Beauty and the Beast and ATU 425: The Search for the Lost Husband

Yesterday I began a series of posts about ATU tale typing of Animal Bridegroom tales. Today I will continue by focusing solely on ATU 425, the behemoth of the Animal Bridegroom tales. As I mentioned yesterday, Swahn and Thompson broke ATU 425 down into sixteen distinct subtypes. The new Uther revision has consolidated these into eight subtypes, combining several of the very small ones into the larger types.

ATU 425 The Search for the Lost Husband is the main title for the type and those tales which don't easily fall into one of the subtypes--the indeterminate ones which are still obvious 425--are kept at ATU 425 and are not further classified. ATU 425C is the subtype for Beauty and the Beast, considered the "short" version of the tale since it usually ends after the Beast's broken enchantment. These usually are obvious derivatives of the Villeneuve and Beaumont versions of the tale. It is a significant subset with its differences from the other types which are much longer and have a solid literary history with an overwhelming popularity in popular culture.

The largest groups, however, are ATU 425A: The Animal as Bridegroom and ATU 425B: Son of the Witch (previously The Disenchanted Husband: the Witch’s Tasks). These two have been switched around a few times and can be confusing.

From my introduction to Beauty and the Beast Tales From Around the World:

The most common subtypes are 425A and 425B, which are very similar and have had their defining elements switched back and forth across assorted studies. Uther clarified their differences with his revisions, stating, "Essential for Type 425A are the motifs 'wife's quest and gifts' and 'nights bought'" in which the heroine uses gifts she has received along her quest in trade to spend the night in her estranged husband's room. He also states for ATU 425B, "The essential feature of this type is the quest for the casket, which entails the visit to the second witch’s house. Usually the supernatural bridegroom is the witch’s son, and he helps his wife perform the tasks." In these tales, the heroine performs impossible tasks culminating in retrieving a box from a dangerous witch who is expected to kill her. In the updated system, Cupid and Psyche is in essence the original ATU 425B tale. A popular example of 425A can be found in the Norwegian "East of the Sun and West of the Moon" (1845) collected by Peter Christen Asbjornsen and Jorgen Moe although one of the earliest versions can be found in "Pinto-Smauto" by Giambattista Basile. Many examples of these tales are provided in this anthology for comparison and analysis.

ATU 425A is the largest of them all, rather surprising since it is apparently newer than ATU 425B's Cupid and Psyche. There are 34 examples of it in Beauty and the Beast Tales From Around the World. There are only 14 ATU 425B tales in the collection.

I will share more ATU 425 subsets tomorrow so stay tuned.

Tale Typing Beauty and the Beast and Other Animal Husband Tales

I receive occasional emails about the ATU system of folktale typing. I am far from an expert although I know how to use the system for research. I have a black belt in that small part of it. I hate typing tales on my own, because it is rarely a slam dunk decision.

Tale typing is helpful for finding similar tales but there is very much an art and science to tale typing, one that can be intimidating when tales fail to meet the criteria comfortably or sufficiently. And what about when the groom is not an animal? But everything else fits the type criteria? I'll be sharing more of those soon when I begin sharing individual tales. But let's start at the beginning today's post. Since I decided to include tales from ATU 425-449, I ended up dealing with over 40 tale types for this book, including all of the subtypes and previous iterations of the system. I had only dealt with up to six or seven previously for Cinderella Tales From Around the World. Child's play and I didn't even know it then.

From my introduction to Beauty and the Beast Tales From Around the World:

In 1910, Antti Aarne created a system to classify types of Scandinavian folktales and published it with the title, Verzeichnis der Märchentypen (Index of Folktale Types). Stith Thompson later adapted the system in 1928 and again in 1961 with the title, The Types of the Folktale: A Classification and Bibliography. Although other folklore classification systems exist, this system has become the most widely used in folklore scholarship despite its flaws, especially its European-centric limitations. Tale types are designated in this system with the AT designation followed by a classification number, such as AT 425.

In 2004, Hans-Jörg Uther further revised the system, both streamlining and expanding it, with the publication of The Types of International Folktales: A Classification and Bibliography. The system has been adopted in current scholarship and now most tale typing includes the ATU designation to denote usage of the updated tale types. The system groups Animal Husband tales—including Beauty and the Beast—in a range of types: 425-449. The ATU index and bibliography is not limited to English language versions—they are in the minority in the bibliography—so the index is a critical tool for anyone searching for a large listing of Animal Bridegroom variants. The Animal Bridegroom listings are far from comprehensive and further direct the researcher to external sources, such as the work of Jan Öjvind Swahn.

