The annotations for theBearskin fairy tale are below. Sources have been cited in parenthetical references, but I have not linked them directly to their full citations which appear on the Bearskin Bibliography page. I have provided links back to the Annotated Bearskin to facilitate referencing between the notes and the tale.
Special thanks to Christine Ethier, an adjunct teacher of English writing at both Community College of Philadelphia and Camden County College, for providing the annotations to this tale.
I have included the Grimms' notes to the tale as translated by Margaret Hunt followed by SurLaLune's textual annotations.
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The Grimms' Notes For the Tale From the neighbourhood of Paderborn. This is an independent variation of the foregoing. The Devil appears here in the saga which is related by Hebel (Alleman. Gedichte, 50), as a green-coat (child of the world), and whosoever gives himself to him has only to put his hand in his pocket and he will find money. Grimm, Jacob and Wilhelm. Household Tales. Margaret Hunt, translator. London: George Bell, 1884, 1892. 2 volumes. SurLaLune's Annotations
1. Bearskin: The original title was "Devil Greencoat" and appeared
in the 1814/1815 edition, but it was heavily revised by
1843 (Ashliman). There are over 180 European variants
(Paradiz 137). The Grimm version is a combination of a
story from the Haxthausen family and a tale by Han Jakob
Christoffel von Grimmelshausen dated 1670
(Ashliman).
2. He received his dismissal: According to Paradiz, in the Haxthausen version the
hero was the youngest son who is abandoned by his older
brothers when they go to find their fortunes (137-138).
In Grimmelshausen's version, the solider deserts.
Paradiz believes that the change to an "idealized
solider" (142) was due to the Napoleonic Wars and as
well as the stirrings of nationalism in the German
population as a whole (142).
3. Brothers, however, were hard-hearted: The inability of the solider to find any work, even
from his brothers, is a comment on the problems that
soldiers faced when returning from the wars. Now that
the war is over, no one needs or wants the solider
despite his valor on the field. Not only is this due to
the fact that the soldier's skills are no longer need.
According to Jack Zipes, soldiers were looked down upon
because the civilian population was forced to pay for
and billet the soldiers (The Brothers Grimm, 81). Here,
the hero is not only abandoned by his family, but by his
country. The Grimms were familiar with the wars and the
life of a solider. Ludwig and Karl Grimm, brothers of
Jacob and Wilhelm, were in a Hessian regiment (Paradiz
143-144). Another brother, Ferdinand, wanted to join but
was "ill during the recruitment period" (Paradiz 144).
Jacob Grimm traveled with the Grand Allied Headquarters
(Paradiz 168) and saw what horrors the soldiers faced
and committed (Paradiz 171-172).
4. Came to a wide heath: A heath is an "area of flattish, uncultivated land
with low shrubs" (Oxford 374).
5. Circle of trees: A tree's cycle can be seen to represent "life, death,
and resurrection" (Biedermann 351). A barren tree is
associated with a sinner (Biedermann 351), and trees
were also revered by older religions (Biedermann
351).
Circles are powerful symbols but usually protective. A
fully enclosed circle protects the magician from the
evil spirits he is conjuring (Biedermann 70). Circles on
"megalithic gravestones can be interpreted as
representations of sinking into the sea of death
"(Biedermann 70). In addition, according to Jung "a
circle symbolized the self, that is the whole person
(Nataf 66). The circle of trees might even be seen as
grove. According to Germanic tradition, there were
sacred groves where the gods manifested themselves
(Biedermann 160).
Zipes points out that in the forest often plays a role
in the solider tales of the Grimms (The Brothers Grimm,
82). The forest tempts the soldiers but also gives them
a chance to become part of the society (Zipes, The
Brothers Grimm, 82).
6. Who were a greencoat . . but had a hideous cloven
: The strange man is the devil. In the original
Haxthausen story, it is a horse's foot (Paradiz 138). In
Grimmelhausen, the figure of aid is simply a spirit. The
deformed foot of the devil refers to his divided nature
(Biedermann 94). The word devil comes from the Greek
diabolos which means adversary or prosecutor
(Lindemans). The Greek is a translation of Satan from
the Hebrew (Lindemans).
