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| The Faerytale Oracle |
The Wild Swans
Dedication
" All the people came flocking out at the town gate for they wanted to see the witch burned. An old horse drew the cart in which she sat. they had put upon her a garment of coarse sackcloth. Her lovely hair hung loose about her beautiful head, her cheeks were as pale as death, and her lips moved silently, while her fingers were engaged with the green flax. Even on the way to the death she didn't interrupt the work she had begun; the ten shirts of mail lay at her feet, and she wrought at the eleventh"
The fairy who came out to meet her was fair and shining, yet she closely resembled the old woman who gave her the berries in the forest and told her of the swans who wore golden crowns on their heads.
"Your brothers can be set free", she said, but have you got the courage and tenacity to do it? The sweater that changes the shape of rough stones is indeed softer than your delicate hands, but it can't feel the pain that your fingers will feel.
It has no heart, so it can't suffer the anguish and heartache that you will have to endure. Do you see this stinging nettle in my hand.
Many such nettles grow around the cave where you sleep, Only those and the ones grow upon graves in churchyards may be used - remmeber that.
Those you must gather, although they will burn your hands to blisters. Crush the nettles with your feet, and you will have flax, which you must spin and weave into eleven shirts of mail with long sleeves. Once you throw these over the eleven wild swans, the spell over them is broken. But keep this well in mind! From the moment you undertake this task until it's done, even though it lasts for years, you must not speak. The first word you say will strike your brothers' heart like a deadly knife,
Their lives are the mercy of your tongue. Now remmeber what I told you!
She touches Elisa's hand with nettles that burned like fire and awakened her.
This is a tale of suffering in order to save family or people we care for, from fate that is not their choosing. It's a tale of sacrificing and this must be done without recognition, for a long time. In this tale a young woman's brothers are enchanted into forms of swans - and she is told there is only one way to free them , and that's through the spinning of magical cloaks made from flax of stinging nettles, not a word can be spoken during this task. So for years, this woman has hands that are disfigured from burning and the pain, feet that can barely tread upon the earth, and she must do all in silence.
Her dedication to the this task and her silence in the face of demands for explanations creates mistrust all around her- but the truth is she can't speak, she must keep her in silence in face of demands for explanations creates mistrust all around her, but the truth she can't speak she, she must keep to her task, for she has dedicated herself to saving her brothers. This is the madness of doctors, scientists, those who discover ways of healing and helping that seems bizarre and strange, - incomprehensible to others. So this is the message of this card. to know that when we see people who are ferociously dedicated to a task or a mission, their single mindedness may seem madness - and in some ways it is
But if this energy put to a great purpose, it can bring about great healing and change, The message could also be that your own dedication maybe perceived as madness even creative hostility within the hearts of others. But still will result in healing, creativity, & great breakthrough.
"Story by Hans Christian Anderson" If you want the read the full story it's here The Wild Swans
Her dedication to the this task and her silence in the face of demands for explanations creates mistrust all around her- but the truth is she can't speak, she must keep her in silence in face of demands for explanations creates mistrust all around her, but the truth she can't speak she, she must keep to her task, for she has dedicated herself to saving her brothers. This is the madness of doctors, scientists, those who discover ways of healing and helping that seems bizarre and strange, - incomprehensible to others. So this is the message of this card. to know that when we see people who are ferociously dedicated to a task or a mission, their single mindedness may seem madness - and in some ways it is
But if this energy put to a great purpose, it can bring about great healing and change, The message could also be that your own dedication maybe perceived as madness even creative hostility within the hearts of others. But still will result in healing, creativity, & great breakthrough.
"Story by Hans Christian Anderson" If you want the read the full story it's here The Wild Swans
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| The Faerytale Oracle |
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| Vasilisa The Brave-Vasilisa The Beautiful |
Vasilisa felt all her sadness slipping away from her and fell asleep.
