THE SNOW QUEEN IV: SPANISH OFFICIAL TRANSLATION

You had it in Hungarian and in French, and I am going to cover more than one translation of the text (Spanish, German, Polish, Czech, Swedish, a couple of English versions [Charles Boner, H.B. Paull, Edmund Dulac... and the original Danish). This is the most widespread version, by Francisco Payarols --though it was translated from the German instead of straight from the Danish...

CUARTO EPISODIO 
El príncipe y la princesa

En este reino en que nos encontramos, vive una princesa de lo más inteligente; tanto, que se ha leído todos los periódicos del mundo, y los ha vuelto a olvidar. Ya ves si es lista. Uno de estos días estaba sentada en el trono -lo cual no es muy divertido, según dicen-; el hecho es que se puso a canturrear una canción que decía así: «¿Y si me buscara un marido?». «Oye, eso merece ser meditado», pensó, y tomó la resolución de casarse. Pero quería un marido que supiera responder cuando ella le hablara; un marido que no se limitase a permanecer plantado y lucir su distinción; esto era muy aburrido. Convocó entonces a todas las damas de la Corte, y cuando ellas oyeron lo que la Reina deseaba, se pusieron muy contentas. «¡Esto me gusta! -exclamaron todas-; hace unos días que yo pensaba también en lo mismo».

Los periódicos aparecieron enseguida con el monograma de la princesa dentro de una orla de corazones. Podía leerse en ellos que todo joven de buen parecer estaba autorizado a presentarse en palacio y hablar con la princesa; el que hablase con desenvoltura y sin sentirse intimidado, y desplegase la mayor elocuencia, sería elegido por la princesa como esposo. Acudió una multitud de hombres, todo eran aglomeraciones y carreras, pero nada salió de ello, ni el primer día ni el segundo. Todos hablaban bien mientras estaban en la calle; pero en cuanto franqueaban la puerta de palacio y veían los centinelas en uniforme plateado y los criados con librea de oro en las escaleras, y los grandes salones iluminados, perdían la cabeza. Y cuando se presentaban ante el trono ocupado por la princesa, no sabían hacer otra cosa que repetir la última palabra que ella dijera, y esto a la princesa no le interesaba ni pizca. Era como si al llegar al salón del trono hubiesen quedado aletargados, no despertando hasta encontrarse nuevamente en la calle; entonces recobraban el uso de la palabra. Y había una enorme cola que llegaba desde el palacio hasta el portal. Y pasaban hambre y sed, pero en el palacio no se les servía ni un vaso de agua. Algunos, más listos, se habían traído bocadillos, pero no creas que los compartieran con el vecino. Pensaban: «Mejor que tenga cara de hambriento, así no lo querrá la princesa».
Pero, ¿Cuándo llegó? ¿Estaba entre la multitud?

El tercer día se presentó un personajito, sin caballo ni coche, pero muy alegre. Sus ojos brillaban, tenía un cabello largo y hermoso, pero vestía pobremente.
Llevaba un pequeño morral a la espalda.

El tal individuo, al llegar a la puerta de palacio y ver la guardia en uniforme de plata y a los criados de la escalera en librea dorada, no se turbó lo más mínimo, sino que, saludándoles con un gesto de la cabeza, dijo: «Debe ser pesado estarse en la escalera; yo prefiero entrar». Los salones eran un ascua de luz; los consejeros privados y de Estado andaban descalzos llevando fuentes de oro. Todo era solemne y majestuoso. Los zapatos del recién llegado crujían ruidosamente, pero él no se inmutó.

Y nuestro hombre se presentó alegremente ante la princesa, la cual estaba sentada sobre una gran perla, del tamaño de un torno de hilar. Todas las damas de la Corte, con sus doncellas y las doncellas de las doncellas, y todos los caballeros con sus criados y los criados de los criados, que a su vez tenían asistente, estaban colocados en semicírculo; y cuanto más cerca de la puerta, más orgullosos parecían. Al asistente del criado del criado, que va siempre en zapatillas, uno casi no se atreve a mirarlo; tal es la altivez con que se está junto a la puerta.

¡Debe ser terrible! ¿Y vas a decir... que se casó con la princesa?

Parece que él habló bien. Era audaz y atractivo. No se había presentado para conquistar a la princesa, sino sólo para escuchar su conversación. Y la princesa le gustó, y ella, por su parte, quedó muy satisfecha de él.

¡Oh, por favor, llévame al palacio!
... de una cosa estoy seguro: que jamás ... será autorizada a entrar en palacio por los procedimientos reglamentarios.
—Aguárdame en aquella cuesta —dijo ..., y, con un movimiento de la cabeza, se alejó ....

Cuando regresó, anochecía ya.
y ahí va un panecillo que sacó de la cocina. Allí hay mucho pan, ... No es posible que entres en el palacio; ... ; los centinelas en uniforme de plata y los criados en librea de oro no te lo permitirán. Pero ... , de un modo u otro te introducirás. Mi novia conoce una escalerita trasera que conduce al dormitorio, y sabe dónde hacerse con las llaves.

Se fueron al jardín, a la gran avenida donde las hojas caían sin parar; y cuando en el palacio se hubieron apagado todas las luces una tras otra, ... condujo a ... a una puerta trasera que estaba entornada.

Llegaron a la escalera, iluminada por una lamparilla colocada sobre un armario. En el suelo ...

En efecto, algo pasó con un silbido; eran como sombras que se deslizaban por la pared, caballos de flotantes melenas y delgadas patas, cazadores, caballeros y damas cabalgando.

Son sueños nada más. Vienen a buscar los pensamientos de Su Alteza para llevárselos de caza.

Llegaron al primer salón, tapizado de color de rosa, con hermosas flores en las paredes. Pasaban allí los sueños rumoreando, pero tan vertiginosos, que ... no pudo ver a los nobles personajes. Cada salón superaba al anterior en magnificencia; era para perder la cabeza. Al fin llegaron al dormitorio, cuyo techo parecía una gran palmera con hojas de cristal, pero cristal precioso; en el centro, de un grueso tallo de oro, colgaban dos camas, cada una semejante a un lirio. En la primera, blanca, dormía la princesa; en la otra, roja, se vio un cuello moreno. ... —los sueños volvieron a pasar veloces por la habitación—, él se despertó, volvió la cabeza y…  

El príncipe ..., pero era joven y guapo. La princesa, parpadeando por entre la blanca hoja de lirio, preguntó qué ocurría.

¡Pobre ...! —exclamaron los príncipes; elogiaron a ... y dijeron que no estaban enfadados, aunque aquello no debía repetirse. Por lo demás, recibirían una recompensa.

¿Prefieren marcharse libremente —preguntó la princesa— o quedarse en palacio en calidad de ... de Corte, con derecho a todos los desperdicios de la cocina?
... se inclinaron respetuosamente y manifestaron que optaban por el empleo fijo, ...

El príncipe se levantó de la cama y la cedió ...; realmente no podía hacer más. ... cruzó las manos, pensando: «¡Qué buenas son las personas ..., después de todo!»

Al día siguiente ... vistieron de seda y terciopelo de pies a cabeza. ... invitaron a quedarse en palacio, donde lo pasaría muy bien; pero ... pidió sólo un cochecito y un par de zapatitos, para seguir corriendo el mundo ...

Le dieron zapatos y un manguito y ... vistieron primorosamente, y cuando se dispuso a partir, había en la puerta una carroza nueva de oro puro; los escudos del príncipe y de la princesa brillaban en ella como estrellas. El cochero, criados y postillones -pues no faltaban tampoco los postillones-, llevaban sendas coronas de oro. Los príncipes en persona ... ayudaron a subir al coche y ... desearon toda clase de venturas.

El interior del coche estaba acolchado con cosquillas de azúcar, y en el asiento había fruta y mazapán.

-¡Adiós, adiós! -gritaron el príncipe y la princesa; ... hasta que desapareció el coche, que relucía como el sol.

.............................................................................................................................................................

QUINTO EPISODIO
La pequeña bandolera

Avanzaban a través del bosque tenebroso, y la carroza relucía como una antorcha. Su brillo era tan intenso, que los ojos de los bandidos no podían resistirlo.

—¡Es oro, es oro! —gritaban, y, arremetiendo con furia, detuvieron los caballos, dieron muerte a los postillones, al cochero y a los criados ...

......................................................................................

SÉPTIMO EPISODIO

... de lo que luego sucedió.

