The Imp Prince
Encyclopedia
The Imp Prince is a French fairy tale
written by Marie Catherine d'Aulnoy
and published in her book Fairy Tales (Les Contes des Fees) in 1697.
The word used, Lutin
, in French can have several translations and meanings, in this case and implies: A lutin was like an imp
or hobgoblin
in the mythology of Normandy
, similar to house-spirits of Germany and Scandinavia. Notably, the story gives a description of the Lutin:
There was once a king and queen who had a malformed son named Furibon. He was as large as the largest man and small as smallest dwarf, he had an ugly face, deformed body and mean spirit, but the queen was insane and thought Furibon was the most beautiful child in the world. Furibon's governor was a rival prince, who had claims to the throne. This governor (a rival prince) brought with him his own son named prince Léandre.
Léandre was very well liked in court, the ladies loved him, thought him very handsome, and called him the "beautiful indifferent one" (translated). Furibon was hated. Foribon insulted people and reported their secret faults to the King and Queen.
One day, ambassadors came from afar and seeing Léandre with Furibon together, they bowed to Léandre thinking he was the prince, and thinking Furibon was just a dwarf. They teased Furibon and laughed at him. After that, when no one was looking, Furibon angrily took Léandre by the hair and tore out three handfuls. Thus Léandre's father sent Léandre to live in a castle in the countryside, to be safely far away from Foribon. In the countryside, Léandre was free to hunt, fish, walk, paint, read and play musical instruments. Léandre was happy but lonely. While living alone in the country, Léandre almost killed a grass snake
, but then braught it home and gave it a room and braught it milk, flowers and food, out of kindness.
One day Foribon came into the woods with assassins to hunt Léandre down and kill him. This convinced Léandre that he must travel the world and away from the kingdom.
Before leaving, Léandre visited the room of the grass snake and found out that it had turned into a beautiful jewel-studded fairy
named Gentille. She said she took the form of a grass snake for 8 days every 100 years and could have been killed. Gentille was indebted to Léandre for protecting her life when she was a grass snake and offered him all sorts of rewards: riches, a long life, a kingdom with houses full of gold, the life of an excellent orator, poet, musician, or painter. Finally she suggested he become an "air, water and terrestrial lutin." Gentille described the benefits of being a lutin (imp): "You are invisible when you like it; you cross in one moment the vast space of the universe; you rise without having wings; you go through the ground without dying; you penetrate the abysses of the sea without drowning; you enter everywhere, though the windows and the doors are closed; and, when you decide to, you can let yourself be seen in your natural form."
Léandre agreed to be a lutin (imp). So Gentille said "Be Imp" and passed her hands three times over his eyes and face. Then she gave him a small red hat, trimmed with two parrot feathers, that would make him invisible when he wore it.
As an imp, Léandre began to travel. First Léandre took revenge on Foribon and the queen, by sneaking invisible into their palace where he nailed Foribond's ear to a door, beat them a 1000 times with a rod used on the king's dogs, and tore up all the fruit and flowers in the queen's garden.
Léandre then traveled far away. In one kingdom, he fell in love with a maid of honor named Blondine, but learned by putting a magic pink rose on her throat, that she was in love with a hateful musician, so left her kingdom and was sad a long time.
In three separate adventures, Léandre came to the invisible aid of young maidens by cursing and battling with people that were going to harm them: He saved the first maiden from being married to an old man, another from being sacrificed in a temple by her family, and the third a young girl named Abricotine (which translates to "Apricot-plum"), who he found enslaved in the forest by four robbers.
After rescuing Abricotine, Léandre learned she was a fairy who lived on a secluded island that was only for females. An old fairy mother had created this island and retreated from the world because she had been hurt in a love affair and so drove out all the male guards and the officers and replaced them with women from the Amazon race
instead. She named this place the Island of Quiet Pleasures. Abricontine served the daughter princess who had inherited the Island. Léandre asked to see the island, but Abricotine could not allow a man inside. So he went invisibly by himself and saw a palace made of pure gold; crystal figures and precious stones, and “all the wonders of nature, sciences and arts, the elements, the sea and fish, the ground and the animals, hunting of Diane
with her nymphs, (and) the noble exercises of the Amazons."