Biedermann states that the devil appears as a hunter
dressed in green or red (94) and that the green is a
connection to "the garment of ancient god of vegetation"
(158). In other words, the devil is being connected to
the older, dead, religions, a fact highlighted by the
circle of trees. Green is also seen as the color that is
an equal distance "from the blue of Heaven and the red
of hell" (Biedermann 158). It is "an intermediate and
mediating color, soothing, refreshing, human, a color of
contemplation, of the expectation of
resurrection"(Biedermann 158). Green also means immature
or untrained.
7. I must know if thou art fearless: The test does not appear in either of the two
sources.
8. Large bear: In the bear tradition of Germanic lore "initiation
rites may have pitted men against bear" (Lindahl,
McNamara, Lindow 32). In addition, "as a dangerous
animal, the bear is at times the embodiment of the
devil's power" (Biedermann 33). According to Jung, it
can represent "the negative aspects of the superposed
persona" (Biedermann 33). However, while the bear can
represent the negative aspects of a person, it contains
a potential to change in a positive way (Biedermann 33).
To dream of killing a bear "portends extrication from
former entanglements" (Miller 87). The killing of bear
does represent a turning point for the hero.
The bear also appears in some German heraldic symbols,
such as in the Berlin flag.
9. Seven: Bruno Bettelhiem states that seven in fairy tales is
a "symbol of each day of our life". There are the seven
sins, the seven sleepers, the seven ages of man. It is a
significant number and there was a "predilection for
series of seven" (Biedermann 302) in Medieval
Europe.
10. Paternoster: Our father. The hero is being told that he can not
pray during the seven years of the pact. It would seem
that hero must be both physically and spiritually
unclean. In the Grimmelhausen version, it is even worse.
There the solider can't even blow his nose or wipe his
behind (Ashliman). 11. Agreed to the terms: This is the first of two pacts. Paradiz points out that the solider makes this pact so that he can keep his freedom and move up in life (Paradiz 140-141). The devil is the only being that seems to offer any type of aid to the solider. Pacts with the devil appear as far back as the Old Testament and in ancient Jewish texts (Lindahl, McNamara, Lindow 360). Many times in folklore, the devil will make a pact with the hero and then will later be tricked by the hero (Lindahl, McNamara, Lindow 360). When the devil is not being tricked, the hero saves himself by "repentance and inner transformation" (Lindahl, McNamara, Lindow 360).
Zipes points out that in the Grimms' solider tales, with
the exception of "The Three Snake Leaves", the
ex-soldiers go outside of society and make a pact with
"unconventional figures such as the devil, the devil's
grandmother, or a witch to attain their goals" (The
Brothers Grimm, 83).
12. Full of money: In the Grimmelhausen version the hero will also get
"tobacco, food, and drink" (Ashliman).
13. He pulled the skin off the bear: Jack Zipes writes, "The motif of the young hero who
is compelled to wear an animal skin is an ancient one
and made its first appearance in Sanskrit in the
Pancatantra . . . about 300 C.E." (Zipes, Great Fairy
Tale, 51).
Berserkers were said to be ferocious warriors who
sometimes would drink bear blood to gain the strength of
the bear (Landahl, McNamara, Lindow 40) and then enter a
battle frenzy which made them impervious to wounds or so
crazed they did not notice they were wounded. They were
also the favorite warriors of Odin (Guerber 23). They
could have animal characteristics. Both the Oxford Guide
and Biedermann state they could also be the bear version
of the were-wolf. The fierceness of these warriors is
mirrored in the hero who is described as being in the
forefront of the battle. It could also be that one must
be mad as well as very desperate to make a deal with a
devil.
The Germanic (Nordic) god Odin is said to have assumed
the shape of a bear (Biedemann 33). He is also seen as
the leader of the Wild Hunt as well as disembodied
spirits (Guerber 23, 27). In some traditions, he is also
seen as the Pied Piper of Hamlin (Guerber 27). His name
derives from an "Indo-European form meaning 'leader of
the possessed'"(Landahl, McNamara, Linldow 40). The
solider could be seen as possessed because he is wearing
the devil's greencoat and cannot pray to god.
14. He began to look like a monster: The appearance of the hero is neither human nor
animal. The solider at this point can be seen as a Wild
Man or a savage. There is a debate whether savages and
other forest spirits symbolize "unrestrained drives, a
yearning for total realization of desires" (Biedermann
297) or a primordial memory (Biedermann 297). It is also
possible that a savage or Wild Man can represent the
short comings in others, specifically those who are
civilized. There is a Medieval tradition of Wild Men
symbolizing "Medieval doubts about aggressive male (and
sometimes female) sexuality" (Landahl, McNamara, Lindow
434). The Wild Man does appear on the Coat of Arms of
Prussia.