Y ..., el bosque tenía yemas verdes, y de su espesor salió un soberbio caballo, que ... reconoció —era el que había tirado de la dorada carroza—, montado por una muchacha que llevaba la cabeza cubierta con un rojo y reluciente gorro, y pistolas al cinto. Era la hija de los bandidos, que harta de los suyos, se dirigía hacia el Norte, resuelta a encaminarse luego a otras regiones si aquélla no la convencía

... le preguntó por el príncipe y la princesa.

-Se fueron a otras tierras -dijo la muchacha.

ALTERNATE VERSION

Cuarta historia 
El príncipe y la princesa

En este reino en que nos encontramos, vive una princesa de lo más inteligente; tanto, que se ha leído todos los periódicos del mundo, y los ha vuelto a olvidar. Ya ves si es lista. Hace poco estaba sentada en el trono -lo cual no es muy divertido, según dicen-; el hecho es que se puso a canturriar una canción que decía así: «¿Y si me buscara un marido?». «Oye, eso merece ser meditado», pensó, y tomó la resolución de casarse. Pero quería un marido que supiera responder cuando ella le hablara; un marido que no se limitase a permanecer plantado y lucir su distinción; esto era muy aburrido. Convocó entonces a todas las damas de la Corte, y cuando ellas oyeron lo que la princesa deseaba, se pusieron muy contentas. «¡Esto me gusta! -exclamaron todas-; hace unos días que yo pensaba también en lo mismo». 

Los periódicos aparecieron enseguida con el monograma de la princesa dentro de una orla de corazones. Podía leerse en ellos que todo joven de buen parecer estaba autorizado a presentarse en palacio y hablar con la princesa; el que hablase con desenvoltura y sin sentirse intimidado, y desplegase la mayor elocuencia, sería elegido por la princesa como esposo. Acudió una multitud de hombres; había un gentío e idas y venidas pero nada salió de ello, ni el primer día ni el segundo. Todos hablaban bien mientras estaban en la calle; pero en cuanto franqueaban la puerta de palacio y veían los centinelas en uniforme plateado y los criados con librea de oro en las escaleras, y los grandes salones iluminados, perdían la cabeza. 

Y cuando se presentaban ante el trono ocupado por la princesa, no sabían hacer otra cosa que repetir la última palabra que ella dijera, y esto a la princesa no le interesaba ni pizca.

Era como si al llegar al salón del trono hubiesen quedado aletargados, no despertando hasta encontrarse nuevamente en la calle; entonces recobraban el uso de la palabra. Y había una enorme cola que llegaba desde el portal hasta el palacio. Y pasaban hambre y sed, pero en el palacio no se les servía ni un vaso de agua templada. Algunos, más listos, se habían traído bocadillos, pero no creas que los compartieran con el vecino. Pensaban: «Mejor que tenga cara de hambriento, así no lo querrá la princesa».

Pero, ¿Cuándo llegó? ¿Estaba entre la multitud? 

El tercer día se presentó un personajito, sin caballo ni coche, pero muy alegre. Sus ojos brillaban, tenía un cabello largo y hermoso, pero vestía pobremente. 

Llevaba un pequeño morral a la espalda.

El tal individuo, al llegar a la puerta de palacio y ver la guardia en uniforme de plata y a los criados de la escalera en librea dorada, no se turbó lo más mínimo, sino que, saludándoles con un gesto de la cabeza, dijo: «Debe ser pesado estarse en la escalera; yo prefiero entrar». 

Los salones eran un ascua de luz; los consejeros privados y las Excelencias andaban descalzos llevando fuentes de oro. Todo era solemne y majestuoso. Las botas del recién llegado crujían ruidosamente, pero él no se inquietó. 

¡Ya lo creo que crujían!, y nuestro hombre se presentó alegremente ante la princesa, la cual estaba sentada sobre una gran perla, del tamaño de un torno de hilar. Todas las damas de la Corte, con sus doncellas y las doncellas de las doncellas, y todos los caballeros con sus criados y los criados de los criados, que a su vez tenían asistente, estaban colocados en semicírculo; y cuanto más cerca de la puerta, más orgullosos parecían. Al asistente del criado del criado, que va siempre en zapatillas, uno casi no se atreve a mirarlo; tal es la altivez con que se está junto a la puerta.

¡Debe ser terrible! ¿Y? se casó con la princesa?

Parece que él habló bien. Era audaz y atractivo. No se había presentado para pedir en matrimonio, sino sólo para escuchar la sabiduría de la princesa. Y la princesa le gustó, y ella, por su parte, quedó muy satisfecha de él.

¡Oh, por favor, llévame al palacio!

... pues de una cosa estoy seguro: que jamás ... será autorizada a entrar en palacio por los procedimientos reglamentarios. 

...  saldrá enseguida ...  -Aguárdame en aquella reja -dijo ..., y, ... se alejó ....

Cuando regresó, anochecía ya.

...  y ahí va un panecillo que sacó de la cocina. Allí hay suficiente pan,  ... No es posible que entres en el palacio; ... los centinelas en uniforme de plata y los criados en librea de oro no te lo permitirán. 

Pero ..., de un modo u otro te introducirás. Mi novia conoce una escalerita trasera que conduce al dormitorio, y sabe dónde hacerse con las llaves. 

Y se fueron al jardín, a la gran avenida donde las hojas caían sin parar; y cuando en el palacio se hubieron apagado todas las luces una tras otra, ... condujo a ... a una puerta trasera que estaba entornada. 

Llegaron a la escalera, iluminada por una lamparilla colocada sobre un armario. En medio del suelo estaba ... Lo mejor es ir directamente por aquí, así no encontraremos a nadie. 

-Tengo la impresión de que alguien nos sigue - exclamó ...; en efecto, algo pasó con un silbido; eran como sombras que se deslizaban por la pared, caballos de flotantes melenas y delgadas patas, cazadores, caballeros y damas cabalgando. -Son sueños nada más. Vienen a buscar los pensamientos de Su Alteza para llevárselos de caza. Tanto mejor, así podrá usted contemplarla a sus anchas en la cama. Pero confío en que, si es usted elevada a una condición honorífica y distinguida, dará pruebas de ser agradecida. 

Llegaron al primer salón, tapizado de satén de color rosa, con hermosas flores artificiales en las paredes. Pasaban allí los sueños rumoreando, pero tan vertiginosos, que ... no pudo ver a los nobles personajes. Cada salón superaba al anterior en magnificencia; era para volverse perplejo. Al fin llegaron al dormitorio, cuyo techo parecía una gran palmera con hojas de cristal, pero cristal precioso; en el centro, de un grueso tallo de oro, colgaban dos camas, cada una semejante a un lirio. 

En la primera, blanca, dormía la princesa; en la otra, roja, ... Separó una de las hojas encarnadas y vio un cuello moreno. 

... -los sueños volvieron a pasar veloces por la habitación-, él se despertó, volvió la cabeza y...

El príncipe ..., pero era joven y guapo. La princesa, parpadeando por entre la blanca hoja de lirio, preguntó qué ocurría. 

¡Pobre ...! -exclamaron los príncipes; elogiaron a ... y dijeron que no estaban enfadados, aunque aquello no debía repetirse. Por lo demás, recibirían una recompensa. ¿Prefieren marcharse libremente -preguntó la princesa- o quedarse en palacio en calidad de ... de Corte, con derecho a todos los desperdicios de la cocina? ... se inclinaron respetuosamente y manifestaron que optaban por el empleo fijo, ... El príncipe se levantó de la cama y la cedió a ...; realmente no podía hacer más. ... juntó las manos, pensando: «¡Qué buenas son las personas ..., después de todo!».

Al día siguiente ... vistieron de seda y terciopelo de pies a cabeza. ... invitaron a quedarse en palacio, donde lo pasaría muy bien; pero ... pidió sólo un cochecito con un caballo y un par de botitas, para seguir corriendo el mundo ...

Le dieron zapatos y un manguito y la vistieron primorosamente, y cuando se dispuso a partir, había en la puerta una carroza nueva de oro puro; las armas del príncipe y de la princesa brillaban en ella como estrellas. El cochero, criados y postillones -pues no faltaban tampoco los postillones-, llevaban sendas coronas de oro. Los príncipes en persona la ayudaron a subir al coche y le desearon toda clase de venturas. El interior del coche estaba acolchado con rosquillas de azúcar, y en el asiento había fruta y panecillos de especias. -¡Adiós, adiós! -gritaron el príncipe y la princesa; ... Al cabo de unas millas ... hasta que desapareció el coche, que relucía como el sol. ......................................................................................................................................................... Quinta historia La pequeña bandolera Avanzaban a través del bosque tenebroso, y la carroza relucía como una antorcha. Su brillo era tan intenso, que los ojos de los bandidos no podían resistirlo. -¡Es oro, es oro! -gritaban, y, arremetiendo con furia, detuvieron los caballos, dieron muerte a los postillones, al cochero y a los criados ... ................................................................................................... Séptima historia ... de lo que luego sucedió  Y las primeras avecillas piaron, el bosque tenía yemas verdes, y de su espesor salió un soberbio caballo, que ... reconoció -era el que había tirado de la dorada carroza-, montado por una muchacha que llevaba la cabeza cubierta con un rojo y reluciente gorro, y pistolas al cinto. Era la hija de los bandidos, que harta de los suyos, se dirigía hacia el Norte, resuelta a encaminarse luego a otras regiones si aquélla no la convencía.  ..., le preguntó por el príncipe y la princesa. -Se fueron a otras tierras -dijo la bandolera.