The fairy princess had lived here in seclusion for 600 years, but looked like a young girl of incomparable beauty to him. Léandre pretended to be the voice of the parrots in her house, and told her about a man had saved Abricotine's life, and tried to convince her to give this man (himself) a chance to meet her. The princess appeared interested but suspicious. He stayed invisible a long time in her palace, and listened to her conversations, ate invisibly beside her at her table every night, spoke as the parrot sometimes, and slowly convinced her that she might be able to trust a man. He brought her monkeys and fine clothes from around the world when she mentioned them. The fairy princess could not decide if the invisible presence was good or evil. One day Léandre painted and put a portrait of himself out. She liked it very much, but was afraid it was done by a demon
. Léandre finally wrote her a love note:
At the same time, Foribond wanted the same princess, and planned to attack the Island of Quiet Pleasures with an army 1400 men in order to break in and take her. Léandre dressed himself as an Amazon woman in disguise, and went out to buy off Foribond, giving Foribond rooms full of gold if he left without attacking the island. Foribond planned to take the gold, then kill the Amazon and attack the palace anyway but Léandre put on his hat, and then killed and beheaded Foribond. Foribond's army was so happy that the evil Foribond had been killed. Léandre became their new and rightful king, and he spread all the gold among them. Léandre took Foribond's head into the palace to show the fairies they were safe.
Much tired, Léandre went back into the palace and fell asleep as if dead, not wearing his invisibility hat. The princess saw him sleeping, and most of her fears were resolved. Her mother the "old hag" (as translated) who had secluded the island for 600 years was angry with his appearance and against their marriage. Léandre's friend Gentille came to his aid and convinced the old fairy to trust Léandre. The marriage festivals were very joyful.
The storyteller would have known of legends of the Amazons
as an ancient nation of female warriors, in this story protecting an all-female society. The mention of Diana
on her hunt alludes to the mythology of the Ancient Roman
Goddess Diana, huntress goddess, associated with wild animals and woodlands. In this story she lives with the women on the independent island, they pursue art and science.
The period of 600 years of seclusion may have significance as a period in history.
French folklore
French folklore encompasses the fables, folklore and fairy tales and legends of the Gauls, Franks, Normans, Bretons, Occitans, and other peoples living in France.-Folklore from the Middle Ages:...
written by Marie Catherine d'Aulnoy
Madame d'Aulnoy
Marie-Catherine Le Jumel de Barneville, Baroness d'Aulnoy , also known as Countess d'Aulnoy, was a French writer known for her fairy tales...
and published in her book Fairy Tales (Les Contes des Fees) in 1697.
The word used, Lutin
Lutin
A lutin is a type of hobgoblin in French folklore and fairy tales. Female lutins are called lutines.A lutin plays a similar role in the folklore of Normandy to house-spirits in England, Germany and Scandinavia...
, in French can have several translations and meanings, in this case and implies: A lutin was like an imp
Imp
An imp is a mythological being similar to a fairy or demon, frequently described in folklore and superstition. The word may perhaps derive from the term ympe, used to denote a young grafted tree.-Folklore:...
or hobgoblin
Hobgoblin
Hobgoblin is a term typically applied in folktales to describe a friendly but troublesome creature of the Seelie Court.The most commonly known hobgoblin is the character Puck in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Puck, however, is only another name given to a much older character named Robin...
in the mythology of Normandy
Normandy
Normandy is a geographical region corresponding to the former Duchy of Normandy. It is in France.The continental territory covers 30,627 km² and forms the preponderant part of Normandy and roughly 5% of the territory of France. It is divided for administrative purposes into two régions:...
