Folktales & their Background Information 1

Are you still lost at how to interpret the two Panamanian folktales cited previously? Bierhorst’s preface sums up the whole picture in a rather succinct way:

The stories in this book represent the folktale tradition of Spanish-speaking America set within a frame of American Indian lore. As the scheme suggests, Latino folklore is two things at once. For the most part it is distinctly Old World, preserving medieval and even ancient story types. And yet in part it is new. That is, it has been embraced by Indo-America, which retains its own distinctive traditions while contributing a new, mixed lore of European and native elements….p. xi.

Though the two Panamanian stories are among the 100+ stories collected in Bierhorst’s book, they can be interpreted as “two things at once,” the result of a synergy between the old and the new.

 

Folktales & their Background Information 2

Indeed, the complexity of the two stories cited previous — particularly their mixture of Western motifs and indigenous elements and ideas — can be attributed to the two different periods in the development of Latin American folklore.  Bierhorst’s book does not really go into the motifs and elements, but provides a brief introduction, which might nonetheless give a framework to the general understanding of the whole picture: 

Laitn American folklore has a 500 year history, but its span is not continuous. There are two periods, the early colonial era lasting through the sixteenth century and into the first few decades of the seventeenth, and the twentieth century. The two periods are not comparable either: the first belongs to the era of early colonialism and religious conversion; while the second follows in the trail of two relatively recent phenomena – the rise of social science and the stirrings of romantic nationalism. The different  aegndas, set by the missionary on the one hand and the folklorist on the other, produced results that were dissimilar in subject matter and even in style.

 John Bierhorst, ed. Latin American Folktales: Stories from Hispanic and Indian Traditions, New York: Patheon Books, 2002, p. 3.

 

Pine Cone the Astrologer (2)

The ”astrologer” is called Pine Cone, which makes him resemble a jester figure. Yet he who knows nothing about stars but is able to manipulate the situation to his best advantage and curry favour with those around him, is also reminiscent of the smart guy in some Chinese martial fiction (such as those by Jin Rong) than any prototype in Western fairytale.  Why peacock? Why is it sacrificed? Is it because he is a sign of wealth and adornment, and of worldliness and superficiality, which is what the story is mainly about? If the king and his guilty servants are superficial, then there is something deeper in the wordly wisdom exhibited by the astrologer. And the pineapple, I woud believe, is an indigenous element which makes the tale so Panamanian.

(… continued) The king picked up only the first word. He thought he heard “pine-apple” and said, “You’re hired. Goo on up to the tower room and read the stars.” Pine Cone climbed the stairs to the observatory and started living in style. He had a comfortable bed, and at every meal they brought him savory meats and all he could drink.

Now, Pine Cone had become the King’s astrologer, but his head was not in the clouds. He noticed that the servants who brought him his food were always whispering back and forth. After he had been in the tower a few days his wife came for a visit. She was just what he had been waiting for. The moment he laid eyes on her he said, “Crawl under the bed, and when the servants bring me my lunch, cry, “Thief!” as soon as the first one comes in.”

The first servant entered the room. “Thief!” came an eerie voice from who knows where. The servant looked around. The other servant came in. Again, “Thief!” The two left the room exchanging whispers. Pine Cone said to his wife, “They’re guilty.”

Outside the door the servants were saying, “He’s figured us out. Let’s give him the ring now, before he tells the king.” They came back in, and when they’d confessed, the astrologer saidto them, “I’l l keep your secret, but only if you take the ring out to the garden and ut in in thepeacock’s food dish.” And that’s what they did.

Pine Cone went to the king and said, “Kill the peacock. You’ll find the ring.” Adn there it was. They brought it in to the king immediately, and the astrologer, naturally, collected the reward. My tale goes only to here; it ends, and the wind carries it off.

(The end)

Reference: 

John Bierhorst, ed. Latin Amerian Folktales: Stories from Hispanic and Indian Traditions. New York: Patheon Books, 2002.

