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Author
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Comment
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Heather
KT
Registered User
(9/10/02 12:41:25 pm)
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Researching Andrew Lang's sources
Does anyone have a suggestion for how I might track down the French source Andrew Lang used for his version of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses"? The Preface to The Red Fairy Book mentions "French sources," but isn't more specific for this tale. Any ideas on where I should start digging? (English or French ok)
I just discovered this board recently, and have been so impressed by the collected wisdom here! Thanks in advance for your help.
Heather Tomlinson
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Jess
Unregistered User
(9/10/02 5:10:57 pm)
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French sources
Heather,
The most common version of Twelve Dancing Princesses is the Grimms' version, or at least it seems so. I do recall reading somewhere that Ruth Sanderson used the French version for her picture book version. You might want to take a look at it (besides it is stunning). I am sure it is in your local library. If you're lucky, Ms. Sanderson might be lurking out there somewhere.
Since I don't know the French source, I might suggest you look at some of the collections of French salon tales, starting with Zipes. I know the abridged version does NOT contain this tale though. Also, you might check the Oxford Encyclopedia of fairy tales (did I get that right folks?).
Jess
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Jess
Unregistered User
(9/10/02 5:24:48 pm)
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Archived discussion
You might also check this archived discussion of the tale, and do your own search here:
www.surlalunefairytales.c...ncing.html
Jess
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Helen
Registered User
(9/10/02 5:25:22 pm)
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Roundabout ...
Dear Heather:
Okay, this is kinda a roundabout way of doing things, but ... it's the only one that occurs to me at the moment. The story seems to be AT 306 (Aarne-Thompson tale type 306). In the index, they list French 3, which, if I understand the system correctly, means that it's the third story in their French source. Under French sources, they list this:
P. Delarue. Le Conte Populaire Francais, tome I. Paris, 1957.
and note
Manuscript for the rest of this work consulted in the Musee des Arts et Traditions Populaires.
Sooo ... I'd say, look up the Delarue - interlibrary loan? - and maybe look into ways of contacting the Musee (or, just wait for someone more familiar with this tale than myself to come along ... around here, they inevitably will, eventually). Good luck!
Best,
Helen
P.S. - it's not in the Zipes, or Oxford, but checking the Sanderson is an excellent idea.
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Heather
KT
Registered User
(9/11/02 4:10:32 pm)
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good ideas
Great suggestions-- I found Ruth Sanderson's book in paperback, and it is gorgeous. Also, it looks like UCLA has the Delarue book, so I can check it out next week.
Thanks!
Heather
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Don
Registered User
(9/11/02 5:36:02 pm)
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Possibility
I am by no means certain, but you might want to check whether Charles Deulin's "Les douze princesses dansantes" from his "Contes du roi Cambrinus" (1874) isn't the source of Lang's translation (adaptation?).
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Heather
KT
Registered User
(9/19/02 1:08:23 pm)
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mission accomplished - 12 Dancing Princesses evolution
Thanks, Helen & Don-- those two books were just what I needed to put it together.
FYI for anyone else interested in the evolution of "The Twelve Dancing Princesses":
According to P. Delarue's _Le Conte Populaire Francais_ (which turned out to be a fabulous series which catalogs French-language tales by Aarne-Thompson tale type, gives an example of each type, and then lists different versions), Charles Deulin composed his story "LES DOUZE PRINCESSES DANSANTES" (published in the collection _CONTES DU ROI CAMBRINUS_, 1874) based on the Grimm Bros story. Deulin borrowed the motif of the magic plant from Basile's version of Cinderella. Deulin was quite familiar with Basile's work-- he went on to publish a French translation of some of it. The ending, where the princess gets rid of her husband's magical plants, "thinking they gave him too much advantage over his wife," was apparently Deulin's own contribution, as were the little rhymes and other touches that give his story a Flemish flavor. Andrew Lan'gs version is a faithful, almost word-for-word translation of Deulin's story.
Other tidbits from Delarue:
-- In most French-language versions of this tale type, there is just one princess, not the 3 or 12 of "foreign" versions.
-- In another version, the punishment of the unlucky suitors is not death, but humiliation. They are forced to leave the castle sitting backwards on a donkey and holding its tail in both hands while people taunt and mock them.
-- In a version from the Antilles, an eagle, rather than a boatman, carries the princess over the water to the enchanted dancing hall. The eagle finds the weight of the invisible hero an unexpected burden.
-- In one Haitian version, the princess has been busy indeed-- she has 500 pairs of worn-out shoes to her (dis)credit!
-- Heather
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