In his book, The Tale of Cupid and Psyche (1955), Swahn compiled a list and studied over 1,100 Animal Bridegroom tales. Concentrating on AT 425: The Search for the Lost Husband—which includes Cupid and Psyche as well as Beauty and the Beast—Swahn subdivided the tales into seven sections and provided a list of motifs for each section of the tale. The seven sections include: I. Introductory Motifs, II. The Supernatural Husband, III. The Marriage, IV. The Breaking of the Taboo, V. The Search for the Husband, VI. The Reunion, and VII. Final Motifs.

Swahn determined the sixth section, The Reunion, to have the most variety across all AT 425 tales and so he divided it into fifteen subtypes, designated with the letters A-O—except for I—and the letter X for indeterminate. Discussing each of these subtypes in detail is not the goal of this introduction, but a chart has been provided in the appendix to help readers learn more about each by referencing representative tales in this collection.

Swahn’s work, in turn, influenced Thompson’s revisions in The Types of the Folktale in 1961. Some of the classifications chosen by Swahn and adopted by Thompson were very narrow, containing a low number of tales limited to a small geographical area. During his revisions in 2004, Uther folded several of these back into the larger type classes, primarily ATU 425A and 425B, making the system more functional but less refined for studying this specific tale type.

I mention the chart from the back of my book--it was one of the greatest challenges of the book. Tale typing Animal Bridegroom tales is a brainteaser--I think this book staved off Alzheimer's for at least five extra years of my life--and then there have been significant changes to the system over the years, too. Whenever a tale in the collection fit in one of the old tale types--say an AT 425L The Padlock on the Enchanted Husband which is now folded into ATU 425E The Enchanted Husband Sings Lullaby--I chose the older, more precise type with a reference to the new type. With most of these, I only have 1-3 representative tales, mostly because there are so few to begin with. They were steamlined for good reasons.

And then there is all the confusion over the two largest types, ATU 425A and ATU 425B. But that will be tomorrow's discussion. This post is long enough!

Fairy Tales in Advertising: Flodilocks and Progressive

That is a recent commercial from Progressive Insurance using Goldilocks for inspiration. Saw it a few weeks ago while I was watching something with the husband. He turned to me and said, "You're going to blog that, right?"

Ah, marriage. He knows me so well.

Anyway, I actually like the commercial for what it is and it has a great ending line for the bears. Poor bears. They almost always get the short end of the stick.

I am always reminded about how I want to do a series of posts on Goldilocks and those bears. I don't think I will ever do a SurLaLune book collection for the tale but I have learned a lot more than is on the SurLaLune site over the years.

The weekend--spent at the Southern Festival of Books!--wiped me out and I am still catching up. So Beauty and the Beast posts should resume on Wednesday after I can do some final edits on posts. Never fear, I am still going to write lots more about the tale. I am regrouping since I had to refill my brain with Cinderella for the book festival--thanks to the 25+ souls who came and listened to me on Friday for an hour. It was fun although I was a little worried about the young ones in the audience. Cinderella is not always for the Princess set! I told about her murderous history--well, one of the tamest versions in the most understated way. I didn't touch the Greek Cinderellas which are perhaps the most disturbing.

Amazon Kindle Book Deals for This Weekend

Amazon is having one of their The Big Deal: Kindle Books Up to 80% Off sales for the Columbus Day weekend. There are a few books that may interest readers here, so I'll share. Most are $1.99.

The Silver Bowl by Diane Stanley hasn't been on sale before to my knowledge and was on my alert list.

Unwanted at home, Molly goes to work for the king of Westria as a humble scullery maid. She arrives at the castle with no education, no manners, and a very disturbing secret: She sees visions, and those visions always come true.

One day, while she's working in the king's great hall, young Prince Alaric passes by. Molly finds him unbearably handsome—but also unbearably rude. But what does it really matter? She'll probably never see him again.

