The Sprig of Rosemary
Encyclopedia
The Sprig of Rosemary is a Spanish
fairy tale
collected by Dr. D. Francisco de S. Maspons y Labros in Cuentos Populars Catalans. Andrew Lang
included it in The Pink Fairy Book.
It is Aarne-Thompson type 425A, the search for the lost husband.
as well. A handsome young man appeared and asked why she had come to steal his firewood. She said that her father had sent her, and he led her to a castle and told her that he was a great lord and wanted to marry her, so they married.
The old woman who looked after the castle gave her the keys but warned her that if she used one, the castle would fall to pieces. After a time, curiosity overcame her, and she opened it to find a snakeskin; her husband, a magician
, used it to change shape
. Then the castle fell to pieces. She cried, broke off a sprig of rosemary and went to search for him.
She found a house of straw where they took her in service, but she grew sadder by the day. When her mistress asked, the daughter told her story, and her mistress sent her to the Sun, the Moon, and the Wind
, to ask. The Sun could not help her, but gave her a nut and sent her on to the Moon; the Moon could not help her but gave her an almond and sent her on to the Wind; the Wind did not know but would look. He learned her husband was hidden in the palace of the king, and would marry the king's daughter
the next day.
The daughter implored him to put it off if he could, and after giving her a walnut, the Wind blew on the tailors sewing for the wedding and destroyed their work. The daughter arrived, and cracked the nut, and found a fine mantle. She sold it to the princess for a great sum in gold. Then the almond held petticoats, which she sold again. Then the walnut held a gown, and for this she demanded to see the bridegroom. The princess finally agreed, and when she went in, she touched him with the rosemary, which brought his memory back, and they went back to her home.
or Beauty and the Beast
; the motif is found in other folktales, such as the ballad
s Tam Lin
and Hind Etin
.
Finding the husband can change shape is a common thread in stories of this type, but the discovery that the husband can become a beast is rare; usually, as in East of the Sun and West of the Moon
, The Black Bull of Norroway, The Brown Bear of Norway
, The Enchanted Snake
, and The Enchanted Pig
, the bride finds her animal bridegroom is also a man. Furthermore, the usual disaster stems not merely from the discovery but the attempt to break the spell on him—although it is not unique for the violation of the taboo to bring disaster, as in The Tale of the Hoodie
.
The quest is common to all fairy tales of this type, and the specific motifs of the Sun, the Moon, and the Wind are found in others, such as The Enchanted Pig
and The Singing, Springing Lark
.
In most variants, all the magical treasures are used to bribe the heroine's way to the hero, but the false heroine manages to trick the hero to nullify it, instead of this tale's technique where she actually sells the first two things.
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
fairy tale
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
collected by Dr. D. Francisco de S. Maspons y Labros in Cuentos Populars Catalans. Andrew Lang
Andrew Lang
Andrew Lang was a Scots poet, novelist, literary critic, and contributor to the field of anthropology. He is best known as a collector of folk and fairy tales. The Andrew Lang lectures at the University of St Andrews are named after him.- Biography :Lang was born in Selkirk...
included it in The Pink Fairy Book.
It is Aarne-Thompson type 425A, the search for the lost husband.
Synopsis
A man made his only daughter work very hard. One day after she had worked, he sent her to collect firewood. She did, and picked herself a sprig of rosemaryRosemary
Rosemary, , is a woody, perennial herb with fragrant, evergreen, needle-like leaves and white, pink, purple or blue flowers, native to the Mediterranean region. It is a member of the mint family Lamiaceae, which includes many other herbs, and is one of two species in the genus Rosmarinus...
as well. A handsome young man appeared and asked why she had come to steal his firewood. She said that her father had sent her, and he led her to a castle and told her that he was a great lord and wanted to marry her, so they married.
The old woman who looked after the castle gave her the keys but warned her that if she used one, the castle would fall to pieces. After a time, curiosity overcame her, and she opened it to find a snakeskin; her husband, a magician
Magician (fantasy)
A magician, mage, sorcerer, sorceress, wizard, enchanter, enchantress, thaumaturge or a person known under one of many other possible terms is someone who uses or practices magic that derives from supernatural or occult sources...
, used it to change shape
Shapeshifting
Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...
. Then the castle fell to pieces. She cried, broke off a sprig of rosemary and went to search for him.
She found a house of straw where they took her in service, but she grew sadder by the day. When her mistress asked, the daughter told her story, and her mistress sent her to the Sun, the Moon, and the Wind
Rule of three (writing)
The "rule of three" is a principle in writing that suggests that things that come in threes are inherently funnier, more satisfying, or more effective than other numbers of things. The reader/audience of this form of text is also more likely to consume information if it is written in groups of...
