The three languages

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The three languages is a fairy tale ( ATU 517, 725, 671). It is in the children's and house tales of the Brothers Grimm from the 2nd edition of 1819 at position 33 (KHM 33).

content

An old count sends his only son, because he cannot study, to famous masters three times for a year each time. After that, the son says he learned what the dogs bark, what the birds talk, and finally what the frogs croak. The angry father casts out his son. His people are supposed to kill him in the forest, but they have pity and instead bring the eyes and tongue of a deer to the landmark. On his hike, the young man relieves an area from haunted dogs by lifting a treasure under a tower because he understands their language. He's going to Rome . The cardinals want him as Pope because two white doves sit on his shoulders as a miraculous sign of God . He had heard it from the frogs on the way, which had made him thoughtful and sad. He agrees when the doves talk him into it. When he has to read mass , they tell him everything in his ear.

Hints

In previous editions, the hero also got the daughter of the land redeemed from the dogs as a wife.

Grimm's comment noted Hans Truffer from Upper Valais as the sender and gives evidence that the fairy tale relates to Pope New Year's Eve II or Innocent III. could relate. (see also Gregorius von Hartmann von Aue )

From the Middle Ages onwards, the fairy tale can often be traced in a similar way, the oldest in the Scala coeli collection by Johannes Gobi (No. 520).

Compare KHM 42 The Lord Godfather and KHM 44 The Godfather Death . On the stupid son who turns out to be wise, cf. KHM 28 The singing bone , KHM 54 The satchel, the hat and the horn , KHM 57 The golden bird , KHM 62 The queen bee , KHM 63 The three feathers , KHM 64 The golden goose , KHM 97 The water of life , KHM 106 The poor miller's boy and the kitten , KHM 165 The Griffin , KHM 64a The white pigeon . Cf. in Giambattista Basiles Pentameron I, 6 Die Aschenkatze .

interpretation

Because of the language of the animals, which is learned in silence, the fairy tale is an example of shamanistic roots in the story.

According to Bruno Bettelheim , the repudiation with attempted murder, as in Snow White , fits in with an adolescent conflict. The subject matter not understood by the father evidently calls into question his authority. Dogs are particularly close to people and represent the ego here , with treasure guarding also indicating greed for anal possession. With bird and frog language (the elements air and water) the hero also integrates the superego and id . The frogs as amphibians embodied the transition from a lower to a higher level of life and sexuality. The integrated personality can now listen to the white doves, in religious symbolism the Holy Spirit .

literature

  • Brothers Grimm: Children's and Household Tales. With 184 illustrations by contemporary artists and an afterword by Heinz Rölleke . Complete edition, 19th edition. Artemis and Winkler, Düsseldorf et al. 2002, ISBN 3-538-06943-3 , pp. 207-209.
  • Brothers Grimm: Children's and Household Tales. With the original notes of the Brothers Grimm. Volume 3: Original notes, guarantees of origin, epilogue (= Universal Library 3193). With an appendix of all fairy tales and certificates of origin, not published in all editions, published by Heinz Rölleke. Reprint, revised and bibliographically supplemented edition. Reclam, Stuttgart 1994, ISBN 3-15-003193-1 , pp. 75-76, 456.
  • Brothers Grimm: The most beautiful fairy tales. Selected by Ute Bogner. Delphin-Verlag, Munich et al. 1984, ISBN 3-7735-5183-5 , pp. 208-211.
  • Hans-Jörg Uther : Handbook to the "Children's and Household Tales" by the Brothers Grimm. Origin - Effect - Interpretation. de Gruyter, Berlin et al. 2008, ISBN 978-3-11-019441-8 , pp. 84-85.

Web links

Wikisource: The three languages  - sources and full texts

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Bruno Bettelheim: Children need fairy tales. 31st edition 2012. dtv, Munich 1980, ISBN 978-3-423-35028-0 , pp. 113-119.