When people think fairy tales, one of the tropes that gets listed is the happily ever after. And most fairy tales do turn out well for the protagonist.
This week, we read a number of very short fairy tales. Actually three of them might be better classified as narrative poems. The other fairy tale has an abrupt ending, as if the story teller was going for shock value…or forgot the real ending and just wrapped it up there.
I’m talking about The Three Black Princesses.
The story begins quite intriguing:
East India was besieged by an enemy who would not retire until he had received six hundred dollars.
Then the townsfolk caused it to be proclaimed by beat of drum that whosoever was able to procure the money should be burgomaster.
Now there was a poor fisherman who fished on the lake with his son, and the enemy came and took the son prisoner, and gave the father six hundred dollars for him.
So the father went and gave them to the great men of the town, and the enemy departed, and the fisherman became burgomaster.
With this set up, I’m thinking there might be a twist to the story, given that the enemy demanded the money, then, in essence, paid the money himself. Alas, we don’t hear anything more about this enemy.
I could imagine that he is involved in the events that follow with the princesses, but the story doesn’t say.
You see, the princess are trapped in a castle inside a mountain. All they need, apparently is for the fisherman’s son (who “escaped” the enemy) to not speak to them for a year and to not look at them….but also! If he wanted anything he just had to ask, and if they were able, he could have it.
Don’t speak to us…but speak to us. The fisherman’s son should have known right there he’d have trouble!
To make a short story even shorter, the fisherman’s son messes up. He takes his mom’s advice to pour hot water (or hot wax) on their faces while they’re sleeping. This only wakes them up angry!
“Thou accursed dog, our blood shall cry for vengeance on thee! Now there is no man born in the world, nor will any ever be born who can set us free! We have still three brothers who are bound by seven chains—they shall tear thee to pieces.”
He jumps out the window and breaks his leg. The castle sinks back into the earth and the mountain closes around it.
Add to the ending the ominous “…and no one knew where the castle had stood.”
All readers know what that ending means — a sequel! Someone, maybe a woodsman this time, needs to go on a quest to find The Lost Castle of the Three Black Princesses.