ONE, TWO, BUCKLE MY SHOE

1, 2, buckle my shoe

3, 4, shut the door

5, 6, pick-up sticks

7, 8, lay them straight

9, 10, big fat hen

11, 12, dig and delve

13, 14, maids a-courting

15, 16, maids in the kitchen

17, 18, maids-in-waiting

19, 20, my plate's empty

THE PURPLE WEDDING

THIS POST IS DARK AND FULL OF SPOILERS

Remember our coverage of the royal wedding in Westeros?

Dejligste roser har stindeste torne,
skønneste blomster sin tærende gift,
under en rosenkind hjertet kan forne,
for dog at skæbnen er sælsom og skift!

Vackraste rosor på törnbusken glöder,

skönaste blommor har tärande gift,

kinden kan blomstra fast hjärtat det blöder,

ödet är sällsamt och ändrar sin skrift!

The critical moment

Did any one mourn Joffrey (not counting his royal mother!)?

The unexpected and sudden early death of Joffrey Baratheon-Lannister has excited more than one Westeros fan. And also awakened my own Christie vein. What did he consume? Who did it?
Should we blame the cupbearer, even though we love Tyrion for his sharp mind and good sense?

The downfall of this sociopathic ruler started when he washed his share of the wedding cake down

with a glass of Arbour Red wine laced with strychnine.

The raw material for the crystal he swallowed. Nux vomica.
The active principle was taken from these seeds.

A strychnine molecule

The real culprit was the grandmother of the bride, Olenna "Queen of Thorns" Tyrell (née Redwyne!): the elderly lady next to Joffrey in our latest screenshot of the Purple Wedding. The motive? To empower the Tyrell clan and weaken the Lannisters.

Now, let's sing the Rains of Castamere to finish this post!

And whoooo are yoooou... the proud lord said...

that I must bow so looooow...?

TSQ-IV RETELLING...

Historien om Prinsen og Prinsessen er et helt eventyr for sig selv. Hvad er temaet?

I det kongerige, du nu er kommet til,
har vi en prinsesse.

Hun er så klog —
altså, hun er så klog,
at hun har læst alle aviser i hele verden...

Og glemt dem igen. Så klog er hun.
Og en dag fandt hun på,
at hun ville giftes...

Og alle kunne komme og fri til hende,
og den der talte bedst, ham skulle det være.

Jo, jo!
Alle de friere der kom,
de talte så godt, imens de var ude på gaden,
men så snart de kom ind af slots porten og så garden i sølv, lakajerne i guld,
de store oplyste sale og prinsessen på tronen så gik de helt i stå
og vidste slet ikke hvad de skulle sige

Den tredje dag kom der en lille person, uden hest og vogn.
Ganske frejdig, marcherende lige op til slottet.
Hans øjne skinnede.
Han havde kastanjebrunt hår. Men ellers fattige klær´.

Han var slet ikke kommet for at fri
men kun for at høre prinsessens klogskab

Ja, prinsessen tog ham i hvert fald til mand.

......................................................................................................................................................
Det er drømmene.
De kommer og henter de høje herskabers tanker
og tager dem med på jagt...
Det er godt for dig, hvis herskaberne drømmer;
så kan du bedre komme til at se på dem.

Drømme? Det ligner skygger...
af heste og jægere...

Foret kommer ned og danner himmelseng.
Guld på de fire søjler rundt sengen. Tre lysekroner ned.

De gik gennem sale, den ene prægtigere end den anden.
Og de kom til en dør, og døren blev åbnet,
ind i et sovekammer, der skinnede af guld.
Og derinde lå prinsessen og hendes prins og sov.
....................................................................................................................................
Prinsen og prinsessen ser på hinanden — på Gerda — på hinanden igen —på Gerda igen. De holder op med at være vrede og bliver medlidende i stedet. De står ud af sengen og sætter sig på hver sin side af Gerda.

PRINSESSEN:
Nej, nej, nej – vent nu lidt, du lille
Kom her. Kom og fortæl os det alt sammen

NARREN:
Og Gerda fortalte dem det alt sammen,
og prinsen og prinsessen syntes,
det var meget synd for hende.
Narren ud som lakay, for at hente tøj til Gerda. Musik. Prinsen og prinsessen synger, på skift eller tostemmigt. Gerda synger med på sidste refræn.

PRINSESSEN:
Stakkels pige, hvor har du ledt —
og ikke et eneste spor har du set;
du mangler tøj, og bedre sko,
nu føler vi med dig, begge to.
I silke og fløjl skal du nu gå klædt
og køre af sted i en guldkaret.

PRINSEN:
Din rejse fører dig vidt omkring
ad bakker og dale og bugter og sving;
til vogns, der vinder man bedre frem,
så kommer man hurtigt ud og hjem.
I silke og fløjl skal du nu gå klædt
og køre af sted i en guldkaret.

PRINSEN OG PRINSESSEN:
Vi har forstået dit hjertes nød,
vi mærkede, hvad dine tårer betød,
tag mod den hjælp, vi kan yde dig,
og send os en tanke på din vej.
I silke og fløjl skal du nu gå klædt
og køre af sted i en guldkaret.

Under sangen forvandles himmelsengen til en guldkaret, og prinsessen klæder Gerda fint på i nyt tøj og støvler og muffe. Gerda kører af sted i kareten mens prinsen og prinsessen vinker farvel. Prinsen og prinsessen ud Lydside men heste der løber, en karet der kører på grus osv.
.............................................................................................................................................................

Johannes Möllehave:

der har været mange friere til prinsessen, men ingen har vundet hende, før der en dag kom en lille person uden hest eller vogn, marcherende lige op til slottet. Han havde dejligt langt hår og skinnende øjne (Hans Brix mener, at H.C. Andersen her får sine barnlige læsere til at tænke på soldaten i "Fyrtøjet"). han havde en ransel på ryggen,han havde en ransel på ryggen,

han havde en ransel på ryggen, hans støvler knirkede,

han var så klog, at prinsessen faldt for ham.

Prinsen og prinsessen hører hendes historie og vil gerne give hende en guldkaret, så hun kan drage ud i verden for at finde ham. Nu haster det mere end nogensinde. Hun får varme støvler og en muffe, hun kan stikke hænderne ind i. Der er kusk, tjenere og forridere. Prins og prinsesse vinker.

Til gen-gæld er Gerdas møde med Xenia Lach-Nielsen som den nygifte prinsesse og Jimmy Jørgensen som hendes tinsoldat af en prins, fantastisk forløst. Sammen med møblerne hænger de ned fra loftet, men forsikrer, at de skam er »ret nede på jorden«. Det er på mange måder en billedskøn forestilling med de mange tableauer, storheden i optrinene, men samtidig med en for helheden fatal mangel på substans.

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SKUESPIL AV MIA STEENSGAARD
Til gengæld er Gerdas møde med Xenia Lach-Nielsen som den nygifte prinsesse og Jimmy Jørgensen som hendes tinsoldat af en prins, fantastisk forløst. Sammen med møblerne hænger de ned fra loftet, men forsikrer, at de skam er »ret nede på jorden«. Det er på mange måder en billedskøn forestilling med de mange tableauer, storheden i optrinene, men samtidig med en for helheden fatal mangel på substans.

MORE ANALYSES OF TSQ-IV

Said princess decided she fancied a husband one day and extended the invitation to any eligible bachelors around. Any who could speak well and comfortably to her would be her husband, and the one who succeeded, a rugged chap with long hair...
...prince and princess waving a tearful goodbye.


