abandoned it once and for all. These owners lived in Cologne but were not of the Hoacht lineage and did not bear the name. 

In ancient times a wild and dissipated robber-baron lived at Hoacht. On the Eve before Easter he and his knights profaned the holy feast with vile dancing, harp music and gluttony. Suddenly the heavens blackened and the sound of their raucous boozing was interrupted with a loud roar. From black clouds came bolts of lightning and thunder could be heard louder and louder. All of the revelers whitened in fear and froze in terror. A lightning bolt hit the chamber and soon flames burst through the doors and windows. The walls crackled and caved under the terrible raging storm, finally crushing the assembled and burying them in the debris. 

It was said the robber baron had unimaginable treasures of gold, silver and gems, also valuable utensils and objects hidden in the chambers of his castle. But all trace of such things had vanished in the rubble.

Many years after the fall of the castle, a knight appeared on the Eve before Easter. Alighting on the shore of the Rhine River, his oarsman told him the legend of Hoacht Castle. According to the saga, only one without blemish and pure of heart would be granted a vision of the castle’s treasures. This was the Easter Eve of legend and the oarsman urged the young knight not to hesitate but hasten up the path to the fortress before midnight. 

Together oarsman and knight hurried up the stony path. It seemed to widen as they went along, until finally at the top of the mountain it opened into a huge chasm. There stood a maiden clothed in snow-white garments. She motioned to the knight with her hand that he should approach while she slowly placed a lily on the ground. If the knight had been thinking properly, he would have immediately seized the flower. But alas, he did not. She motioned a second time and pointed to a hidden spot below the ground.

The knight believed she was pointing to the place the treasure lay buried. That is why he approached the spot but left the lily lying where she had placed it.

At one o’clock there was a terrible noise. The robber baron of yore now stood before the young knight with drinking cup in hand, just as he had stood hundreds of years before. His drinking companions surrounded him, throwing silver and gold coins into the air. But before the knight and oarsman could pick up one of the gold pieces, they all vanished. The lily which the maiden had placed on the ground now became an enormous viper, with thrashing tail and hissing tongue. The knight and oarsman had to retreat from the mountain to safety and were not able to retrieve any of the castle’s treasures.

As they ran down the steep path to the river, scornful laughter followed.

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Spring Approaches the Fairy Tale Universe: a Tale for all Times

Grimm's Fairy Tale No. 175: The Moon

Nebra Sky Disk 

The days are getting longer as we approach spring! We have set our clocks forward so I encourage you to read the following fairy tale about the moon, the cosmos, and time itself (and follow the link below to read about a 3,600-year-old bronze age clock that told man it was spring).


Grimm’s Fairy Tale No. 175: The Moon

In ancient times there was a land where night was always dark. It was as if the heavens were covered by a black cloth that hung over it because there was no rising moon  and no star to blink through the vault of darkness. When the world was created, evening light had sufficed.

From this land four young men went out traveling. They reached another realm, where the sun vanished behind the mountains at night and where a bright ball stood on an oak tree pouring soft light far and wide. In this light you could still see everything and distinguish objects even if the light wasn’t as bright as the sun. The wanderers stood still and asked a farmer, who was driving by in his wagon what kind of light it was. “That is the moon,” he answered. “Our mayor bought it for three talers and fastened it to the oak tree. Every day he pours oil into it, keeps it clean, and makes sure it always burns brightly. For this work, he receives one taler from us every week.”

When the farmer had driven away, one of the four said “We could use a lamp like that. At home we have an oak tree that is just as big. We could hang the light there. How happy we would be if at night we didn’t have to grope around in the darkness!”

“Do you know what!” the second fellow said, “Let’s get a wagon and a horse and take the moon away with us. They can buy another one here.”

