Guerrino and the Savage Man
Encyclopedia
Guerrino and the Savage Man is an Italian literary fairy tale
written by Giovanni Francesco Straparola
in The Facetious Nights of Straparola
.
It is Aarne-Thompson type 502, and the oldest known written variant of it. Other tales of this type include Iron John
and Georgic and Merlin
.
. Imprisoning him, he gave the keys to the queen. He set out hunting again, and Guerrino wanted to see the wild man. The wild man stole an arrow he carried and promised to give it back if Guerrino freed him. Guerrino did so and warned him to flee; the wild man told him that he would and left. (The wild man in fact had been a handsome youth who had despaired of the love of a lady and so took to the wild.)
The queen woke and questioned everyone. Guerrino told her that no one would be punished but him, because he did it. The queen took two faithful servants, gave them money, and sent Guerrino away. The king returned and found the wild man gone. The queen told that Guerrino had done it, and then that she had sent Guerrino away, which enraged him even more, that she should think he would hold his son in less regard than the wild man. He searched for him but did not find him.
The servants agreed to kill Guerrino, but they could not agree on how to divide the loot; while they still had not settled, a fine young man greeted them and asked to come with him, and Guerrino agreed. This was the same wild man; he had met a fairy
suffering from a distemper, who had burst out laughing at the sight of him and so been cured. She transformed
him, endowed him magic powers, and gave him a magic horse.
They came to a town, Irlanda, ruled by King Zifroi with two beautiful daughters, Potentiana and Eleuteria. Guerrino took lodgings. The young man made to go on, but Guerrino persuaded him to stay. At the time, the lands were attacked by a wild horse and a wild mare that ruined crops and killed beasts, men, and women. The two servants told the king that Guerrino had boasted that he could kill these horses. The king summoned him and promised to reward him if he did it; when Guerrino hesitated, he threatened to execute him if he did not. The young man told him to get a blacksmith's services from the king, and then have the blacksmith make enormous horseshoes for the young man's horse. Then he had Guerrino ride the horse until he met the horse, at which point he should dismount, free the horse, and climb a tree. Guerrino did this, the horses fought, and the wild one was defeated. The king was pleased, but the servants furious because of their failure. They said that Guerrino had boasted likewise of the wild mare, and the king set him to defeat it as well; he did, as he had the horse.
The night after, he was woken by a noise and found a wasp in a honey pot, which he freed.
The king summoned him, said he had to reward him, and offered him one of his daughters, if Guerrino could tell beneath their veils which was Potentiana, who had golden hair, and which Eleuteria, who had silver hair. If he guessed wrong, he would be executed. Guerrino went back to his lodgings, where the young man told him that the wasp would fly three times around Potentiana, and she would drive it off three times, that night. Then he should identify her. Guerrino said he did not know how he could reward him for his favors. The young man told him that he was the wild man, and so he was but returning what Guerrino had done for him, and his name was Rubinetto.
Guerrino went to the palace, where the princesses were entirely covered with white veils. The king told him to make his choice, time was passing, but Guerrino insisted on the full time. The wasp buzzed about Potentiana, and she drove it off. Guerrino said she was Potentiana, and they married. Rubinetto married Eleuteria. Guerrino's parents heard of him, and he returned to them with his wife and Rubinetto and his wife, where they lived in happiness.
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
written by Giovanni Francesco Straparola
Giovanni Francesco Straparola
Giovanni Francesco "Gianfrancesco" Straparola was an Italian writer and fairy tale collector from Caravaggio, Italy. He has been termed the progenitor of the literary form of the fairy tale in Europe...
in The Facetious Nights of Straparola
The Facetious Nights of Straparola
]The Facetious Nights of Straparola , also known as The Nights of Straparola, is a two-volume collection of 75 stories by Italian author and fairy-tale collector Giovanni Francesco Straparola...
.
It is Aarne-Thompson type 502, and the oldest known written variant of it. Other tales of this type include Iron John
Iron John
"Iron John" is a German fairy tale found in the collections of the Brothers Grimm, tale number 136, about a wild man and a prince...
and Georgic and Merlin
Georgic and Merlin
Georgic and Merlin is a French fairy tale collected by François Cadic in "La Paroisse bretonne".It is Aarne-Thompson type 502. The oldest known tale of this type is Guerrino and the Savage Man. Another variant is Iron John.-Synopsis:...
.
Synopsis
A king, Filippomaria, had an only son, Guerrino. One day, while hunting, the king captured a wild manWoodwose
The wild man is a mythical figure that appears in the artwork and literature of medieval Europe, comparable to the satyr or faun type in classical mythology and to Silvanus, the Roman god of the woodlands.The defining characteristic of the figure is its "wildness"; from the 12th century...
. Imprisoning him, he gave the keys to the queen. He set out hunting again, and Guerrino wanted to see the wild man. The wild man stole an arrow he carried and promised to give it back if Guerrino freed him. Guerrino did so and warned him to flee; the wild man told him that he would and left. (The wild man in fact had been a handsome youth who had despaired of the love of a lady and so took to the wild.)
The queen woke and questioned everyone. Guerrino told her that no one would be punished but him, because he did it. The queen took two faithful servants, gave them money, and sent Guerrino away. The king returned and found the wild man gone. The queen told that Guerrino had done it, and then that she had sent Guerrino away, which enraged him even more, that she should think he would hold his son in less regard than the wild man. He searched for him but did not find him.