There were also at least two stories of human savages
who were identified with bears. The first was in
Lithuania in 1661. He was a boy found in the mountains
by hunters and later taken to Warsaw (Comfort 216). He
"bite, clawed, snarled like a bear, and subsisted on raw
flesh and grass" (Comfort 216). He later became a game
warden for a Polish noble (Comfort 216.
In 1767, two hunters shoot a bear in the Hungarian
woods. Immediately a young girl attacked them (Comfort
217). She was taken to an asylum where she ate bark and
jerky, and refused to wear clothes (Comfort 217).
15. Cress: Cress is a "cruciferous [four leaves in the shape of a
cross] plant with edible leaves" (Oxford 179).
16. Money to pray: The solider cannot pray, but there is nothing that
says he can't pay others to do it for him. Paradiz
states that the act is what keeps the solider alive for
the seven years (139). It also is an echo of the fact
that during the middle ages nobles and soldiers would
pay monks to say prayers for them (Jones 92).
17. Ducats: The ducat is a gold coin (Oxford).
18. Outhouse: From the events that follow, the outhouse seems to be
a house that is not attached to the inn proper but is on
the same site and owned by the innkeeper. It does not
appear to be an outhouse in the sense of a toilet.
19. Compassionate heart: This is the first case of the hero not thinking of
only himself. When he pays the poor, he doesn't just
give them money; they are to pray for him. But when he
aids the old man, he does so with no indication of any
future reward. He does it because he wants to help. 20. Choose one of them for thyself as wife: The father offers the daughters; the hero does not demand one. This is an important difference from other fairy tales were the daughters are rewards by or exchanges for the father. The father here is not even "tricked" out of a daughter. Of course, the father would like to have a rich son-in-law, and Bearskin does not have women lining up for him.
Notice, as well, that the daughters' only selling point
is their beauty. The family has no money for a dowry. An
element that appears in other tales is the fact that
while the family was once well off, they have fallen on
hard times. It also appears that though the family had
money (perhaps what today would be upper-middle class),
they do not appear to be a noble family.
21. Hussar's dress and white gloves: A member of the Hungarian Calvary or any European
solider in fancy dress (Burnhart 591).
22. Your promise must be kept: This is the second pact of the story. Paradiz writes
that a woman "though she, too, desires prosperity, makes
her pact not with the devil but with her future mate"
(140). Bearskin gains because of his pact; the daughter
gains because she agrees to marry a rich man. Her words
also indicate that she is a good girl because she is
carrying out what her father wants her to do. The
arranged marriage could be a reference to the situation
of women who found themselves married to older (or ugly)
men simply because that is what their father desired
them to do. Tatar states that in animal groom tales the
"father figures invariably personify the sweet voice of
reason, wisdom and prudence. Paternal authority is
dressed in the most favorable of possible colors" (173).
Therefore, when the older sisters reject Bearskin, not
only are they disobeying their father but they are also
mocking marriage (Paradiz 141) and being
unreasonable. 23. Ring: A ring is used in marriage and can symbolize "the sexual union as well as the social and economic exchange" (Lindahl, McNamara, Lindow 258). A broken ring represents a broken vow (Biedermann 284). Bearskin's breaking of the ring, besides being a plot device, could also symbolism the fact that the two cannot be married at the moment. Bearskin cannot take part in a religious marriage ceremony because of his pact with the devil.
The symbolism here may also be similar to that of animal
groom tales. Bettleheim believes that such stories deal
with the woman changing her view sex and embracing it.
He writes, ". . . as long as one partner views it [sex]
as animal like, the other remains partially an animal to
himself and his partner" (286). It is not hard to
imagine that the girl would have some qualms about
spending a night with Bearskin at this point.
24. Three years: The number three can stand for perfection
(Biedermann) and Bettleheim points out that three refers
to "the aspects of the mind: id, ego, and superego"
(102). These years could symbolize not only the last
years of the pact with the devil, but also a maturing of
Bearskin and his intended.
25. Dressed herself entirely in black: Black not only shows mourning but "also a promise of
future resurrection" (Biedermann 41). By wearing black,
the intended is also giving up vanity and ostentation
(Biedermann 41). She also shows pity for her future
husband by crying for him and does not respond to her
sisters (unlike what occurs in other tales). In short,
she is being a good and dutiful betrothed.