“I’m a good climber,” the third one said. “I will go and bring it down!” The fourth brought the wagon and horse and the third climbed the tree, drilled a hole in the moon, pulled a rope through and lowered it to the ground. When the glimmering sphere lay safely in the wagon, they placed a cloth over it so that no one would notice the theft. They brought it safely to their country and put it high up in an oak tree. Old and young alike rejoiced when the new lamp spread its light over all the fields and illuminated the rooms and chambers. The gnomes came out of their rock caves and the brownies in their red jackets danced their lovely roundelay in the meadows.

The four fellows filled the moon with oil, tended the wick and each week received one taler in exchange. But they became old men and when one took ill and foresaw his death, he arranged that the quarter of the moon that was his own would be buried along with him in his grave. When he died, the mayor climbed up the tree and using a hedge shear, cut a quarter off and placed it in his coffin. The light of the moon diminished, but not noticeably. When the second fellow died, the second quarter was placed in his grave and the light diminished again. It became even weaker with the death of the third fellow, who also took his portion. When the fourth man was laid in his grave, the old darkness returned. If people went out of their homes without lanterns, they bumped their heads against each other.

But when the portions of the moon were reunited in the underworld, the dead became restless where once darkness had ruled. They awoke from their sleep. They were amazed that they could see again: the light of the moon was enough, because their eyes had grown so weak they could not bear the light of the sun. They got up, became happy and resumed their old way of life. One group went out dancing and playing, others went out to taverns, where they demanded wine, got drunk, went wild and argued with each other. Finally, they raised their clubs and beat each other. The noise became louder and meaner and finally reached heaven itself.

Saint Peter, who guarded heaven’s gate, believed that the underworld had fallen into rebellion. He called out to the heavenly host to come together and fight back the evil one, who wanted to storm the domain of the blessed. But when they never arrived, he mounted his horse and rode through heaven’s gate down into the underworld. There he calmed the dead and told them to return to their graves. And he took the moon with him, where he hung it in heaven.

To read more about the Sky Disk of Nebra, a 3,600-year-old Bronze Age clock that told man it was spring and the oldest visual representation of the cosmos known to date, hit the link:  http://www.bibliotecapleyades.net/arqueologia/nebra_disk.htm


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Mysterious Fairy Tale of the Frog Prince and Iron Heinrich

A wonderful and strange fairy tale for the frozen days of March: only iron bands can keep a true heart from breaking.

In times of old when wishing still helped, there lived a king, whose daughters were all extremely beautiful. But the youngest one was so beautiful that the sun, which had seen so much in its day, was amazed whenever it gazed upon her face. Near the king’s castle lay a dark wood and in the wood underneath an old linden tree there was a water well. If the day was very hot, the king’s child went out to the forest and sat at the edge of the cool spring. And if the child was bored, it took a golden ball, threw it in the air and caught it; and that was the child’s favorite plaything.

Now it happened that the golden ball of the king’s daughter did not fall into her little hands, but rather hit the ground and rolled directly into the water. The king’s daughter followed it with her eyes, but the ball disappeared and the well was so deep that it was impossible to see the bottom. She began to cry and cried louder and louder and was inconsolable. And as she cried, some one called to her “You, daughter of the king, what are you doing? You are crying in a manner that even a stone would take pity.” She looked round to see where the voice was coming from, and there she saw a frog that poked its hideous head out of the water. “Oh it’s you, you old puddle splasher,” she said. “I am crying over my golden ball, which fell into the well.” “Be still and do not cry,” the frog replied. “I can help. But what will you give me if I fetch your plaything?” “Whatever you want, dear frog,” she said. “My clothes, my pearls and jewels, but also the golden crown that I am wearing.” But the frog replied “I don’t want your clothes, your pearls or jewelry. And your golden crown, that I surely don’t want. But if you will love me and I will be your mate and play fellow, I will sit at the little table next to you, eat from your little golden plate, drink from your little cup and sleep in your little bed. If you promise me that, I will dive down and fetch the golden ball.” “Oh yes,” she answered. “I promise you everything you want as long as you bring me the ball.” But she was really thinking “How that simple frog prattles on. He sits in the water with his own kind and croaks and can never be the mate of a human.”

