Dwarfs are interesting fairy tale characters. In Snow White, they are presented as human dwarfs, living in a cottage in the woods and working in mining of gold and minerals. But in other stories, they are presented more as magical creatures.
For instance, in one of this week’s tales, The Water of Life, each of the three princes in the story meet a dwarf while on their way to collect healing water for their dying father. The dwarf intercepts them, asking “Where are you going in such haste?” and depending on how they treat him, he curses or blesses them.
The oldest two sons are rude and the dwarf curses them so they are stuck in their quest.
The third son is polite and the dwarf tells him how to get safely into and out of the enchanted castle with the water of life.
The prince follows the directions, and on the way home sees the dwarf again and asks him to free his brothers. The dwarf warns him that his brothers have evil hearts. And, sure enough, his brothers double cross him. But the youngest prince is good and good prevails in fairy tales. By the end, the youngest prince comes out on top.
Here is what we learn about this particular dwarf. He:
- Has a strong sense of morality. He sees right through the first two brothers’ attitudes. They were seeking the Water of Life to better their position with their father so they could inherit the kingdom. The dwarf also intuits that the third brother is the one who is actually concerned with saving his dying father.
- Has magical ability to curse. As punishment for their arrogance, the dwarf curses the princes, trapping them in a mountain gorge. Later in the story, we also see he has the power to free the trapped princes.
- Has unique knowledge. He knows exactly where the Water of Life is, and the specific steps required to retrieve it successfully. (It appears many princes have tried to retrieve the water in the past, as the enchanted castle is full of these enchanted men, not having made it out by midnight.)
- His main role is as a mentor to the hero. The dwarf sets the hero on his path and giving him the tools to succeed. After that, we never see him again.
Here are my remaining questions (general and specific to the story):
- Are fairy tale dwarfs more often human, magical creatures, or possibly humans possessing magic (but not always)?
- Why does this particular dwarf hang out on the road asking travelers questions? Is he part of the enchanted castle? Guardian of the Water of Life?
- Do all these dwarfs act independently, or is there some kind of dwarf code they follow? Are they assigned territory?
- Why are instructions in fairy tales always so random, yet specific? (I sense a blog post brewing)
What else should we wonder about fairy tale dwarfs? I’d love to hear what you’re thinking.