 

Another Panamanian Folktale

No more the familiar motifs of prince and princess and thwarted love. This time we’ve got an astrologer, yet the test for his ingenuity is rather lame: the ability to tell the real name of the fruit has apparently nothing to do with the ability to find the lost ring. The identity of the man is obscure too, and no where does the story indicate that he is a real astrologer …. 

Pine Cone the Astrologer

Here’s a story from the days when there were kings and queens.

It seems that the king of a certain city lost a precious ring. He issued a notice that a large sum of money would be paid to any astrologer who could read the stars and tell him where to look. There was a man who heard about this out in the countryside and came to town to offer his services.

The man from the country went by the name of Pine Cone. But he didn’t mention that. He just came up to the king and said, “You lost a ring? You’re looking for an astrologer? I’m the one who can help you.” The king wasn’t sure. In those days astrologers weren’t hired without passing a test.

Now, in the city where all this was happening people rarely saw pineapples. So the king sent an order to the kitchen to have a plate of fruit brought in with a pineapple on it. “Give this to the man over there,” said the king, “and ask him what it is.”

The man lost his nerve for a moment. He slapped his hand on his head and said under his breath, “Pine Cone, Pine Cone! What have you gotten yourself into?”

(to be continued ….)

 

The Louse-Drum 4

So, this is the happy ending. Does it remind you of Romeo and Juliet, though? especially the part about the balcony, together with the hostility between the two families? I would imagine the whole thing being very unbearable for the prince’s betrothed, though this character is almost dismissed in the progress of the narrative. Isn’t she another victim of the patriarchy?

The way the princess dresses up reminds me in particular of the Chinese version of Cinderella, or the Story of Ye Xian, recorded in the Tang Miscellany, which is indeed earlier than the Western version. Ye Xian does not so much rely on heavenly powers, as on herself, in trying to look presentable and beautiful. The greenish colors of the costume in this story is another point of parallel, and it might suggest some precious materials made of the kingfisher’s feathers.  Just as I have found the strong-willed and intelligent princess more typical of Chinese folktales and fairytales, I am inclined not to take this similarity as a pure coincidence. That’s why I believe that this story, with its unique blend of fairytale elements from western and chinese cultures, ultimately has a stronger Chinese flavor.

(continued …) That evening The Mute put on a green dress and shoes to match, rouged her face the way princesses do, and when she finished she was quite presentable. She knew where the prince’s bride-to-be lived, so she went there and walked in front of the house. The prince and his betrothed were standing on a balcony. The prince recognized The Mute and completely forgot himself. He blurted out, “You look like the princess my heart has dreamed of.” She answered, “You’ve seen your princess in dreams. Now you see her in life.”

The prince shook himself loose from his betrothed’s arm and ran after The Mute. “How can it be?” he asked. “You are not mute at all.” He took her hand in his and led her to his coach. By the time they reached the palace they were ready to announce their engagement. You can imagine how surprised the king andthe queen were when the princess told them her story.

To celebrate the wedding they invited all the neighboring kings and queens, and the guests included the princess’s father and mother, who found nothing to fault in their new son-in-law.

(The End)

Reference:

John Bierhorst, ed. Latin emerican Folktales: Stories from Hispanic and Indian Traditions, New York: Panthon books, 2002.

 

The Louse-Drum 3

Still another familiar motif: the mute princess, reminiscent of Wild Swans and The Little Mermaid. This princess is arguably mute on her own free will, as she has the right to speak up; she is too clever to do so, and is determined to remain silent until the right moment arrives. Though she is punished for her transgression (first, trying to seduce her loved prince, and then, killing her old husband), she has already paid for it; hence it is no surprise that she is able to get rid of the lump by her intelligence.

Is there a subtext in the way the queen enjoyed the pudding and found it delicious? Can it be a sign that the queen and the princess are both inferior as female, hence now enjoying their revenge?

Still there is a sign that this is a conventional tale after all: the text suggests that the princess is born, not made; even as she works as a maid, there is that “something” about her which distinguishes her from other lowly servants. This something is probably innate to her, or at least acquired through her royal upbringing. 