Her mother advised her Always carry it with you wherever you she goes It will help you whenever she's in trouble and comfort her when she has no one to turn to.
When you need help, go somewhere quiet and give it something to eat and it will tell you what to do.'
The doll helped her whenever she needed her mother's guidance
After fulfilling the most difficult tasks without complaining, she's been awarded by light, which she sought.
A long time ago there lived a merchant and his wife; they had one child, a girl called Vasilisa. One day the mother placed a little doll in the child's hands, she said, "My child, I am dying. Take this doll as my blessing. Always keep it with you and never show it to anybody. If anything bad happens to you, give the doll food and ask her for guidance." Shortly afterwards the mother died.
The Merchant soon became lonely and decided to marry again. He married a widow he thought would be a good mother but both she and her two daughters were envious of Vasilisa's beauty. They gave her heavy outdoor work to do, so she would grow thin and her face turn ugly in the wind and the sun.
Despite this, Vasilisa became more beautiful every day. For each day she gave her doll food and asked for advice. Having finished eating, the doll would help with the tasks and even bring Vasilisa herbs to prevent sunburn.
As the years passed, Vasilisa grew ever more beautiful as her stepmother's hatred of her intensified.
Then, whilst Vasilisa's father was away on business, the stepmother moved the family to the edge of a dense birch forest. This was not just any birch forest, for in this forest lived the terrifying witch, Baba-Yaga. A witch who ate people like others ate chicken.
Every day, the stepmother sent Vasilisa into the forest, but the girl always returned safe and sound with the guidance of her magic doll.
Then one night, the stepmother crept around the house and extinguished all the candles. As the last candle failed, she said in a loud voice.
"It's impossible to finish our work in the darkness. Somebody must go to Baba-Yaga and ask for a light."
"I'm not going," said the first stepdaughter, who was stitching lace. "I can see my needle."
"And I'm not going," said the second stepdaughter, who was knitting stockings, "I can see my needle."
So Vasilisa was thrown out into the dark forbidding forest. Despite her fear, she fed her magic doll and asked for its advice.
"Don't be afraid, Vasilisa," said the doll. "Go to Baba-Yaga and ask her to give you a light."
All that night, Vasilisa walked nervously through the forest holding the doll who guided her path. Then suddenly, she saw a horseman rushing by. His face and clothes were white and he was riding a white horse. As he passed the first light of dawn appeared across the sky. Then, another horseman came by. His face and clothes were red and he was riding a red horse. As he passed the sun began to rise. Vasilisa had never seen such strange men and she was very surprised.
She walked all day, until at last she came to Baba-Yaga's hut, which stood forbidding on its large chicken legs. A fence made of human bones surrounded the hut. It was crowned with human skulls. The gate had a sharp set of teeth that served as a lock. Vasilisa was terribly afraid.
Suddenly, another horseman galloped by. His face and clothes were black and he was riding a black horse. He rode through the gates and disappeared. As he passed, night descended.
As the sky darkened the eyes of the skulls began to glow. Their light illuminated the forest. Vasilisa trembled, she wanted to run but her legs would not move. Almost immediately she heard a hideous noise. The earth shook, the trees groaned and there was Baba-Yaga, riding in her mortar. She stopped and sniffed the air.
"I smell a human!" she cried. "Who is here?"
Vasilisa stepped forward, trembling with fear. She said, "I am, Vasilisa. My stepmother sent me to you to ask for a light."
"I know of her." Baba-Yaga replied. "Stay with me for a while. If you work well, I will give you light. If you do not, I will cook you and eat you."
Baba-Yaga commanded the gates to open and rode in. Vasilisa followed and the gates closed fast behind her.
As they entered the hut, Baba-Yaga ordered Vasilisa to bring her what was on the stove. There was enough food to feed ten men; then from the cupboard she collected kvas, mead, beer and wine. Baba-Yaga ate and drank everything. She left Vasilisa nothing but a crust of bread.