In time Molly is promoted to polishing silver and is given a priceless royal treasure to work on: the king's great ceremonial hand basin. But there's something odd about it. The silver warms to her touch, a voice commands her to watch and listen, and then the visions appear. They tell the story of a dreaded curse that has stalked the royal family for years. There have already been deaths; soon there will be more.

As tragedy after tragedy strikes the royal family, Molly can't help but wonder: Will the beautiful Alaric be next? Together with her friends Tobias and Winifred, Molly must protect the prince and destroy the curse. Could a less likely champion be found to save the kingdom of Westria?

The Princess and the Hound by Mette Ivie Harrison.

He is a prince and heir to a kingdom threatened on all sides, possessor of the forbidden animal magic.

She is a princess from a rival kingdom, the daughter her father never wanted, isolated from all except her hound.

In this lush and beautifully written fairy-tale romance, a prince, a princess, and two kingdoms are joined in the aftermath of a war. Proud, stubborn, and bound to marry for duty, George and Beatrice will steal your heart—but will they fall in love?

Forgive My Fins by Tera Lynn Childs

Lily Sanderson has a secret, and it's not that she has a huge crush on gorgeous swimming god Brody Bennett, who makes her heart beat flipper-fast. Unrequited love is hard enough when you're a normal teenage girl, but when you're half human, half mermaid, like Lily, there's no such thing as a simple crush.

Lily's mermaid identity is a secret that can't get out, since she's not just any mermaid—she's a Thalassinian princess. When Lily found out three years ago that her mother was actually a human, she finally realized why she didn't feel quite at home in Thalassinia, and she's been living on land and going to Seaview High School ever since, hoping to find where she truly belongs. Sure, land has its problems—like her obnoxious biker-boy neighbor, Quince Fletcher—but it has that one major perk: Brody. The problem is, mermaids aren't really the casual dating type—the instant they "bond," it's for life.

When Lily's attempt to win Brody's love leads to a tsunami-sized case of mistaken identity, she is in for a tidal wave of relationship drama, and she finds out, quick as a tailfin flick, that happily ever after never sails quite as smoothly as you planned.

Coraline 10th Anniversary Enhanced Edition by Neil Gaiman

When Coraline steps through a door to find another house strangely similar to her own (only better), things seem marvelous.

But there's another mother there, and another father, and they want her to stay and be their little girl. They want to change her and never let her go.

Coraline will have to fight with all her wits and courage if she is to save herself and return to her ordinary life.

This enhanced edition contains the full text of the novel, plus the following bonus content:

Original Coraline manuscript pages
Coraline's Many Houses: A Retrospective
Video: The official Coraline Movie Trailer
An excerpt from the Coraline Graphic Novel, adapted and illustrated by P. Craig Russell
Audio: Coraline Graphic Novel Podcast
Audio: An excerpt from the Coraline audiobook, read by Neil Gaiman
Audio: Music from the Coraline audiobook, performed by the Gothic Archies
Excerpts from other books by Neil Gaiman with illustrations by Dave McKean: The Graveyard Book, The Wolves in the Walls, The Day I Swapped My Dad for Two Goldfish, Crazy Hair
Coraline Foreign Edition Cover Gallery

Repost: Heidi's Wishlist: Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss

I originally posted this almost a year ago and thought it would be fitting to share again today since I discussed Cupid and Psyche earlier. Still don't know if I am going to acquire this statue.... 

Eros (Cupid) & Psyche by Antonio Canova Greek Roman Mythology Lovers Statue, Marble Finish 11-inch is another item on my personal wishlist. The statue is actually titled Psyche Revived by Cupid's Kiss.

There are a few pieces of art in the world that are beloved by many. While it sometimes feels trite to love them when they are so popular, there are some that have such power that no apologies can really be expected. And, of course, several of these are in the Louvre. No, I don't mean the Mona Lisa. She leaves me cold. But Cupid and Psyche by Antonio Canova and the Victory of Samothrace are two of my favorites. Another favorite is the Unicorn Tapestries in the Cloisters in New York. Their power over me quite shocked me but that is another entry for another day.

I have been to see the real Canova piece in the Louvre several times, but this is a wonderful statue and I hope to see it many more times. Since I am currently working on Beauty and the Beast Tales from Around the World, Cupid and Psyche is particularly frequent in my thinking these days. I've always been drawn to these ATU 425 tales more than any other so I am really loving working on this book.