, similar to house-spirits of Germany and Scandinavia. Notably, the story gives a description of the Lutin:
Synopsis
The story is about the life of Léandre, a handsome prince who was a human but turned into a lutin (imp) after the ruling prince forced his retreat from court into the countryside.There was once a king and queen who had a malformed son named Furibon. He was as large as the largest man and small as smallest dwarf, he had an ugly face, deformed body and mean spirit, but the queen was insane and thought Furibon was the most beautiful child in the world. Furibon's governor was a rival prince, who had claims to the throne. This governor (a rival prince) brought with him his own son named prince Léandre.
Léandre was very well liked in court, the ladies loved him, thought him very handsome, and called him the "beautiful indifferent one" (translated). Furibon was hated. Foribon insulted people and reported their secret faults to the King and Queen.
One day, ambassadors came from afar and seeing Léandre with Furibon together, they bowed to Léandre thinking he was the prince, and thinking Furibon was just a dwarf. They teased Furibon and laughed at him. After that, when no one was looking, Furibon angrily took Léandre by the hair and tore out three handfuls. Thus Léandre's father sent Léandre to live in a castle in the countryside, to be safely far away from Foribon. In the countryside, Léandre was free to hunt, fish, walk, paint, read and play musical instruments. Léandre was happy but lonely. While living alone in the country, Léandre almost killed a grass snake
Grass Snake
The grass snake , sometimes called the ringed snake or water snake is a European non-venomous snake. It is often found near water and feeds almost exclusively on amphibians.-Etymology:...
, but then braught it home and gave it a room and braught it milk, flowers and food, out of kindness.
One day Foribon came into the woods with assassins to hunt Léandre down and kill him. This convinced Léandre that he must travel the world and away from the kingdom.
Before leaving, Léandre visited the room of the grass snake and found out that it had turned into a beautiful jewel-studded fairy
Fairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
named Gentille. She said she took the form of a grass snake for 8 days every 100 years and could have been killed. Gentille was indebted to Léandre for protecting her life when she was a grass snake and offered him all sorts of rewards: riches, a long life, a kingdom with houses full of gold, the life of an excellent orator, poet, musician, or painter. Finally she suggested he become an "air, water and terrestrial lutin." Gentille described the benefits of being a lutin (imp): "You are invisible when you like it; you cross in one moment the vast space of the universe; you rise without having wings; you go through the ground without dying; you penetrate the abysses of the sea without drowning; you enter everywhere, though the windows and the doors are closed; and, when you decide to, you can let yourself be seen in your natural form."
Léandre agreed to be a lutin (imp). So Gentille said "Be Imp" and passed her hands three times over his eyes and face. Then she gave him a small red hat, trimmed with two parrot feathers, that would make him invisible when he wore it.
As an imp, Léandre began to travel. First Léandre took revenge on Foribon and the queen, by sneaking invisible into their palace where he nailed Foribond's ear to a door, beat them a 1000 times with a rod used on the king's dogs, and tore up all the fruit and flowers in the queen's garden.
Léandre then traveled far away. In one kingdom, he fell in love with a maid of honor named Blondine, but learned by putting a magic pink rose on her throat, that she was in love with a hateful musician, so left her kingdom and was sad a long time.
In three separate adventures, Léandre came to the invisible aid of young maidens by cursing and battling with people that were going to harm them: He saved the first maiden from being married to an old man, another from being sacrificed in a temple by her family, and the third a young girl named Abricotine (which translates to "Apricot-plum"), who he found enslaved in the forest by four robbers.