The frog, when he had received her promise, dipped his head below the surface, sank deep into the water and after a while he swam to the top again. He held the ball in his mouth and threw it on the grass. The king’s daughter was filled with joy when she saw her wonderful plaything. She picked it up and jumped away with it immediately. “Wait, wait,” the frog yelled. “Take me with you, I can’t run like you.” But what good did it do that his loud croaking followed her, cry as he may! She didn’t listen, hurried home and soon forgot about the poor frog, who had to climb back to his water well.

The next day, when she sat down with the king and his entire court to dinner and ate from her little golden plate, something crept up the marble steps, plitsch, platsch, plitsch, platsch. When it reached the top it knocked on the door and cried “King’s daughter, youngest one, open the door for me.” She ran and wanted to see who it was. But when she opened the door, there stood the frog. She shut the door hastily and returned to the table and was very frightened. The king saw that her heart was pounding and said “My child, what do you fear, is a giant standing at the door to snatch you away?” “Oh no,” she answered, “It is no giant but a loathsome frog.” “What does the frog want with you?” “Oh dear father, when I went to the wood yesterday and sat by the well and played, my golden ball fell into the water. And because I cried so, the frog fetched it. And because he demanded it, I promised that he would be my mate. I never thought that he would creep out his water. Now he is outside and wants to come in.” And the frog knocked on the door a second time and called

“King’s daughter, youngest one,
Open the door for me,
Don’t you remember yesterday?
What you promised me
By the cool water well?
King’s daughter, youngest one,
Open the door for me.

The king said “What you have promised, you must also keep. Go now and open the door for him.” She went and opened the door and the frog hopped inside, followed right behind her feet and went to her chair. There he sat and called “Lift me up to you.” She shuddered, until finally the king commanded it. When the frog sat on the chair, it wanted to be on the table and when it sat there it said “Now slide your little golden plate over to me, so that we can eat together.” She did it, but one could see she did not do it gladly. The frog ate heartily but almost every bite lodged in the princess’s throat. Finally he said “I’m full now and tired. Carry me into your little chamber and make up your silk bed, where we can lay down.” The king’s daughter began to cry and was scared of the cold frog, which she didn’t even want to touch. And now he wanted to sleep in her beautiful clean bed. But the king became angry and said “Whoever has helped you when you were in need, you should not forget later.” She picked him up with two fingers and carried him up and put him in the corner. But when she lay in bed, he crept over and said “I’m tired, I want to go to bed like you. Lift me up or I will tell your father.” She was seized by such a bitter rage that she snatched him up and threw him against the wall with all her might. “Now you will have the rest you seek, you loathsome frog.”

But when he fell down, he was no frog but rather a prince with beautiful and friendly eyes. It had been her father’s will that he become her dearest mate and husband. He told her he had been hexed by an evil witch and no one but she could save him from the water well. Tomorrow they would go to his kingdom . They fell asleep and the next morning when the sun woke them, a carriage drove up with eight white horses. The horses had white ostrich feathers on their heads and walked in golden chains and behind stood the servant of the young king. It was True Heinrich. True Heinrich was so aggrieved when his master had been turned into a frog, that he had three iron bands placed round his heart so that it would not burst for pain and sadness. The carriage now fetched the young king to take him to his kingdom. True Heinrich lifted up both, stepped behind and was filled with joy over the prince’s redemption. And when they had traveled some distance, the prince heard a loud sound behind him, as if something was breaking. He turned and called

“Heinrich, the carriage is breaking.”
No, dear sir, not the carriage,
But the band round my heart,
In pitiable suffering,
Whilst you sat in the spring
And were a frog.”

Again and again the sound was heard and the prince thought the wagon was breaking. But it was only the bands around the heart of True Heinrich, as they broke, because his master was redeemed and now was exceedingly happy.


Links for further reading:

http:www.fairytalechannel.com/2008/02/lower-and-higher-angels-of-our-nature.html

http://www.fairytalechannel.com/2008/02/fairy-tale-factum_22.html

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