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Author
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Comment
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briggsw
Unregistered User
(12/8/04 9:42 pm)
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Need a fairy tale: battles, adventure, rescue maiden
Hi all,
I'm helping put together a workshop for men. We want to base it on a fairy tale that has some battle to be fought, some kind of adventure (I guess they mostly do!), and a maiden to rescue.
Thing is, when I think of fairy tales that have a maiden rescued (Snow White, Rapunzel, Sleeping Beauty), they're really about the woman, and we don't see Prince Charming's struggles.
Any thoughts?
I'd prefer a classic one, but we'd even take pop culture if needed.
Thanks,
Will
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AliceCEB
Registered User
(12/9/04 9:01 am)
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Re: Need a fairy tale: battles, adventure, rescue maiden
Some suggestions:
Peter Pan--Peter rescues Wendy several times. Lots of battles.
Puss In Boots--the cat woos a princess for the young man. Although the young man is quite passive, Puss is generally viewed as male. The main battle is of wits.
Jack and the Beanstalk--Jack rescues the beautiful harp (maiden?). Again, mostly a battle of wits.
Shrek--modern tale, but does start with Shrek rescuing the princess, and there's lots of action.
Neil Gaiman's Stardust--rescued maiden, lots of adventure.
I'm sure more will come to mind...
Best,
Alice
Edited by: AliceCEB at: 12/9/04 9:11 am
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Helen J Pilinovsky
Registered User
(12/9/04 9:06 am)
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Re: Need a fairy tale: battles, adventure, rescue maiden
A great many of the Russian fairy tales focus on the heroes adventures: one example might be the tale of "Koschei the Deathless," ortherwise known as "Marya Morevna," in which a young prince wins the lady in battle (well, actually, stumbles onto *her* battlefield) and then makes the mistake of freeing a very dangerous prisoner from her castle when she rides away on conquest; the prisoner promptly reverses the situation to capture *her,* and the prince needs must face many trials to defeat their enemy and regain his bride. The story focuses more or less exclusively on his perspective ...
Best,
Helen
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aka Greensleeves
Registered User
(12/9/04 2:41 pm)
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Re: Need a fairy tale: battles, adventure, rescue maiden
You might consider hitting the library and picking up a volume of Grimm or Hans Christian Anderson. Many of their tales have male protagonists, but aren't part of the prevailing "princess" culture we see so prominently these days. HCA's "The Tinderbox" springs to mind (although he more wins the hand of the maiden, then rescues her). I can think of several Grimm stories that are named for their male protagonists, but I can't remember the plots off the top of my head.
I know you're intending to stick with the bare bones of the basic stories, but there are several retellings of those "maiden-based" stories you've referenced that focus on the prince. In OS Card's "Sleeping Beauty" retelling, ENCHANTMENT, for example, the protagonist is the young man who wakes her. This actually ties into Helen's point about Russian tales--this novel is based on a Russian Sleeping Beauty story.
Can I ask a question? What is the purpose of this exercise, and what is the reason behind a men's workshop with the goal (reward?) of rescuing a maiden? Just curious....
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briggsw
Unregistered User
(12/9/04 7:49 pm)
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Re: Need a fairy tale: battles, adventure, rescue maiden
Thanks, all. The purpose of the workshop will be to make for healthier relating to one's wife or S.O. (or potential S.O.). One important theme is that one shouldn't expect one's S.O. to make one all right; two half-people don't make a whole marriage, that sort of thing -- I think.
I'll have to check out Card's Enchantment. I haven't liked his fantasy, but I do like his other stuff.
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redtriskell
Registered User
(12/11/04 2:19 am)
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Re: Re: Need a fairy tale: battles, adventure, rescue maide
While I don't really have much to add, I was intruiged by your comment on a workshop for men. Are you a psychologist? And in any case, kudos for using fairy tale themes to teach people. I think men frequently dismiss these kinds of stories as girly, and, therefore, having nothing to offer a man. Anyway, good luck with your project.
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briggsw
Unregistered User
(12/12/04 2:02 pm)
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Shrink?
(No, I'm no therapist!)
I am sure there are other such workshops, since the mythopoeic men's movement loves using fairy tales (Iron John by Robert Bly; Men and the Water of Life by Michael Mead uses one or two as well). Robert Johnson's books He, She, and We chronicle male and female development and romantic love in the context of Parsifal, Cupid and Psyche, and Tristan and Isolde.
Although I loved fairy tales before I came across these, I think they're great for exploring the psyche too.
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Jess
Unregistered User
(12/17/04 9:16 am)
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The water of life?
Isn't this the tale where the prince goes to help the father, but rescues the maiden, reveals his false brothers, and learns to trust appropriate outsiders? Seems it would work in your instance.
Jess
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briggsw
Unregistered User
(12/17/04 9:41 pm)
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Water of Life
I think Mead was using Water of Life in a different way. But I'll look up the story!
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Jess
Unregistered User
(12/17/04 11:52 pm)
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Tales of the Arabian Nights
There are several tales of the Arabian nights that deal more specifically with men, there breach of trust, and consequences. You might want to peruse these.
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