Fjerde del af historien handler om Gerdas møde med en prins og en prinsesse. Delen er placeret midt i den samlede historie og begynder derfor "in medias res", hvor vi fra en trejdepersonsfortæller hører om Gerdas møde med en talende krage.
Fremstillingsformen er scenisk og tempoet stille og roligt. 
Kragen præsenterer sig selv og sin kæreste og fortæller, om hvordan landets prinsesse for nyligt er blevet gift med en fattig dreng. Gerda identificerer straks drengen som Kay og beslutter sig for at tage op til prinsessens slot. Da Gerda kommer ind i slottet ser hun et væld af kunstige blomster, der strækker sig ud over slottets vægge. Intet i slottet er altså ægte, alting er en kunstig skildring af naturen. Slottet er altså en komplet modsætning til blomsterhaven, som Gerda besøgte i tredje del.
I prinsessens sovekammer forestiller loftet en palme, der er lavet af glas. En ægte palme
symboliserer, ifølge den kristne tro, triumf og sejr, men da denne palme er kunstig, får Gerda kun
en "falsk" sejr ud af hendes besøg på slottet. Det er nemlig ikke den rigtige Kay hun finder, men
blot en dreng, der ligner ham. Derudover hjælper prinsen og prinsessen Gerda videre på sin vej
ved at klæde hende på i det fineste silke og give hende en fuldt bemandet karet af sølv og guld.
Denne hjælp kommer dog ikke Gerda til gode, da hun løber ind i en røverbande, der sandsynligvis
ikke havde haft nogen særlig interesse i hende, hvis hun ikke havde været klædt i silke og kørt i en karet af guld og sølv. Hjælpen er altså ligeså kunstig, som udsmykningen i slottet.

 ”Sneedronningens” fjerde og femte historie er det primære tema en klassisk romantisk diskussion om forskellene imellem den stive civilisation og så den uspolerede natur, hvor prinsen og prinsessens slot og røverpigens skov optræder som repræsentanter for hver deres karikerede udgave af modsætningerne.

  Efter sin flugt møder Gerda en krage, som sammen med sin forlovede fører hende til et slot, hvor hun fejlagtigt tror, at Kay opholder sig. Den nykronede prins på slottet synes nemlig også at være mere præget af fornuft end af følelser (”han var slet ikke kommen for at frie, bare alene kommen for at høre Prindsessens Klogskab” (s. 64)), og hun forveksler ham derfor med Kay, der jo også forsøgte at gøre indtryk på Snedronningen ved at fortælle hende, at han ”kunde Hoved-Regning, og det med Brøk” (s. 54-55).

  Men på slottets gange får Gerda det første fingerpeg om, hvad det egentlig er for et besynderligt sted, hun er kommet til, idet hun her møder de drømme og naturlige længsler og behov, som de kongelige har, men ikke får udlevet: ”Heste med flagrende Manker og tynde Been, Jægerdrenge, Herrer og Damer til Hest” (s. 65).

  Ægte natur er der da heller ikke meget af på slottet. Sovekamret er spækket med blomster, men i modsætning til hos den gamle troldkvinde, er de alle kunstige: ”Loftet herinde lignede en stor Palme med Blade af Glas, kostbart Glas, og midt paa Gulvet hang i en tyk Stilk af Guld to Senge, der hver saae ud som Lilier” (s. 66). Som i ”Nattergalen” er der tale om en kopi, en imitation, af den ægte natur. Ganske vist i ædle metaller, men ikke tilnærmelsesvis på højde med forbilledet.

  Det virker derfor også helt naturligt, at prinsen og prinsessen straks iværksætter de nødvendige foranstaltninger, så lignende episoder med – ellers ret romantiske – indbrud og natteroderier ikke gentager sig: De dresserer de vilde væsener, som har ført Gerda på afveje, og de gør det ved, som Ib Johansen udtrykker det i sin artikel En vinterrejse (2000), at belønne dem ”på ægte biedermeiervis”21: ”Ville I flyve frit?” spurgte Prindsessen, ”eller ville I have fast Ansættelse som Hofkrager med Alt, hvad der falder af i Kjøkkenet?” (II, s. 66).

  Og det går som planlagt. Kragerne kan ikke modstå det favorable tilbud og bliver så stopfodrede af deres køkkenjob, at de helt mister deres vitalitet.

  På samme måde skorter det heller ikke på forsøg på at tæmme Gerda: Hun bliver ”klædt op fra Top til Taa i Silke og Fløiel”, og får ”baade Støvler og Muffe; hun blev så nydeligt klædt paa, og da hun vilde af sted, holdt ved Døren en nye Karreet af puurt Guld”, ligesom at hendes vogn bliver ”foret med Sukkerkringler, og i Sædet vare Frugter og Pebernødder” (s. 66-67), så også hun kan forspise sig.              

  Men den livsførelse, som råder på slottet, er på trods af den nydelige overflade ikke brugbar for et (romantisk) søgende menneske som Gerda, idet den på smertefuld vis adskiller hende fra kragen, og dermed fra naturen i hende selv: ”lille Gerda græd, og Kragen græd; - saaledes gik de første Mile; da sagde ogsaa Kragen Farvel, og det var den tungeste Afsked” (s. 67).

  Modstykket, til det depraverede ønske om via mad og kostbarheder at passivisere individet, synes derfor at være den romantiske drøm om det ’ægte’ uciviliserede samfund, hvor snærende love og moralbegreber endnu ikke har vundet frem. 

  

  Men tilsvarende får man også oplysninger om, at prinsen og prinsessen ”ere reiste til fremmede Lande” (s. 76), og desuden har undertrykt de naturlige elementer så effektivt, at de er forsvundet eller simpelthen blevet ubrugelige.

  De har alle tre følt sig nødsaget til at foretage en (dannelses)rejse væk fra deres utilstrækkelige ophav, og Andersen tager dermed ikke umiddelbart parti for nogen af siderne. Forklaringen herpå skal, som med mange af historiens andre konflikter, nok findes i, at hverken konge- eller røverslottets beboere har haft en åndelig dimension at falde tilbage på.

  Prinsen og prinsessen, som ensidigt dyrkede fornuften og for hvem kærligheden var noget ganske tilfældigt (”da kommer hun til at nynne en Vise, det var netop den: ’Hvorfor skulde jeg ikke gifte mig!’ ”Hør, det er der Noget i”, siger hun, og saa vilde hun gifte sig” (s. 62)) er på det nærmeste sekulariserede. Det tætteste, de kommer på en tilknytning til det guddommelige, er, at de har en sal af ”rosenrødt Atlask med konstige Blomster op ad Væggen” (s. 65), og så at de forærer Gerda en karet af guld, som stråler ”som det klare Solskin” (s. 67). Den binding til (barne)troen, som måske kunne give det golde liv på slottet en smule mening, er ingen steder at finde.  

 Historien om Prinsen og Prinsessen er et helt eventyr for sig selv. Hvad er temaet?

Khac Ti Ang Thuyet, June 2014

Thesis on Andersen female characters (Excerpt)

...has supposedly married a clever and beautiful princess...

She (Gerta) is helped by the prince and princess, who give her a carriage and horse and a little pair of boots so that she might drive out again into the wide world...

the princess gives Gerda a pair of boots and a muff, a carriage and a horse, together with a coachman, footman and outrider, facilitating her journey;

...a clever princess who gave her (Gerta) a golden carriage and a horse.

These stories provide

all we need in the way of awesome images of very strong female characters, whether

good or evil: in the Fourth Story, the clever princess. They are very free in their

world. They are determined and strong-willed. They are able to make choices and

decide their own destinies. They can do what they like to make their own dreams

come true.

The princess is a supplementary character who only appears in one chapter of the

Snow Queen story, yet she is an admirable and inspirational female character. She is

clever and intellectual.

 In this kingdom where we are now, there lives a Princess who is 

very clever. She has read all the newspapers in the world and forgotten them 

again, so clever is she. One day she was sitting on her throne, which is not such 

an amusing thing to do either, they say. And she began humming a tune, which 

happened to be: “Why should I not be married?”[...]. And she made up her mind 

to marry, if she could find a husband who had an answer ready when a question 

was put to him, not one who could only stand there and look grand, for that is too 

stupid. 

 (Andersen, 1997, 226)

This is a refreshingly different way to introduce a character, and we find nothing so

witty, ironic, sophisticated in Grimms’ fairy tales' (18)

emphasis on a fairy-tale princess’ beauty rather than, as here, her intelligence and wit

– though in fact we do not know what this princess looks like. She decides on her own

that she wants to get married, and she then goes on to consider what kind of husband

she is looking for – one who is intelligent, “unabashed of royalty,” and who “feels at

home with her” (Andersen, 1997, 126). The man actually chosen by the princess is not

a prince but a wanderer, one with creaking boots and a knapsack on his back.