The servants agreed to kill Guerrino, but they could not agree on how to divide the loot; while they still had not settled, a fine young man greeted them and asked to come with him, and Guerrino agreed. This was the same wild man; he had met a fairy
Fairy
A fairy is a type of mythical being or legendary creature, a form of spirit, often described as metaphysical, supernatural or preternatural.Fairies resemble various beings of other mythologies, though even folklore that uses the term...
suffering from a distemper, who had burst out laughing at the sight of him and so been cured. She transformed
Shapeshifting
Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...
him, endowed him magic powers, and gave him a magic horse.
They came to a town, Irlanda, ruled by King Zifroi with two beautiful daughters, Potentiana and Eleuteria. Guerrino took lodgings. The young man made to go on, but Guerrino persuaded him to stay. At the time, the lands were attacked by a wild horse and a wild mare that ruined crops and killed beasts, men, and women. The two servants told the king that Guerrino had boasted that he could kill these horses. The king summoned him and promised to reward him if he did it; when Guerrino hesitated, he threatened to execute him if he did not. The young man told him to get a blacksmith's services from the king, and then have the blacksmith make enormous horseshoes for the young man's horse. Then he had Guerrino ride the horse until he met the horse, at which point he should dismount, free the horse, and climb a tree. Guerrino did this, the horses fought, and the wild one was defeated. The king was pleased, but the servants furious because of their failure. They said that Guerrino had boasted likewise of the wild mare, and the king set him to defeat it as well; he did, as he had the horse.
The night after, he was woken by a noise and found a wasp in a honey pot, which he freed.
The king summoned him, said he had to reward him, and offered him one of his daughters, if Guerrino could tell beneath their veils which was Potentiana, who had golden hair, and which Eleuteria, who had silver hair. If he guessed wrong, he would be executed. Guerrino went back to his lodgings, where the young man told him that the wasp would fly three times around Potentiana, and she would drive it off three times, that night. Then he should identify her. Guerrino said he did not know how he could reward him for his favors. The young man told him that he was the wild man, and so he was but returning what Guerrino had done for him, and his name was Rubinetto.
Guerrino went to the palace, where the princesses were entirely covered with white veils. The king told him to make his choice, time was passing, but Guerrino insisted on the full time. The wasp buzzed about Potentiana, and she drove it off. Guerrino said she was Potentiana, and they married. Rubinetto married Eleuteria. Guerrino's parents heard of him, and he returned to them with his wife and Rubinetto and his wife, where they lived in happiness.
See also
- The Magician's HorseThe Magician's HorseThe Magician's Horse is a Greek fairy tale. Andrew Lang included it in The Grey Fairy Book.-Synopsis:A king's three sons went hunting, and the youngest got lost. He came to a great hall and ate there. Then he found an old man, who asked him who he was. He told how he had become lost and offered...
- The Hairy ManThe Hairy ManThe Hairy Man is a Russian fairy tale. Andrew Lang included it in The Crimson Fairy Book.-Synopsis:Two ricks of a king's rapeseed fields are found burned every night. Finally, a shepherd with dogs keeps watch, and catches the "hairy man" who is responsible. The king puts him in a cage...
- DapplegrimDapplegrimDapplegrim is a Norwegian fairy tale collected by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe in their Norske Folkeeventyr. Andrew Lang included it in The Red Fairy Book.-Synopsis:The youngest of twelve sons goes off to serve the king for a year...
- The Little Girl Sold with the PearsThe Little Girl Sold with the Pears"The Little Girl Sold with the Pears" is an Italian fairy tale collected by Italo Calvino in Italian Folktales, from Piedmont. Ruth Manning-Sanders included a variant, as "The Girl in the Basket", in A Book of Ogres and Trolls.-Plot summary:...
- ThirteenthThirteenth (fairy tale)Thirteenth is an Italian fairy tale collected by Thomas Frederick Crane in Italian Popular Tales. It is Aarne-Thompson type 328, the boy steals the giant's treasures.-Synopsis:...
- Boots and the TrollBoots and the TrollBoots and the Troll is a Norwegian fairy tale collected by Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe in Norwegian Folktales.-Synopsis:An old man died. His three sons set out to seek their fortune. The two older would have nothing to do with the youngest son, whom they said was fit for nothing but...
- The Grateful BeastsThe Grateful BeastsThe Grateful Beasts is a Hungarian fairy tale collected by Hermann Kletke. Andrew Lang included it in The Yellow Fairy Book.-Synopsis:Three sons set out to seek their fortune...
- Esben and the WitchEsben and the WitchEsben and the Witch is a Danish fairy tale. Andrew Lang included it in The Pink Fairy Book. A version of the tale also appears in A Book of Witches and A Choice of Magic, by Ruth Manning-Sanders. It is Aarne-Thompson type 327B, the small boy defeats the ogre.-Synopsis:A farmer had twelve sons, and...
- The Gold-bearded ManThe Gold-bearded ManThe Gold-bearded Man is an Hungarian fairy tale collected in Ungarische Mahrchen. Andrew Lang included it in The Crimson Fairy Book.-Synopsis:...