Table Of ContentWorld
Folklore
for storytellerS
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World
Folklore
for storytellerS
Tales of Wonder, Wisdom, Fools, and Heroes
Josepha Sherman
First published 2009 by M.E. Sharpe
Published 2015 by Routledge
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Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
World folklore for storytellers: tales of wonder, wisdom, fools, and heroes / Josepha Sherman,
editor.
p. cm.
Includes bibliographical references and index.
ISBN 978-0-7656-8174-4 (hardcover: alk. paper)
1. Folklore—Classification. 2. Folk literature—History and criticism. 3. Storytelling.
4. Oral tradition. I. Sherman, Josepha.
GR72.56.W67 2010
398.09—dc22 2009010525
Cover image: Rumpelstiltskin spinning, illustration from “Once Upon a Time” published by
Ernest Mister, c.1900 (color litho) by G.H. Thompson (twentieth century). Private Collection/
The Bridgeman Art Library.
Publisher: Myron E. Sharpe
Vice President and Director of New Product Development: Donna Sanzone
Vice President and Production Director: Carmen Chetti
Executive Development Editor: Jeff Hacker
Project Manager: Laura Brengelman
Program Coordinator: Cathleen Prisco
Assistant Editor: Alison Morretta
Text Design: Carmen Chetti and Jesse Sanchez
Cover Design: Jesse Sanchez
ISBN 13: 9780765681744 (hbk)
C
ontents
Introduction ......................................................................................................................xv
WONDER TALES
Beauty and the Beast ............................................................................................3
The Transformed Female ............................................................................................3
Fox Brides ........................................................................................................................................4
The Fox Wife: A Folktale from Japan .......................................................................................4
The Fox Woman: A Folktale from the Inuit of Labrador, Canada .......................................4
The Fox Wife: A Folktale from Korea ......................................................................................5
Frog Brides .......................................................................................................................................6
The Frog Maiden: A Folktale from Burma ..............................................................................6
The Frog Tzarina: A Folktale from Rus sia ...............................................................................8
The Little Singing Frog: A Folktale from the Czech Republic ...........................................10
The Frog Wife: A Folktale from the Cochiti of New Mexico .............................................12
Silkies/Selchies and Seal Brides ........................................................................................................13
Tom Moore and the Seal Woman: A Folktale from Kerry, Ireland ....................................13
MacCodrum and His Seal Wife: A Folktale from Scotland ................................................14
Mermaid Brides................................................................................................................................15
The Lady of Gollerus: A Folktale from Ireland ....................................................................15
Ne Hwas, the Mermaids: A Folktale from the Passamaquoddy of New En gland ...........16
Swan Brides and Other Bird Maidens .............................................................................................17
The Swan Maiden: A Folktale from Sweden ..........................................................................18
The Swan Princess: A Folktale from Finland ........................................................................18
The Crane Maiden: A Folktale from Japan ............................................................................21
The Geese Maidens: A Folktale from the Smith Sound Inuit of Greenland ....................22
Other Animal Brides ......................................................................................................................23
The White Cat: A Folktale from France .................................................................................23
The Snail Lady: A Folktale from Korea ..................................................................................26
White Snake: A Folktale from Zhejiang Province, China ...................................................28
v
vi C ONTENTS
Fairy Brides ....................................................................................................................................29
The Farmer’s Son and His Fairy Bride: A Folktale from Wales..........................................29
The Huldre Bride: A Folktale from Norway ..........................................................................30
The Fairy Woman of Takitimu Mountain: A Folktale from the Maori
of New Zealand ......................................................................................................................31
The Feather Robe: A Folktale from Japan ..............................................................................32
Undead And Demon Brides ............................................................................................................33
The Undead Princess: A Folktale from Germany .................................................................33
The Demon Bride: A Jewish Folktale......................................................................................35
A Nonliving Bride ..........................................................................................................................36
The Man Who Married a Branch: A Folktale from the Salish of British
Columbia, Canada ..................................................................................................................36
The Transformed Male .............................................................................................37
Beauty and the Beast: A Basque Folktale ................................................................................37
Snake and Crocodile Husbands .......................................................................................................40
The Crocodile Husband: A Folktale from Botswana, Africa ..............................................40
The Fairy Serpent: A Folktale from China .............................................................................41
Yu Duo and the Snake Husband: A Folktale from the Dai of China ................................43
The Woman and the Snake: A Folktale from Kerala Province, India ...............................44