However, he is “a picture of good looks and gallantry, and then he had not come with

any idea of wooing the Princess, but simply to hear her wisdom, he admired her just

as much as she admired him” (Andersen, 1997, 129). He does not slay any dragon, but

he can match the princess’s intellect with his own rather than impressing her with

victories. Just as our looks may fade; our wealth and status might also be diminished:

only our intellect and wisdom can last. The princess is not only clever; she is generous

and sympathetic as well. She is willing to help Gerda with her new golden carriage.

At the end of the tale, the princess and her husband go away “to live in foreign

countries”. They are free, totally not bound by the traditional social roles.

(18) This would be true even if we only heard the author, or the Raven, or the princess speaking there, but in fact we hear all three in this complex passage that combines three narrative-discursive levels. 

Just like the princess, the robber girl is a very inspirational and admirable

female character. Her reward is her “complete freedom”.

ROSANA DA SILVA SANTOS, 2014

A história de uma princesa que queria casar-se e para conseguir tal feito os candidatos a noivo deveriam falar bem e agradar-lhe. A princesa gostou de um rapaz.

... agora com bons trajes, botas e uma carruagem que lhe foram presenteados pelo príncipe e pela princesa.

Na quarta história, sobre um príncipe e uma princesa, o ambiente é outro e o tempo passou. Já é inverno. No conto “A rainha da neve”, o espaço físico se altera à medida que a ação se desenvolve. O espaço, além de marcar, geograficamente, o local onde ocorre a ação, vincula-se ao espaço psicológico das protagonistas.

A história de uma princesa que queria casar-se com alguém que, além de boa aparência, soubesse responder quando ela lhe falasse, pois considerava-se muito inteligente.

O noivo escolhido para desposá-la.

No terceiro dia de apresentação dos pretendentes, surgiu um rapaz com a seguinte descrição: “[...] um sujeito miúdo, sem cavalo, nem carro, marchando, audacioso e confiante, até o palácio. Os olhos dele brilhavam. Tinha lindos cabelos compridos, mas vinha pobremente trajado” (HANSSEN, 1981, p. 281). Além disso, trazia às costas uma grande mochila e suas botinas rangiam.

Outro aspecto mencionado relacionava-se à inteligência do candidato.

No caminho para os aposentos reais, passam os sonhos dos nobres. O sonho é outro elemento importante na narrativa.

 Nos aposentos, Gerda encontra o príncipe e a princesa, cada qual em suas camas,

e conta-lhes sua história. O príncipe dá sua cama para a menina descansar. Ela tem seu segundo monólogo interior: “Como são bons os homens e animais!” (HANSSEN, 1981, p. 284).

No dia seguinte, o príncipe e a princesa presenteiam-na com vestido, sapatos e uma bela carruagem com cocheiros e criados.

dando início à quinta história. Esta história, quinta, é sobre a filhinha dos salteadores e inicia-se descrevendo uma estrada escura onde a carruagem brilha como ouro e chama a atenção de salteadores que

matam o cocheiro, os criados...

De trenó, eles partem para a floresta e encontram a filha dos salteadores, que lhes conta que o príncipe e a princesa viajaram para o estrangeiro.

 As personagens secundárias não saem de seu núcleo temático.

Morgens Paahus
Excerpt from H.C. Andersens livsfilosofi (The Life Philosophy of H.C. Andersen)
translated directly from the Danish by the mistress of this blog

A reality phase, where one learns independence and self-confidence and also learns to escape from the different decadence possibilities of this phase: one of which is calculating reason.

[...] - this is the second stage - to be independent and true to oneself. These skills are the ones described in the account of the little lively chap with "fine thick flowing hair, but whose clothes are shabby," who wins the princess, even though he, unlike all the others, has not come to woo the princess, but "only to hear her wise conversation," which he, thus, "liked very well." In this story, it is stressed that this skill to be oneself is something that is far from selfishness and calculations. All other suitors, except the little lively chap, are after all selfish and calculating, besides that they lose their speech (id est, lose their selves) when confused by all of the elegance that surrounds the princess.

Ashe, 20th of May 2015

The Snow Queen-Fourth Story-The Prince and the Princess

The nearby Princess decided that it was time for her to be wed. She wanted to marry a man who could actually talk to her and not lose his words when he came into her presence. There had been many men, but only one had not lost his words. All the other men forgot everything they were going to say and would only repeat the last two words the princess said.

 into the castle to have a look at the prince who would not be confounded with words. 

They would have to go upstairs to the room where the prince and princess slept. As they crept up the stairs shadows of men and horses sped past them upon the walls. These were dreams flying to their dreamers. They appeared as shadows upon the wall.

 the room where the prince and princess slept, but the prince

He awoke and so too did the princess. In the morning, they straightened things out. 

The prince and princess were very kind.

the prince and princess. They had gone traveling.

Themes

The princess wanted a man who would not be intimidated by her. This story was published in the 1800s. It’s not as if this story was from the 1500s or the 1600s. Women had more of a right in the world in the 1800s than they did way back when, but powerful women have always been admired. While powerful women have always been admired, they have not been admired as frequently as powerful men, and they were still looked down upon to a degree. Speaking of the same women, they can also intimidate men. Men can be a little scared of a woman who is smarter, more powerful, older, richer, or any other number of “ers” and “mores.”

Men have this idea in their heads, not all men, but usually men have an idea in their heads of how their lives are supposed to work. They have been told they’re the ones who are expected to be the provider, breadwinner, the protector, and many other labels. When they encounter a woman who challenges their idea of what they’re supposed to be, things can get a little odd. Maybe a man is struck dumb at the sight of a woman who is more powerful and has more money than he does. How many men have had the chance to meet their celebrity crushes, only to act completely stupid when they get the chance? Women do that too, by the way.

All these men that had come to see the princess were intimidated. They took one look at her and lost their places in the world. If the princess already had her own money and her own kingdom and her own army, what good were they? The prince who did come along, obviously wasn’t bothered by any of these things. He either was comfortable with the fact that maybe the princess had more or he was comfortable with being able to offer the Princess other things and considered his other offerings just as valuable to her. Because he had this attitude, he wasn’t intimidated by this princess.

This prince teaches us a valuable lesson. Maybe you don’t have all these awesome things about you. Maybe you’re not rich. Maybe you don’t have an army. Maybe you’re not skinny, or tall, or white, or you don’t have a nice booty, whatever the case may be that you feel you lack in, you have to consider that you may not actually be lacking. You have to have the attitude that what you do have to offer, and even your perceived faults, are things that are going to be valuable to people. You have to believe that you’re good enough, even if you can’t afford caviar.

Overall

The thought of shadow dreams running all around the house when we’re asleep is kind of weird.

Weigh In

Do you think the prince and princess ended up being happy together?

THREE NIGHTS TALES: HISTORY AND INTERPRETATION

The Singing, Skipping Skylark:

 (In this kind of tale the prince or the princess is in the beginning under a hostile power and the wish-fulfillment consists in the desire to avoid this influence in order to be united with the heroine of the story whom we have substituted in the wish-dream with the figure of the dreamer).

He awakes saddened; for he has fallen into the power of his fiendish stepmother, who has cast the spell upon him, and must probably marry her daughter. Then he gives advice, how help may yet come through his bewitched kinsmen, and disappeared.

She follows his advice, arrives at the right time at the impending marriage of her husband with the daughter of the sorceress, obtains for her magic jewels, which she wanted, permission to sleep alternate nights with the bridegroom. He was given a sleeping potion, however, each time by the witch bride. His neighbors called his attention to what was going on and he only feigned to drink this potion on the third evening, and at night, as he hears the moans and story of suffering of his true bride lying near him, his memory returns to him, he is delivered, and the witch's power is broken.

This tale, whose single motive in similar connection often recurs, shows us again, that the spell was cast on the hero by a hostile power, the reason being that he was to marry a rival of the heroine (i. e., in the dream of the dreamer) and was unwilling to do so. That compares well with the delusions of certain patients, that their loved one is misled by others and taken away from them. The sexual rivals in the fairy tales are usually sorcerers and witches, who at the conclusion, through the wish-fulfillment of the fairy-tale dream, are very severely punished.

We do quite the same at night in similar circumstances with our own rivals in dreams.

An acquaintance had it in mind to woo a maiden. In the house of his admired he met other young people one of whom he suspected might also have intentions. After an invitation he dreamt, among other things, that he killed his adversary, with whom in waking life he was pleasantly related socially. Finally he shoved him under the piano (he himself is a good piano player) so that only the head projected, namely in the spot where otherwise the pedals would be found. Now in playing he tread upon the head of the poor rival with his feet!

