This week I decided to read some of the Grimm Brothers stories, and took notes over a story that seems to be a twist on Cinderella: the first part of Allerleirauh, from Margaret Hunt’s translation of the Household Tales by the Brothers Grimm.
Reading Notes
- A king had a beautiful wife with golden hair, and it was said that her equal couldn’t be found on Earth.
- However, the queen became ill, and just before she died she made her husband promise that he wouldn’t marry again unless he found someone who was as beautiful as her and with the same golden hair.
- He grieved for some time, but eventually was told that he must take a wife again so there would be a queen.
- Now the king and queen had a daughter, who when she was grown looked exactly like her late mother.
- The king realized this one day, and decided he would marry his daughter, horrifying everyone.
- Trying to put off her father, the daughter demanded that he have three dresses made for her: one as golden as the sun, one as silvery as the moon, and one as bright as the stars.
- She also demanded a mantle made from the skin and hair of a thousand animals, and that one of each of the animals in the kingdom had to contribute toward it.
- However, the king ordered all the dresses and the mantle made, and though it took a long time, it was done.
- He presented everything to his daughter and told her the wedding would be held the next day.
- That night, though, his daughter took three of her treasures: a little golden spinning wheel, a golden ring, and a golden reel.
- She also packed up the dresses and put on the mantle, darkening her face and hands with soot.
- She walked away from the castle and continued walking until she found a great forest, and found a tree in which to rest.
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