(continued) She caught the prince’s eye, and he wondered if the new kitchen maid might not be more than a humble servant girl, perhaps some kind of princess. But the prince had already been promised to a young woman of that city. When his engagement day arrived, the date was set for the wedding.

One day the queen asked the new kitchen girl to make her a corndough pudding. As the princess started to cook it up, she remembered the lump on her shoulder, which was quite fatty, and she said to it, “Hey, lump, want to come down on my arm?”

Needless to say, it answered her. “Sure, why not?” Then she said, “Hey, lump, come down to my hand.”

“Sure, why not?”

“Hey, lump, come down to the tip of my finger.”

“Sure, why not?” and when the lump was dangling from her finger tip, she quick took a knife and sliced it off. As it dropped into the pudding, it shoulted, “Ayayay, ayayaya! I’m melting!” But she was unmoved by its cries.

When she tried her voice and found that she was at last free, she was greatly relieved. For the time being, however she remained silent.

The queen thought the pudding was delicious. (to be continued)

 

The Louse-Drum 2

Another familiar motif: a King who is so principled and just that his behavior borders on cruelty. Yet the princess is no ordinary princess: she not only fights for her loved one (as in part 1), but when forced to marry an old, hideous husband, she actually kills him (though the word “kill” or “murder”, committed by a beautiful princess, is too strong, hence unimaginable, in a folktale or fairytale intended for people of all ages). Should the story be described as funny? — the talking lump — or scary in that respect? Or absurd? Perhaps the reader should just try to suspend his/ her disbelief, while not taking things too seriously at the same time…

(continued ….) The old man answered, “The drum you’re talking about is made from the skin of a louse that a maidservant found on the princess’s head, and you yourself gave the order for it to be fattened up until its skin was large enough to make a drum.”

Since kings’ promises are promises for keeps, the king had to call his dauhter and tell her he was about to give her away to a graybeard, and a pauper at that. No matter that the girl protested, the king arranged for their marriage and immediately banished them both from the palace.

The princess had an idea. She suggested to her old husband that they go bathing together at the head of a roaring falls. Off they went, and when then the old man had bathed awhile he lay down to rest beside the falls. As soon as he had ropped off to sleep, the princess pushed him over the bank. He disappeared in the spray, but at the same moment something jumped up on her back, and suddenly she had a lump on her shoulder. From then on, whenever she spoke, the lump answered her.

On and on she traveled, through forests, across rivers, and past villages, until at last she came to the city of a king with a son that interested her. Pretending she couldn’t speak, so that no one would discover the talkative lump on her shoulder, she found employment in the king’s kitchen. They called her The Mute.

 

Folktale from Panama: Familiar and Unfamiliar

Strange. I have never heard of this folktale before. It does contain certain familiar motifs, such as prince and princess, obstacle towards true, harmonious love, win (getting married) or lose (getting killed). The idea of a drum made of the skin of a louse is …. urgh …. gruesome. Could it have been borne out of a tropic country like Panama, but not anywhere (especially cold countries such as Denmark) But such a claim would risk stereotyping Panamanians, as louses are/ were by no means unique to the tropics….

The Louse-Drum (1)

In a country a long way from here a king had a pretty daughter who played a drum that could be heard all over the kingdom. Since kings in those days used to invite princes to their palaces so that their daughters could look them over, this king held a banquet, and princes came from near and far. The one who guessed what the princess’s drum was made of would win her hand.

Not a single one guessed correctly.

Now, the princess was in love with a certain prince who lived in town but hadn’t dared show up at the palace because he was an enemy of the king. So one day the princess was on her balcony when this prince was standing at his window, and she called out to him, “Come guess! Tell them the drum is made from the skin of a louse that my maidservant found on my head.” Unfortnately the prince was not close enough to catch this information.

But an old man sitting under the balcony heard every word. He got up and went straight to the palace guard and asked for an audience with the king.  The king took one look at him and said, “It’s guess or be hanged by the neck. Here, if you’re such a wise man: What’s my daughter’s drum made of?” (to be continued ….)