The sleeping potion (in other fairy tales it is a sleep-thorn) plays, in the same connection as here, an important role in fairy tales, rarely in other significance, that is without dependence upon a sexual wish-structure. The being neglected for another, a rival, is here symbolically indicated in this manner, bearing throughout a character of dream origin. Through some means the spell is finally broken and the prince again recognizes the spurned bride by his side. The matter is so brought about that he has no blame for his forgetting and deserting, but the strange, bad influences are at fault.

 Alle Gefahren des Weges überwindet die Königstochter. Wie sie zum Schlosse gelangt, wird gerade die Hochzeit gefeiert Am Abend setzt sich bei Mondschein die Prinzessin vor die Schlafkammer des Brautpaares und kämmt ihr Haar mit dem goldenen Kamme. Die Braut, die ihn gern besitzen will, bekommt ihn nur unter der Bedingung, dass die Fremde die Nacht beim Bräutigam verbringen darf. Die ganze Nacht hindurch fleht nun die Königstochter ihren Mann an, doch zu erwachen und sie wiederzuerkennen. Aber vergeblich. Die Braut hat ihm einen so starken Schlaftrunk gegeben, dass er nichts hört und sieht. Am folgenden Abend erhält sie von der Braut für ihren Halsschmuck die gleiche Erlaubnis. Am Morgen des dritten Tages macht der Vaterbruder des Bräutigams, der in der Kammer nebenan schläft, diesen darauf aufmerksam, dass etwas nicht in Ordnung sein müsse. Denn die ganze Nacht hindurch klage eine Frau an seinem Bette, er aber scheine wohl infolge eines Schlaftrunkes nichts davon zu wissen. Am Abend trinkt der Bräutigam nur scheinbar den ihm von der Braut kredenzten Trunk. Als die Königstochter für ihren Spiegel noch einmal bei ihm die Nacht verbringen darf und mit ihren Klagen und der Erzählung all' ihrer Leiden beginnt, kommt ihm nach und nach die Erinnerung an seine Gattin zurück, die er durch die Zauberkünste seiner Stiefmutter ganz vergessen hatte. 
Wie der Prinz es bejaht, werden die Stiefmutter und ihre Tochter auf einmal zu furchtbaren Riesinnen. Aber sechszehn Männer, die vorher versteckt waren, überwältigen sie schliesslich und töten sie. Nun hält der Königssohn mit seiner rechtmässigen Gattin eine fröhliche Hochzeit.

Bei Gonz. (I 42 S. 285 ff.) verschwindet Re porco, weil seine Frau unbedachtsamerweise sein Geheimnis verraten hat. Sieben Jahre, 7 Monate und 7 Tage muss sie nun wandern und muss sieben Paar eiserne Schuhe durchlaufen, ehe sie ihren Gatten erlösen kann. Vier alte Einsiedler geben ihr unterwegs guten Rat und schenken ihr auch verschiedene Kostbarkeiten. Für diese darf sie dreimal beim Gatten schlafen, der jedoch in den beiden ersten Nächten von der falschen Braut durch ein Schlafmittel betäubt wurde. Die Gefangenen, die unter der Kammer des Bräutigams sich aufhalten, machen diesen endlich auf die klagende Frau aufmerksam, so dass er in der dritten Nacht des Schlaftrunkes sich enthält.

"The Rolling Rumen":

When the queen was dead and her husband appeared inconsolable, there entered the royal halls a beautiful woman with a goblet full of wine. She let fall, unnoticed by him, a drop upon the lips of the king. Then he arouses from his brooding, drains the goblet, and forgets his dead spouse. He now marries the beautiful stranger, who naturally is a sorceress and as a bad stepmother bewitches his only daughter in his absence and changes her into an ox-maw (a cow's rumen), which in this fairy tale always has the role and attributes of a human being. The rumen is delivered by a prince whom she promises to marry. The mother of this prince suddenly sees, on the marriage night, instead of the maw a beautiful princess, takes quickly the put aside covering, that is the rumen, and burns it.

Der Vergessenheitstrank, den die Unholdin dem trauernden König reicht, ist ja schon aus der »Völsungasaga« bekannt. Er kommt in den isländischen Märchen noch einmal in der Geschichte von der »rechten Braut« vor, wo die Stiefmutter dem heimkehrenden Jüngling einen Zaubertrank gibt. Auch in dem Märchen von der »vergessenen Braut«, das sich bei vielen Völkern vorfindet und in dem meist durch einen Kuss das Vergessen bewirkt wird, wird in einer der isländischen Fassungen erzählt, dass der heimkehrende Königssohn aus einem Goldbecher Wasser getrunken und infolgedessen die Braut vergessen habe.

"Tristan and Isolde (Norse version)":

According to Rittershaus (p. 52) the drink of oblivion, which the sorceress gives to the sorrowing king, appears already in the Völsunga Saga; then further in the tale of "The True Bride" (Rittershaus, XXVII, p. 113). A royal pair had no children. When the king threatens to kill his wife if she has no child on his return from his voyage, she takes the part of one of his servants on his journey, without being recognized by him, and he takes her in his tent as the most beautiful of three wenches or camp followers. She returns home unrecognized; she bore a daughter, Isol, and died. (So Isol is by fate made an especially conspicuous being.) Isol found later on the seashore a small, very beautiful boy, in a box, named Tistram, rescues him and takes him to herself to espouse. And so Tistram is introduced as a wonder child.

The king marries a sorceress for his second wife. When he goes with Tistram on a journey she seeks to destroy the blonde Isol and to give her daughter, the dark Isota, to the returning Tistram to wife. When Tistram first inquires for his true bride the sorceress gives him a potion so that he quite forgets Isol and is willing to take Isota. Isol, whom the stepmother queen had sequestered away in a tower, comes to the court as a poor maiden, and in place of the dark Isota, who is secretly expecting a bastard child, is obliged to ride by Tistram's side in the wedding procession, disguised as his bride but is forbidden to speak to him. In order, however, to awake the old memories, she says, as they pass an old ruin:

Formerly thou hast shone upon the earth, Now thou hast become black with earth, O my house! and upon seeing a brook: "Here runs the brook Where Tistram and the fair Isold Pledged her love and faith. He gave me the jar, Gauntlets I gave to him, "Now can you remember well." The prince will not go to bed with Isota that night until she explains to him what these utterances signify that she has given expression to during the ride. As she knows nothing of them she is compelled to go and ask the disguised Isol, whereat the bride-groom discovers the plot, remembers Isol and takes her for his wife. Also in the fairy story of the "Forgotten Bride" that is met with in many peoples and in which usually a false kiss causes the forgetting. It is related in one of the Icelandic settings, that the prince, returning home, drank water (in spite of the warning of the bride!) from a golden goblet, and as a result forgot the bride. Der Vergessenheitstrank, den die Unholdin dem trauernden Königssohn auch hier reicht, ist ja schon aus der »Völsungasaga« bekannt. Er kommt in den isländischen Märchen vor, wo die Stiefmutter dem heimkehrenden Jüngling einen Zaubertrank gibt. Auch in dem Märchen von der »vergessenen Braut«, das sich bei vielen Völkern vorfindet und in dem meist durch einen Kuss das Vergessen bewirkt wird, wird in einer der isländischen Fassungen erzählt, dass der heimkehrende Königssohn aus einem Goldbecher Wasser getrunken und infolgedessen die Braut vergessen habe. Die mündliche Überlieferung ist aber leicht etwas lückenhaft und lässt gern einzelne weniger wichtig scheinende Züge aus, wodurch dann später einige Episoden in der Erzählung unmotiviert oder unklar werden. So ist es hier mit mit dem Niederbrennen des Frauenhauses, um den vorgeblichen Tod der Braut und ihrer Dienerinnen zu motivieren, dann mit dem Vergessenheitstrank, so dass der Bräutigam die Tochter der Stiefmutter heiratet, und schliesslich dann die mit der Befreiung der Prinzessin und ihrem unerkannten Auftreten am Königshofe, wo sie die Hochzeitskleider zu nähen bekommt. Die Parallele zu unserm isländischen Märchen findet sich bei Grimm, resp. Müllenhoff, in der Erzählung von der »Jungfrau Maleen« (V S. 391 ff.). Grimm nennt es zwar in seiner Anmerkung (III S. 262) ein durch Gehalt und Vollständigkeit ausgezeichnetes Märchen, ich möchte jedoch der isländischen Überlieferung, wenn man alle drei Varianten berücksichtigt, als der vollständigeren Erzählung den Vorzug geben. Im deutschen Märchen wird das Reich zerstört, ohne dass der Bräutigam der Jungfrau Maleen sich um das Schicksal seiner Braut bekümmert hätte. Er nimmt einfach an, sie sei noch im Turme oder sei schon tot, und willigt ein, sich zu verheiraten. Diese Gleichgültigkeit des Bräutigams wird im Isländischen viel besser motiviert. Dort ist die Jungfrau angeblich in ihrem Turme verbrannt, und durch den Vergessenheitstrank denkt der Prinz nicht mehr an seinen Verlust.  Die durch diese Verse langsam wiederkehrende Erinnerung und die Erkennung der rechten Braut lässt sich im Deutschen ebenso wie im Isländischen nur dadurch erklären, dass dem Bräutigam durch einen Vergessenheitstrank (oder durch einen Kuss) die Erinnerung an seine Braut abhanden kam. Diesen Trank muss er dann aber von einer Persönlichkeit bekommen haben, die seine Heirat mit der Jungfrau Maleen verhindern und mit der falschen Braut befördern wollte. Es fehlt aber die Einführung dieser Figur und die Erzählung, in welchem Verhältnis die falsche Braut zur Jungfrau Maleen steht, vollständig im deutschen Märchen. ––––  In "The True Bride" (Rittershaus) we have a wish-structure of a sexual nature from the standpoint of Isol. Here the forgetting of the bride is brought about by the sorceress, and the overcoming of the difficulty and the wish-fulfillment lies in this, that Isol is able to bring his memory back, similarly as the heroine in the "Forgotten Bride," through other means. Isol, for example, finds the beautiful boy Tistram on the shore and rescues him in order later to espouse him. In this way is indicated the association in youth of the love and play of children as is especially brought out in other similar tales and as has been expressed prominently in Jensen's "Gradiva" in his psychological works. Jensen's Norbert Hanolt flies from the enchanted territory of love into the regions of archeological science; for him this signifies about the same as the magic potion of oblivion does for the fairy prince Tristram, although it is not apparently presented by an unfriendly rival. Jensen has nothing at all to say about it. The bas-relief of Gradiva, the peripatetic studies and the adventures in Pompeii in Jensen's novel are represented in the fairy tale of Isol by the expedition on horseback during which she endeavors to reawaken the forgotten memories of Tistram. The fairy tale pictures most beautifully the resistance which Tistram opposes to the memory. It is indicated in the materialistic, figurative speech of the fairy tale by forbidding Isol to speak directly with Tistram so that she recites these verses to herself. The bas-relief of Gradiva and these sayings signify the same thing, or the remark of Gradiva: "To me it seems as though we had eaten our bread together once like this two thousand years ago." Precisely through the false bride, who removes him from his true love, he is made to find the right one, Isol, a psychological moment, which Freud in the work mentioned demonstrates so plastically. This comparison naturally has significance for the other fairy tales which show the motive of forgetting. In the language of fairy tales the love potion expresses precisely the indifference for everything in the world except the object of love. For the rest during this time, there is no recollection. This constellation can disappear just as quickly. That the fairy tale thus fully recognizes and naïvely expresses the toxic nature of the state of being in love is certainly noteworthy. After this discussion of the significance of the forgetting symbolism in fairy tales and the overcoming of the rival in the sexual wish-structure of fairy tales... The Forgotten Bride/Grethari and Geirlauga: Wie sie sich erholt hat, wünscht sie sich, dass sie mit Græðari an die Umzäunung gekommen sei, die das Königsschloss von Græðaris Vater umschliesst. Kaum gesagt, sind sie auch schon dort. Græðari soll auf den Rat seiner Pflegeschwester sein Wickelband umbinden und dann in den Königspalast gehen. Aber er dürfe unter keiner Bedingung, so sehr es ihn auch dürste, irgend etwas trinken, ehe er mit seinem Vater gesprochen habe. Darauf trennen sich die beiden unter heissen Liebesversicherungen. Wie Græðari seines Weges zieht, quält ihn furchtbarer Durst. Er sieht auf einem Silberfasse einen mit Wasser gefüllten Goldbecher stehen, und seines Versprechens uneingedenk trinkt er aus ihm. Im gleichen Augenblicke hat er Geirlaug und seine ganze Vergangenheit vergessen. – Im Schlosse erkennt man in ihm den einst geraubten Königssohn, und nun lebt er bei den Eltern in Freuden und Herrlichkeit. – – – – Wie nach drei Stunden ihr Pflegebruder nicht zu ihr zurückkehrt, ersieht Geirlaug daraus, dass er ihr Gebot übertreten und sie vergessen hat. Sie geht nun zu einem reichen Bauern, der mit seinen beiden Töchtern in der Nähe des Schlosses wohnt, und bittet hier unter dem Namen Lauphöfða um Aufnahme. Bald verbreitet sich im Königreiche die Nachricht, dass eine unbekannte Frau zu dem Bauern gekommen sei. Diese habe die Töchter des Bauern in kurzer Zeit so trefflich unterrichtet, dass man weit und breit ihresgleichen nicht finden könne. Græðari hört auch dieses Gerücht. Er fasst mit seinen beiden besten Freunden, die ihm überallhin folgen, den Plan, an drei Abenden hintereinander die beiden Bauerntöchter und Lauphöfða aufzusuchen. Die Freunde sollen zu den Bauernmädchen gehen, während er für sich die fremde Frau wählt. Geirlaug weiss diesen Plan schon im voraus und gibt dementsprechend den Bauerntöchtern ihre Weisungen. Wie der erste Gast kommt und die Nacht mit einem der Mädchen verbringen will, hat dieses nichts dagegen. Schon liegt er im Bette, da fällt ihr auf einmal beim Auskleiden ein, dass sie vergessen habe, das Kalb der Lauphöfða festzubinden. Der Gast bietet sich an, das für sie zu tun. Leicht bekleidet geht er hinaus. Aber sowie er das Kalb anfasst, kann er sich von ihm nicht mehr lösen und wird nun die ganze Nacht von dem Tiere herumgejagt, so dass er am Morgen halbtot vor Müdigkeit und Kälte heimkehrt. Von diesem Erlebnis sagt er seinen Freunden nichts, und so ergeht es diesen nicht besser. – – – – Nach einiger Zeit soll Græðari auf den Rat seines Vaters um die Tochter eines benachbarten Königs freien. Wie er mit der Braut landet, soll das junge Paar mit dem Wagen zum Schlosse gefahren werden. Doch die Pferde sind nicht von der Stelle zu bringen. Auf den Vorschlag seiner beiden Freunde lässt Græðari die Lauphöfða um ihren jungen Stier als Vorspann bitten. Diese will ihn auch leihen, wenn sie dafür am Hochzeitstage auf einer Bank hinter dem Brautpaare sitzen dürfe. Sowie nun der Stier vor den Wagen gespannt wird, läuft er so schnell, dass das Gefährt fast zu zerbrechen droht, und die Braut für ihr Leben fürchtet. ––– Am Hochzeitstage erscheint Geirlaug mit den Bauerntöchtern und setzt sich hinter das Brautpaar. Sie hat über ein prächtiges rotes Seidenkleid ein Gewand von Birkenrinde gezogen, und einen Korb trägt sie am Arme. Wie die Fröhlichkeit am höchsten ist, nimmt sie aus ihm einen Hahn und eine Henne. Der Hahn reisst der Henne alle Federn aus, bis nur der rechte Flügel übrig ist. Da sagt die Henne zu ihm mit lauter Stimme: »Willst du auch mit mir so verfahren, wie Græðari, der Sohn des Græðari, mit der Königstochter Geirlaug verfuhr?« Wie der Königssohn das hört, wird er traurig, denn nun kehrt ihm die Erinnerung an seine Pflegeschwester und Braut zurück. Geirlaug reicht ihm als Erkennungszeichen einen Ring, dann wirft sie ihr Rindengewand ab und steht im Festkleide vor ihm. Græðari und Geirlaug heiraten einander, und die beiden Freunde die beiden Bauerntöchter. Die Tochter des Nachbarkönigs erhält aber zur Entschädigung ein halbes Königreich. 'Let us go back to your father's kingdom,' she said to Grethari Gretharisson, when they had both resumed their proper shapes, and were sitting on a high cliff above the sea. The magical girl's wicked stepmother, ruthless and sorcerous as most stepmothers were in those days, had been defeated by Geirlaug's own more powerful magic, and she and her foster brother could at least breathe in peace. 'How clever you are ! I never should have thought of that !' answered Grethari, who, in truth, was not clever at all. But Geirlaug took a small box of white powder from her dress, and sprinkled some over him and some over herself, and, quicker than lightning, they found themselves in the palace grounds, in the royal gardens from which Grethari had been carried off in his cradle by the stepmother's pet dragon so many years before. 