26. Bears dance well: The tradition of dancing bears in Europe started in
the Balkans and was spread by gypsies ("Belistsa"). It
was very popular (and very cruel to the bear) and lasted
in some parts of Europe until 2002 ("Belistsa").
27. Did good where he was able: At this point, Bearskin is not spending money on
himself. He has changed. Until his meeting with the old
man, Bearskin spent the majority of the money on
himself, now he is doing good deeds. He can't pray, but
he can do charitable acts (a Christian virtue). This
indicates that he is a good, even a changed, man. It
also mirrors the image of his betrothed. Both are good
people.
28. Wind whistled: The wind can be " . . .supernatural manifestations of
divine intentions" (Biedermann 382). The Germanic god
Odin also functioned as a wind god (Guerber 23).
29. Much handsomer: The devil is not happy because Bearskin is not his.
Bearskin makes the devil stick to the deal and clean him
(the devil is acting like a servant). Bearskin tricked
the devil by doing good and paying people to pray for
him. Bearskin has profited greatly from the bargain,
gaining money and looks.
30. White horses: The color of the horses is not given in
Grimmelhausn.
The fact that it is four white horses shows how much
money Bearskin has. He couldn't afford one horse at the
beginning of the story and now he can afford four white
(matched) carriage horses.
According to Gerald and Loretta Hausman, "The grace of
horses in general has much to do with the mortal belief
that beauty can overcome ugliness and cancel out death"
(167). Biedermann states that a white horse in dreams
can be connected to the experience of death. This is
akin to what has happen to Bearskin. He has been ugly
and been under the threat of death.
White horses are rare (Hausman 167) and in Europe the
two most famous breeds that can be white are the
Lipizzaner and the Andalusion (an ancestor of the
Lipizzaner). The Spanish Riding School in Vienna was
founded in 1572 and got its name because it imported
Andalusion horses from Spain. These imported horses
serviced as studs at the Lipizza stud which was founded
in 1580. Horses from the Lipizza stud first performed at
the school in 1735 (Isenbart 52). It is possible that
Jacob Grimm saw the Lipizzaners perform for he was sent
to the Congress of Vienna from 1814-1815 (Zipes, Oxford
Companion, 218). The School performed for members of the
Congress of Vienna in both November and December of 1814
(Isenbart 26).
Lipizzaner foals are usually born "brown,
blackish-brown, or mouse grey" (Isenbart 117). But
"generally speaking, the Lipizzaner becomes white all
over between the ages of four and ten, usually around
seven" (Isenbart 117). Andalusions also can change color
(Isenbart 88). The carriage horses went from dirty to
"clean" like Bearskin.
The fact that the horses are white is also indication
that Bearskin is no longer dealing with the devil, for
the devil rides a black horse.
31. God's Grace: The solider can now pray. In the beginning of the
story, the solider does not call on god for help. He
seems to accept the fact that he is going to die from
starvation. These words are another indication that he
has changed. He credits god for his salvation and not
the devil; god saved him from the devil. Zipes believes
that this shows the solider has proved himself to
society (The Brothers Grimm, 84), The solider has past
the integrity test and is accepted by society as a whole
(Zipes, The Brothers Grimm, 84).
32. Drowned herself in the well: A well can be seen as leading down to the world below
(Biedermann 377). 33. Two souls in the place of one: The devil gets his due. The two sisters are his because they committed suicide. Paradiz sees this story as a tale about women's freedom. She states, "Happy endings, it seems, are reserved only for girls who obey father and never mock the chance at marriage" (141). She points out that while the hero is not condemned for keeping his freedom (142), a girl cannot have that freedom. A girl who does "may never marry; and then she will suffer an even harsher fate: poverty, death, or the loss of her very soul to the devil" (Paradiz 142). The youngest daughter follows her father; while the two elder sisters do not. The two sisters are then punished by seeing the success of the younger sister.
Jack Zipes offers the view that "Bearskin" and the other
solider tales are about the ex-soldiers becoming
"socially useful" and fighting "for their goals" (The
Brothers Grimm, 84). He goes on to conclude, "Implicit
in the normative behavior of the 'good' solider is a
patriarchal reinforcement of the Protestant ethic" (The
Brothers Grimm, 84). Special thanks to Christine Ethier, an adjunct teacher of English writing at both Community College of Philadelphia and Camden County College, for providing the annotations to this tale. |