"I'm tired," Baba-Yaga said. "Tomorrow, Vasilisa, you must clean the yard, sweep the hut, cook the supper and wash the linen."
"Then," she added, "You must go to the corn bin and separate seed by seed the mildewed corn from the good corn, and mind that you remove all the black bits. If you don't complete these tasks I will eat you."
Soon Baba-Yaga started snoring, her long nose rattled against the roof of the hut. Vasilisa took her doll out of her pocket, gave it a crust of bread and said, "Please help me. Baba-Yaga has given me an impossible task to do and if I fail she will eat me."
The doll replied, "Don't be afraid, Vasilisa, eat your supper and go to bed. Mornings are wiser than evenings."
Although Vasilisa woke early the next morning, Baba-Yaga was already up. Vasilisa went to the corn bin and found the doll picking out the last black bits. The other tasks were also fulfilled. The doll said, "All you have to do now is prepare the supper and after that you can rest." Vasilisa thanked the doll and went to prepare supper. She cooked the food, laid the table and waited.
As the skulls' eyes began to shine, the trees groaned, the earth trembled, and there was Baba-Yaga.
"Have you done what I told you?" she asked Vasilisa.
"See for yourself," replied the girl.
Baba-Yaga was very upset, for she wanted to eat the girl but the tasks were all completed. Hiding her anger, she said, "Very good," and then cried loudly, "My faithful servants grind the wheat!"
From nowhere three pairs of hands appeared. They took the wheat and vanished.
Baba-Yaga ate the supper and said to Vasilisa, "Tomorrow you must do the same tasks and then you must go to the store room and sort out the dirt from the poppy seeds."
The next morning Baba-Yaga again rode off in her mortar. Vasilisa, with the help of her doll, finished the tasks. In the evening the old woman came back and checked everything over. Three pairs of hands appeared. They took the bin of poppy seeds and vanished.
Baba-Yaga sat down to eat.
"Why," she said, "do you sit there so quiet and still?"
"I'm afraid to speak," said Vasilisa, "would you mind if I asked you some questions?"
"Ask if you want," said Baba-Yaga, "but remember that not every question has a good answer."
Vasilisa hesitated, "It's just that on my way here I saw a white horseman. Who was he?"
"That was my Bright Day," answered Baba-Yaga.
Vasilisa continued, "Then I saw a red horseman. Who was he?"
"That was my Red Sun," answered Baba-Yaga.
"And then a black horseman overtook me whilst I was standing outside your gate. Who was he?"
"That was my Black Midnight," answered Baba-Yaga. "These horsemen are my faithful servants. Have you further questions?"
Vasilisa remembered the three pairs of hands but remained quiet.
"Now I have a question for you. How have you managed to carry out all the work so quickly?"
Vasilisa replied, "My mother's blessing helped me."
"I knew it," said Baba-Yaga. "You'd better be gone. I will not have people with blessings in my home."
With that, the old woman pushed Vasilisa out of the hut and through the gate.
Then she took one of the skulls, stuck it on the end of a stick and gave it to the girl, saying: "Here's a light for your stepmother and her daughters. That's what you came here for, isn't it?"
She walked all day and by the evening she reached her home. As she approached the gates she was about to throw away the skull, but suddenly she heard a muffled voice say: "You must keep me, your stepmother and her daughters have need of me."
The girl carried the skull into the house. As she entered, the skull fixed its eyes on the stepmother and her two daughters. Its eyes burnt them like fire. They tried to hide, but the piercing eyes followed them and never let them out of their sight. By morning nothing was left of the three women except three heaps of ash on the floor. Vasilisa was unharmed.
She buried the skull in the garden and went to find shelter in the nearest town. Here she lodged with an old woman.
One day the old woman gave Vasilisa some flax. With it Vasilisa spun the most beautiful thread, so fine it was like hair. Then she weaved the thread into the most exquisite cloth. It was brilliant white, soft and so beautiful. Vasilisa gave it to the old woman and said: "Grandmother, you have been so kind to me, sell this cloth and keep the money."