'Now take up the linen band with your name in golden letters and bind it about your forehead,' said Geirlaug, 'and go boldly up to the castle. And, remember, however great may be your thirst, you must drink nothing till you have first spoken to your father. If you do, ill will befall us both.' 'Why should I be thirsty?' replied Grethari, staring at her in astonishment. 'It will not take me five minutes to reach the castle gate.' Geirlaug held her peace, but her eyes had in them a sad look. 'Good-bye,' she said at last, and she turned and kissed him. Grethari had spoken truly when he declared that he could easily get to the castle in five minutes. At least, no one would have dreamed that it could possibly take any longer. Yet, to his surprise, the door which stood so widely open that he could see the colour of the hangings within never appeared to grow any nearer, while each moment the sun burned more hotly, and his tongue was parched with thirst. 'I don't understand! What can be the matter with me -- and why haven't I reached the castle long ago?' he murmured to himself, as his knees began to knock under him with fatigue, and his head to swim. For a few more paces he staggered on blindly, when, suddenly, the sound of rushing water smote upon his ears; and in a little wood that bordered the path he beheld a stream falling over a rock. At this sight his promise to Geirlaug was forgotten. Fighting his way through the brambles that tore his clothes, he cast himself down beside the fountain, and seizing the golden cup that hung from a tree, he drank a deep draught. When he rose up the remembrance of Geirlaug and of his past life had vanished, and, instead, something stirred dimly within him at the vision of the white-haired man and woman who stood in the open door with outstretched hands. 'Grethari! Grethari! So you have come home at last,' cried they. 'To think you were just a baby when that hideous dragon swooped down on our picnic... what a comely stripling you have become,' the Queen was drying up her tears. For three hours Geirlaug waited in the spot where Grethari had left her, and then she began to understand what had happened. Her heart was heavy, but she soon made up her mind what to do, and pushing her way out of the wood, she skirted the high wall that enclosed the royal park and gardens, till she reached a small woodland house where the forester lived with his wife and their two daughters. 'Do you want a maid to sweep, and to milk the cows?' asked she, when the forester's wife answered her knock. 'Yes, we do, very badly; and as you look strong and clean, we will take you for a servant if you like to come,' replied the young woman. 'But, first, what is your name ?' 'Laufertha,' said Geirlaug quickly, for she did not wish anyone to know who she was; and following her new mistress into the house, she begged to be taught her work without delay. And so clever was she, that, by-and-by, it began to be noised abroad that the strange girl who had come to live in the forester's house had not her equal in the whole kingdom for skill as well as beauty. Thus years slipped away, during which Geirlaug grew to be a woman. Now and then she caught glimpses of Grethari as he rode out to hunt in the forest, but when she saw him coming she hid herself behind the great trees, for her heart was still sore at his forgetfulness. One day, however, when she was gathering herbs, he came upon her suddenly, before she had time to escape, though as she had stained her face and hands brown (partly by the soil, partly by the sunburn), and covered her beautiful hair with a scarlet cap, he did not guess her to be his foster-sister. 'What is your name, pretty maiden?' asked he. 'Laufertha,' answered the girl, with a low curtsy. 'Ah ! it is you, then, of whom I have heard so much,' said he; 'you are too beautiful to spend your life serving the forester's daughters. Come with me to the palace, and my mother the queen will make you one of her ladies in waiting.' 'Truly, that would be a great fortune,' replied the maiden. 'And, if you really mean it, I will go with you. But how shall I know that you are not jesting ?' 'Give me something to do for you, and I will do it, whatever it is,' cried the young man eagerly. And she cast down her eyes, and answered: 'Go to the stable, and bind the calf that is there so that it shall not break loose in the night and wander away, for the forester and his wife and daughters have treated me well, and I would not leave them with aught of my work still undone.' So Grethari set out for the stable where the calf stood, and wound the rope about its horns. But when he had made it fast to the wall, he found that a coil of the rope had twisted itself round his wrist, and, pull as he might, he could not get free. All night he wriggled and struggled till he was half dead with fatigue. But when the sun rose the rope suddenly fell away from him, and, very angry with the maiden, he dragged himself back to the palace. 'She is a witch,' he muttered crossly to himself, 'and I will have no more to do with her.' And be flung himself on his bed and slept all day. Not long after this adventure the king and queen sent their beloved son on an embassy to a neighbouring country to seek a bride from amongst the seven princesses. The most beautiful of all was, of course, the one chosen, Aslaug, the fourth and middle child; and the young pair took ship without delay for the kingdom of the prince's parents. The wind was fair and the vessel so swift, that in less time than could have been expected the harbour nearest the castle was reached. A splendid carriage had been left in readiness close to the beach, but no horses were to be found, for every one bad been carried off to take part in a great military review which the king was to hold that day in honour of his son's marriage. 'I can't stay here all day,' said Aslaug crossly, when Grethari told her of the plight they were in. 'I am perfectly worn out as it is, and you will have to find something to draw the carriage, if it is only a donkey. If you don't, I will sail back straight to my father.' Poor Grethari was much troubled by the words of his fiancée. Not that he felt so very much in love with her, for during the voyage she had shown him several times how vain and bad tempered she was; but as a prince and a bridegroom, he could not, of course, bear to think that any slight had been put upon her. So he hastily bade his attendants to go in search of some draft beast, no matter which species, and bring it at once to the place at which they were waiting. During the long pause the princess sat in the beautiful golden coach, her blue velvet mantle powdered with silver bees drawn closely round her, so that not even the tip of her nose could be seen and marred by the sunlight. At length a girl appeared driving a young ox in front of her, followed by one of the prince's messengers, who was talking eagerly. 'Will you lend me your ox, fair maiden ?' asked Grethari, jumping up and going to meet them. 'You shall fix your own price, and it shall be paid ungrudgingly, for never before was king's son in such a plight.' 'My price is seats for me and my two friends behind you and your bride at the wedding feast,' answered she. And to this Grethari joyfully consented. Six horses would not have drawn the coach at the speed of this one ox. Trees and fields flew by so fast that the bride became quite giddy, and expected, besides, that they would be upset every moment. But, in spite of her fears, nothing happened, and they drew up in safety at the door of the palace, to the great surprise of the king and queen. The marriage preparations were hurried on, and by the end of the week everything was ready. It was, perhaps, fortunate that the princess bride was too busy with her clothes and her jewels during this period to pay much heed to Grethari, so that by the time the wedding day came round he had almost forgotten how cross and rude and fussy she had been on the journey. The oldest men and women in the town agreed that nothing so splendid had ever been seen as the bridal procession to the great ball, where the banquet was to be held, before the ceremony was celebrated in the palace. Princess Aslaug was in high good humour, feeling that all eyes were upon her, and bowed and smiled right and left. Taking the prince's hand, she sailed proudly down the room, where the guests were already assembled, to her place at the head of the table by the side of the bridegroom. As she did so, three strange ladies in shining dresses of blue, green, and red, glided in and seated themselves on a vacant bench immediately behind the young couple. The red lady was Geilaug, who had brought with her the forester's daughters, and in one hand she held a wand of birch bark, and in the other a closed basket. Silently they sat as the feast proceeded; hardly anyone noticed their presence, or, if they did, supposed them to be attendants of their future queen. Suddenly, when the merriment was at its height, Geirlaug opened the basket, and out flew a bantam cockerel and hen. To the astonishment of everyone, the chickens circled about in front of the royal pair, the rooster plucking the feathers out of the tail of the hen, who tried in vain to escape from him. 'Will you treat me as badly as Grethari treated Geirlaug?' cried the hen at last. And Grethari heard, and started up wildly. In an instant all the past rushed back to him; the princess by his side was forgotten, and he only saw the face of the child with whom he had played long years ago. 'Where is Geirlaug?' he exclaimed, looking round the hall; and his eyes fell upon the strange lady. With a smile she held out a ring which he had given her on her twelfth birthday, when they were still children, without a thought of the future. 'You and none other shall be my wife,' he said, taking her hand, and leading her into the middle of the company. It is not easy to describe the scene that followed. Of course, nobody understood what had occurred, and the king and queen imagined that their son had suddenly gone mad. As for the princess bride, her rage and fury were beyond belief. The guests left the hall as quickly as they could, so that the royal family might arrange their own affairs, and in the end it was settled that half the kingdom must be given to the despised Aslaug, instead of a husband. She sailed back at once to her country, where she was soon betrothed to a young noble of her parents' court, whom, in reality, she liked much better than Grethari. After all, she had had a reason to be that fussy throughout her betrothal! That evening Grethari was married to Geirlaug, and they lived happily till they died, and made all their people happy also.