These images are my own from my 2008 trip. It is so hard to get good pictures of this piece because it is large, it's corner can be dark, and it is usually swamped by tourists. I am actually surprised I got photos this good, although my desired close-up studies overall turned out too blurry to share. In these situations, I'm an amateur photographer and tired tourist with a basic touristy camera trying to get some shots before someone jostles me or steps into my view range. Very frustrating. But the statue makes me forget.

The statue may have to be my reward for when I finish the Beauty and the Beast tales book. And if you, too, love Cupid and Psyche in art, I highly recommend The Tale of Cupid and Psyche: An Illustrated History. It costs more than the replica statue, but it is a pleasure.

Cupid and Psyche and Beauty and the Beast

So far, in my discussion about Beauty and the Beast Tales From Around the World (and ebook link), I have talked about the early history of the tale and the versions by Villeneuve and Beaumont. I have also been busily updating the Beauty and the Beast and East of the Sun and West of the Moon pages at SurLaLune. I am very much behind, but the History of Beauty and the Beast and Tales Similar to Beauty and the Beast pages are pretty much done. Of course, these will be supplemented by the same pages on East of the Sun once I have completed those updates. The Beauty and the Beast Bibliography is also under reconstruction and about a third of the way done.

To sum up, we've established that Beauty and the Beast is firmly a literary tale with definite, traceable origins. But hey, this is folklore. Things are never that simple. Because writers have been drawing inspiration forever from artistic creations that preceded them and folklore, especially myth and fairy tales, has been a primary source for just as long.

So for today, we go back, way back, in history to the second century A.D. to what can be considered one of the genesis--if not the genesis--Animal Bridegroom tale. Absolutes are always open for debate and I'm not starting one here.

Again, from my introduction to Beauty and the Beast Tales From Around the World:

Although there are valid arguments for some Greek and Roman myths as sources—such as the stories of “Zeus and Semele,” “Europa and Zeus,” and “Kallisto and Zeus”—they require complicated analysis for comparing to Beauty and the Beast. One of the best discussions about early mythic Beauties and Beasts can be found in Graham Anderson’s Fairytale in the Ancient World (2000).

The earliest traceable literary source for Beauty and the Beast is the story of Cupid and Psyche. The tale appears in Metamorphoses, commonly known as The Golden Ass, written by Apuleius in the second century AD. Cupid and Psyche is the best known and most enduring story from The Golden Ass. Speculation over Apuleius’s work supposes that he, too, derived the story from an earlier source. Examples of Cupid and Psyche appear in visual art centuries prior to Apuleius, but no literary examples exist, either because they never did or because they have been lost in the ravages of history. An excellent compendium and study of the tale can be found in The Tale of Cupid and Psyche: An Illustrated History (2002) by Sonia Cavicchioli. Whatever Apuleius’s influences may have been, his version of Cupid and Psyche is the one that primarily influenced future literary and artistic interpretations of the tale for the two millennia that followed, especially when it was embraced during the Renaissance and after.

Cupid and Psyche—of which two versions are offered in this collection, one a direct translation of Apuleius—shares many elements with Beauty and the Beast, but the stories are quite different. In truth, Cupid and Psyche has influenced a large range of Animal Bridegroom tales—as they are commonly labeled—and Beauty and the Beast tales are only a small, albeit very popular, portion. 

 

Anderson discusses Cupid and Psyche the most in his chapter on Beauty and the Beast, but he also has some useful discussion of other myths I listed above. I didn't include those myths in my book since the connections are rather tenuous and other stories gained priority. They would be included in a companion book if I do it.

A quick read of a version of Cupid and Psyche for children--if you are not overly familiar with the tale--may be helpful since it is a quick read although significantly shorter than the original. The story has been interpreted and referenced over and over again. I've collected a nice library of poetry and visual art over the years.

Significant things to note about Cupid and Psyche--he's a god, not a beast. But the story elements are so influential that there is no doubt about it being part of the Animal Bridegroom folktale type. Also, Psyche is rather frustratingly stupid at times. While the heroine grows and makes less mistakes as the story progresses in other tales of this type, Psyche makes mistakes pretty much up to the end although her heart is in the right place. There is certainly the air of myth instead of fairy tale to the story, for the humans have to be lesser than the gods.