Frog Husbands ...............................................................................................................................45
The Frog Prince: A Folktale from Germany ..........................................................................45
The Frog and the Starry Girl: A Folktale from the Mishmi of Lohit Valley, India .........47
The Two Orphans: A Folktale from Kerala Province, India ..............................................48
The Toad Husband: A Folktale from the Hmong of Laos ..................................................49
Fish Husbands ................................................................................................................................50
The Fish Man: A Folktale from the Salish of British Columbia, Canada ..........................50
Seal and Sea Lion Husbands ...........................................................................................................52
Ahewauwen and the Woman: A Folktale from the Selknam of Tierra del Fuego ...........52
The Woman Who Married a Seal: A Folktale from the Coos of Oregon .........................53
The Great Silkie of Sule Skerry: A Folktale from Scotland .................................................54
Other Animal Husbands ................................................................................................................55
The Small- Tooth Dog: A Folktale from En gland .................................................................55
Hans My Hedgehog: A Folktale from Germany ...................................................................57
Other Odd Husbands ......................................................................................................................60
The Dragon Prince: A Folktale from Turkey .........................................................................60
Princess Kemang and Her Tree Husband: A Folktale from Bengkulu, Indonesia ..........61
Habogi: A Folktale from Iceland .............................................................................................63
The Invisible Man: A Folktale from the Micmac of Nova Scotia, Canada .......................65
The Lord of the Winds: A Folktale from the Nenets of Siberia .........................................66
C ONTENTS vii
The Heroine’s Quest .................................................................................................68
The Black Bull o’ Norroway: A Folktale from Scotland ......................................................68
East o’ the Sun and West o’ the Moon: A Folktale from Norway ......................................71
Cinderella and Cinderlad ...................................................................................77
Cinderella ...............................................................................................................77
Ashey Pelt: A Folktale from En gland ......................................................................................77
Aschenzuttel: A Folktale from Serbia .....................................................................................78
Burenushka, the Little Red Cow: A Folktale from Rus sia ...................................................80
The Story of Tam and Cam: A Folktale from Vietnam ........................................................83
An American Cinderella: A Folktale from New Hampshire ...............................................85
The Donkey Skin Tale Type ............................................................................................................86
Peu d’Ane (Donkey Skin): A Folktale from France.................................................................86
La Sendraoeula (Cinderella): A Folktale from Italy..................................................................88
Love Like Salt: A Folktale from the Hottentot of South Africa .........................................91
Cap o’ Rushes: A Folktale from En gland ...............................................................................92
All- Kinds- of- Fur: A Folktale from Germany ........................................................................94
Rashin- Coatie: A Folktale from Scotland ..............................................................................97
The Princess Who Would Not Marry Her Father: A Folktale from Portugal ..................99
The Woman with Two Skins: A Folktale from Nigeria ......................................................102
Sir Gawain and Dame Ragnell: A Folktale from Medieval En gland ...............................104
Cinderella and Father Frost Variants ...........................................................................................107
Father Frost: A Folktale from Rus sia ....................................................................................107
The Twelve Months: A Folktale from the Czech Republic ................................................109
Cinderlad ..............................................................................................................113
Cinders: A Folktale from Finland and America ..................................................................113
The Frog Who Became an Emperor: A Folktale from China ............................................114
The Boy Who Knew No Fear ...........................................................................117
The Boy Who Searched for Fear: A Folktale from Slovenia ..............................................117
The Fearless Merchant’s Son: A Folktale from Rus sia ........................................................119
The Story of a Boy Who Wanted to Learn Fear: A Folktale from Germany ..................120
The Fearless Young Man: A Folktale from Sicily, Italy ......................................................124
Dragon- Slayers and Monster- Slayers .............................................................127
The Lucky Ruble: A Folktale from Estonia .........................................................................127
The Dragon- Slayer: A Folktale from Mexico .......................................................................128
Chin Timur and Mehtumsala: A Folktale from the Uighur of Central Asia ...................130
viii C ONTENTS
Law Da and the Dragon: A Folktale from the Akha People of Southeast Asia .............133
The Dragon of Kinabalu: A Folktale from Borneo ............................................................134
Urumba the Water Monster: A Folktale from the Mbarakwena Bushmen
of the Kalahari Desert .........................................................................................................136
The Wanderer and the Dragon: A Folktale from the Gypsies of Slovakia .....................136
The Three Dragons: A Folktale from the Gypsies of Bohemia .......................................137