, to ask. The Sun could not help her, but gave her a nut and sent her on to the Moon; the Moon could not help her but gave her an almond and sent her on to the Wind; the Wind did not know but would look. He learned her husband was hidden in the palace of the king, and would marry the king's daughter
False hero
The false hero is a stock character in fairy tales, and sometimes also in ballads. The character appears near the end of a story in order to claim to be the hero or heroine and is, therefore, always of the same sex as the hero or heroine. The false hero presents some claim to the position. By...
the next day.
The daughter implored him to put it off if he could, and after giving her a walnut, the Wind blew on the tailors sewing for the wedding and destroyed their work. The daughter arrived, and cracked the nut, and found a fine mantle. She sold it to the princess for a great sum in gold. Then the almond held petticoats, which she sold again. Then the walnut held a gown, and for this she demanded to see the bridegroom. The princess finally agreed, and when she went in, she touched him with the rosemary, which brought his memory back, and they went back to her home.
Motifs
The unwitting theft is a common motif, but in fairy tales, the usual offender is the father, as in The Singing, Springing LarkThe Singing, Springing Lark
The Singing, Springing Lark or The Singing, Soaring Lark is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, appearing as tale no. 88.It is Aarne-Thompson type 425C. Others of this type include Beauty and the Beast and The Small-tooth Dog....
or Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast
Beauty and the Beast is a traditional fairy tale. The first published version of the fairy tale was a rendition by Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve, published in La jeune américaine, et les contes marins in 1740...
; the motif is found in other folktales, such as the ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
s Tam Lin
Tam Lin
Tam Lin is the hero of a legendary ballad originating from the Scottish Borders. The story revolves around the rescue of Tam Lin by his true love from the Queen of the Fairies...
and Hind Etin
Hind Etin
"Hind Etin" is a folk ballad existing in several variants.-Synopsis:Lady Margaret goes to the woods, and her breaking a branch is questioned by Hind Etin, who takes her with him into the forest. She bears him seven sons, but laments that they are never christened, nor she herself churched...
.
Finding the husband can change shape is a common thread in stories of this type, but the discovery that the husband can become a beast is rare; usually, as in East of the Sun and West of the Moon
East of the Sun and West of the Moon
East of the Sun and West of the Moon is a Norwegian folk tale.East of the Sun and West of the Moon was collected by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe...
, The Black Bull of Norroway, The Brown Bear of Norway
The Brown Bear of Norway
The Brown Bear of Norway is a Scottish fairy tale collected by Fitzroy MacLean in West Highland Tales. Andrew Lang included it in The Lilac Fairy Book.It is Aarne-Thompson type 425A, the search for the lost husband...
, The Enchanted Snake
The Enchanted Snake
The Enchanted Snake or The Snake is an Italian fairy tale. Giambattista Basile wrote a variant in the Pentamerone. Andrew Lang drew upon this variant, for inclusion in The Green Fairy Book....
, and The Enchanted Pig
The Enchanted Pig
The Enchanted Pig is a Romanian fairy tale, collected in Rumanische Märchen and also by Petre Ispirescu in Legende sau basmele românilor. Andrew Lang included it in The Red Fairy Book.It is Aarne-Thompson type 425A, the search for the lost husband...
, the bride finds her animal bridegroom is also a man. Furthermore, the usual disaster stems not merely from the discovery but the attempt to break the spell on him—although it is not unique for the violation of the taboo to bring disaster, as in The Tale of the Hoodie
The Tale of the Hoodie
The Tale of the Hoodie is a Scottish fairy tale, collected by John Francis Campbell in his Popular Tales of the West Highlands. Andrew Lang included it, as The Hoodie-Crow, in The Lilac Fairy Book....
.
The quest is common to all fairy tales of this type, and the specific motifs of the Sun, the Moon, and the Wind are found in others, such as The Enchanted Pig
The Enchanted Pig
The Enchanted Pig is a Romanian fairy tale, collected in Rumanische Märchen and also by Petre Ispirescu in Legende sau basmele românilor. Andrew Lang included it in The Red Fairy Book.It is Aarne-Thompson type 425A, the search for the lost husband...
and The Singing, Springing Lark
The Singing, Springing Lark
The Singing, Springing Lark or The Singing, Soaring Lark is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, appearing as tale no. 88.It is Aarne-Thompson type 425C. Others of this type include Beauty and the Beast and The Small-tooth Dog....
.
In most variants, all the magical treasures are used to bribe the heroine's way to the hero, but the false heroine manages to trick the hero to nullify it, instead of this tale's technique where she actually sells the first two things.