The old woman looked at it and said, "My child, this is too fine to sell. I am going to take it to the Tsar."
So she brought it to the Tsar as a gift. The Tsar thanked the old woman and gave her many presents before sending her home.
Impressed with the beautiful cloth, the Tsar tried to find someone who could make shirts from it. However all the tailors declined the work, as the cloth was too fine for them to handle. In the end the Tsar called the old woman and said, "You must also know how to sew the cloth as you made it."
The old woman replied, "No your Majesty. It was not my work. It was done by a girl I took in."
So the Tsar asked the old woman to see if Vasilisa would make the garments. Vasilisa made the shirts and the old woman took them to the Tsar.
As she waited for the old woman to return, one of the Tsar's servants entered. He said loudly, "His Majesty wishes to see the needlewoman who has made his wonderful clothes." So Vasilisa went to the palace.
Vasilisa and the Tsar were captivated by each other and eventually they married.
When Vasilisa's father returned, they invited both him and the old woman to come and live at the palace. Also at the palace was the little doll, for Vasilisa carried it around in her pocket until the day she died.
ref: myths & legends
"Story by Anonymous Russian Folk Tale " If you want the read the full story it's here Vasilisa The Beautiful or Baba Yaga & Vasilisa The Brave or here Vasilisa
*PS " Baba Yaga is well known in Slavic Folklore, even often use it to scare my niece & nephew when they don't well behave. "
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| The Faerytale Oracle |
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| Sister Alenushka Weeping about Brother |
According to Bruno Bettelheim, the brother "represents the endangered aspect of an essentially inseparable unity" (Bettelheim 1975, 79)
The image of the evil stepmother occurs frequently in fairy tales. She is associated with jealousy and cruelty (Olderr 1986). "In masculine psychology, the stepmother is a symbol of the unconscious in a destructive role" (von Franz 1970)
"Although the evil mother or stepmother is very much alive in the fairy tale, the good mother--protecting, loving and nurturing--is always dead. Yet she does not abandon her child completely, for she inevitably returns in the shape of benevolent natural powers" (Tatar 1987, 73).
A large forest: The forest is a recurrent image in German fairy tales, in part because over a quarter of the country is comprised of forest land. In the Grimms' tales, the forest is a supernatural world, a place where anything can happen and often does.
According to Jungian psychology, the forest is a representation of the feminine principle and is identified with the unconscious. The foliage blocks the sun's rays, the sun being associated with the male principle. The forest symbolizes the dangerous side of the unconscious, its ability to destroy reason (Cirlot 1962) and (Matthews 1986)
According to Bruno Bettelheim, as well as many other psychological critics, the brother's thirst represents his "instinctual pressures" which we all must learn to control (Bettelheim 1975, 80).
A witch: A witch and stepmother are the two villains in Hansel and Gretel. Many critics believe the two characters in that tale to be the same villain, both destroyed at the same time. This tale blatantly makes the stepmother the evil witch who persecutes the children. There is no differentiation between the stepmother and the witch. Another tale in which a stepmother witch persecutes her stepchildren is The Six Swans.
Belief in witches exists in nearly every culture worldwide (Leach 1949). In Jungian psychology, the witch is a personification of evil which eventually consumes itself. The witch symbolizes the destructive power of the unconscious (Luthi 1976).
Heard it murmuring: In Bettelheim's analysis, "the sister, representing ego and superego [the higher mental functions], recognizes the danger of seeking immediate satisfaction and persuades the brother to resist his thirst" (Bettelheim 1975, 80). Other analysts interpret the murmuring as being protection from the dead mother that the sister is able to hear, perhaps due to her maturity and/or gender.
References : The Uses of Enchantment: The Meaning and Importance of Fairy Tales (Penguin Psychology):
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