Iya: A Folktale from the Lakota Sioux of the American West...........................................139
The Hunter and the Monster Bird: A Folktale from the Cherokee
of Tennessee ..........................................................................................................................140
The Fairy’s Midwife .........................................................................................143
The Fairy’s Midwife: A Folktale from En gland ..................................................................143
The Midwife of Hafoddydd: A Folktale from Wales ..........................................................144
The Clergyman’s Wife: A Folktale from Sweden ................................................................145
Cherry of Zennor: A Folktale from Cornwall, En gland ....................................................146
The Demon’s Midwife: A Folktale from the Jews of Morocco .........................................148
Rumpelstiltskin .................................................................................................151
Rumpelstiltskin: A Folktale from Germany .........................................................................151
Tom Tit Tom: A Folktale from En gland ...............................................................................152
Mistress Beautiful: A Folktale from Germany ....................................................................155
The Gold Spinner: A Folktale from Hungary ......................................................................156
The Three Aunts: A Folktale from Norway .........................................................................158
The Building of the Kalundberg Church: A Folktale from Denmark .............................160
Sleeping Beauty .................................................................................................163
Little Briar Rose: A Folktale from Germany .......................................................................163
The Ninth Captain’s Tale: A Folktale from the Arabian Nights .......................................165
Snow White ........................................................................................................167
Snow White: A Folktale from Germany ...............................................................................167
Myrsina: A Folktale from Modern Greece ...........................................................................169
The Crystal Casket: A Folktale from Italy ............................................................................171
Transformation Folktales ..................................................................................175
The Hedley Kow: A Folktale from En gland ........................................................................175
The Soul That Lived in the Bodies of All Beasts: A Folktale from the Inuit
of Greenland ..........................................................................................................................176
C ONTENTS ix
The Transformation Chase .....................................................................................177
Master and Pupil: A Folktale from Denmark ......................................................................178
Master and Pupil (or the Dev il Outwitted): A Folktale
from the Republic of Georgia ............................................................................................179
The Pupil Who Bested the Master: A Folktale from Libya ...............................................181
The Magician and His Disciple: A Folktale from India .....................................................182
The Master- Maid: A Folktale from Norway ........................................................................187
The Grateful Prince: A Folktale from Estonia ....................................................................194
The Obstacle Flight: A Folktale from the Native Peoples of Alabama ...........................204
The Girl and the Evil Spirit: A Folktale from the Tundra Yukaghir of Siberia ..............206
Fundevogel (Foundling Bird): A Folktale from Germany ................................................207
The Story of Aja: A Folktale from the Krobo of Ghana ....................................................209
The Four Sisters and the Mountain Lion: A Folktale from the Osage
of the American Midwest ....................................................................................................210
Undersea Kingdoms: Adventures in the Lands Under the Waves.............213
The Sea Nymph: A Folktale from Sweden ...........................................................................213
Sadko: A Folktale from Rus sia ...............................................................................................214
Urashima Taro: A Folktale from Japan .................................................................................215
Hasang: A Folktale from the Hui Muslims of China ..........................................................216
The Ruler of the Sea: A Folktale from the Yupit of Siberia ...............................................218
HERO TALES
Folklore Heroes .................................................................................................223
Ilya Murometz and the Robber Nightingale: A Folktale from Medieval Rus sia ............223
St. George and the Dragon: A Folktale from En gland ......................................................224
Sir Gawain and the Green Knight: A Folktale from the Arthurian Cycle
of En gland .............................................................................................................................226
Hayk, Found er of Armenia: A Folktale from Armenia ......................................................227
Kandebayi the Hero: A Folktale from Kazakhstan ............................................................228
The Girl Who Avenged Her Uncles: A Folktale from the Chippewa
of Wisconsin ..........................................................................................................................232
Sam Hart and His Brave Gray Mare: A Folktale from Massachusetts.............................233
Legendary Heroes ............................................................................................235
Davy Crockett: A Folktale from the American Frontier ....................................................235
Daniel Boone: A Folktale from Kentucky ............................................................................236
George Washington: A Folktale from Virginia ...................................................................236
Abraham Lincoln: A Folktale from Washington, D.C. ......................................................237