After rescuing Abricotine, Léandre learned she was a fairy who lived on a secluded island that was only for females. An old fairy mother had created this island and retreated from the world because she had been hurt in a love affair and so drove out all the male guards and the officers and replaced them with women from the Amazon race
Amazons
The Amazons are a nation of all-female warriors in Greek mythology and Classical antiquity. Herodotus placed them in a region bordering Scythia in Sarmatia...
instead. She named this place the Island of Quiet Pleasures. Abricontine served the daughter princess who had inherited the Island. Léandre asked to see the island, but Abricotine could not allow a man inside. So he went invisibly by himself and saw a palace made of pure gold; crystal figures and precious stones, and “all the wonders of nature, sciences and arts, the elements, the sea and fish, the ground and the animals, hunting of Diane
Diana (mythology)
In Roman mythology, Diana was the goddess of the hunt and moon and birthing, being associated with wild animals and woodland, and having the power to talk to and control animals. She was equated with the Greek goddess Artemis, though she had an independent origin in Italy...
with her nymphs, (and) the noble exercises of the Amazons."
The fairy princess had lived here in seclusion for 600 years, but looked like a young girl of incomparable beauty to him. Léandre pretended to be the voice of the parrots in her house, and told her about a man had saved Abricotine's life, and tried to convince her to give this man (himself) a chance to meet her. The princess appeared interested but suspicious. He stayed invisible a long time in her palace, and listened to her conversations, ate invisibly beside her at her table every night, spoke as the parrot sometimes, and slowly convinced her that she might be able to trust a man. He brought her monkeys and fine clothes from around the world when she mentioned them. The fairy princess could not decide if the invisible presence was good or evil. One day Léandre painted and put a portrait of himself out. She liked it very much, but was afraid it was done by a demon
Demon
call - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
. Léandre finally wrote her a love note:
- Léandre, intending to speak, wrote these words on its shelves and threw them to the feet of the princess:
- "No I am not demonDemoncall - 1347 531 7769 for more infoIn Ancient Near Eastern religions as well as in the Abrahamic traditions, including ancient and medieval Christian demonology, a demon is considered an "unclean spirit" which may cause demonic possession, to be addressed with an act of exorcism...
nor fairyFairyA fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
, - I am an unhappy lover
- Who does not dare to appear in your eyes:
- Feel sorry for my destiny at least
- THE PRINCE LUTIN."
At the same time, Foribond wanted the same princess, and planned to attack the Island of Quiet Pleasures with an army 1400 men in order to break in and take her. Léandre dressed himself as an Amazon woman in disguise, and went out to buy off Foribond, giving Foribond rooms full of gold if he left without attacking the island. Foribond planned to take the gold, then kill the Amazon and attack the palace anyway but Léandre put on his hat, and then killed and beheaded Foribond. Foribond's army was so happy that the evil Foribond had been killed. Léandre became their new and rightful king, and he spread all the gold among them. Léandre took Foribond's head into the palace to show the fairies they were safe.
Much tired, Léandre went back into the palace and fell asleep as if dead, not wearing his invisibility hat. The princess saw him sleeping, and most of her fears were resolved. Her mother the "old hag" (as translated) who had secluded the island for 600 years was angry with his appearance and against their marriage. Léandre's friend Gentille came to his aid and convinced the old fairy to trust Léandre. The marriage festivals were very joyful.
Context
The story notably gives a good description of a Lutin (imp), and mentions three types: air, water and terrestrial lutin. The lutin has no notable physical obstacles.The storyteller would have known of legends of the Amazons
Amazons
The Amazons are a nation of all-female warriors in Greek mythology and Classical antiquity. Herodotus placed them in a region bordering Scythia in Sarmatia...
as an ancient nation of female warriors, in this story protecting an all-female society. The mention of Diana
Diana (mythology)
In Roman mythology, Diana was the goddess of the hunt and moon and birthing, being associated with wild animals and woodland, and having the power to talk to and control animals. She was equated with the Greek goddess Artemis, though she had an independent origin in Italy...
on her hunt alludes to the mythology of the Ancient Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
Goddess Diana, huntress goddess, associated with wild animals and woodlands. In this story she lives with the women on the independent island, they pursue art and science.
The period of 600 years of seclusion may have significance as a period in history.
Source
- The Project Gutenberg EBook of Contes, Tome I, by Marie-Catherine d'Aulnoy - Le Prince Lutin (in French)
- Websters Online Dictionary: Lutin - French