ATU 426: The Two Girls, the Bear, and the Dwarf

This was supposed to post yesterday. Better late than never!

Did you realize that Snow White and Rose Red is an Animal Bridegroom tale? I know it is--I even say so in my history of the tale on the SurLaLune main site--but I often don't think of it as such. I know I am often focused on the two sisters and their relationship with each other as much as the bear. But that bear is an enchanted prince and he is disenchanted by the sisters and then one marries him. The tale is classed as ATU 426: The Two Girls, the Bear, and the Dwarf is very, very rare actually. The best know version is the Grimms, although their version is based on a tale, "The Ungrateful Dwarf," written by Karoline (or Caroline) Stahl. I include the tale for this reason in Beauty and the Beast Tales From Around the World. Most other variants are most likely derived from the Grimms version since it was disseminated all over Europe and beyond.