The Enchanted Doe
Encyclopedia
The Enchanted Doe is an Italian literary fairy tale
written by Giambattista Basile
in his 1634 work, the Pentamerone
.
One day she grew jealous of the younger, Canneloro, because the older, Fonzo, loved his brother better than her and found a place where Fonzo had been making bullets to go hunting but had left them to get something. She took one hot bullet-mold and threw it at Canneloro, making an ugly wound, and would have thrown another, but Fonzo returned. Canneloro told him he had to leave but, at Fonzo's persuasion, stuck a dagger in the ground, opening a fountain; he told his brother that he was well when it flowed clear, in troubles when it was turbid, and dead when it was dry. He stuck it again, and a myrtle sprang: while he was well, it would be green, when ill, withered, and when dead, dead. He set out.
One day he came to a tournament, won it, and so married the princess there, Fenicia. After some time, he set out hunting, despite the king's warning of a shapeshifting
ogre
. The ogre turned itself into a doe, and in the evening, asked to warm itself at the fire, begging him to tie up his dogs and sword so that it would not fear. He did, and the ogre captured him, imprisoning him in a pit.
Fonzo found the myrtle withered and the spring troubled and set out, with two enchanted
dogs. He found the city where Canneloro had married, in mourning, and learned what had happened. He went hunting, killed the ogre, and freed his brother. They went back, and his wife was able to recognize Canneloro by his scar.
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 Giambattista Basile
Giambattista Basile
Giambattista Basile was an Italian poet, courtier, and fairy tale collector.- Biography :Born to a Neapolitan middle-class family, Basile was, during his career, a courtier and soldier to various Italian princes, including the doge of Venice. According to Benedetto Croce he was born in 1575, while...
in his 1634 work, the Pentamerone
Pentamerone
The Pentamerone is a seventeenth-century fairy tale collection by Italian poet and courtier Giambattista Basile.-Background:...
.
Synopsis
A king wished for a child; to incline the gods toward him, he was charitable to beggars. When he had spent all his money this way without having a child, he shut himself up in a tower and shot at anyone who came near with a crossbow. A pilgrim came and told him that if the queen ate the heart of the sea-dragon, she would have a child. The king had this done, and the queen gave birth to identical twin boys.One day she grew jealous of the younger, Canneloro, because the older, Fonzo, loved his brother better than her and found a place where Fonzo had been making bullets to go hunting but had left them to get something. She took one hot bullet-mold and threw it at Canneloro, making an ugly wound, and would have thrown another, but Fonzo returned. Canneloro told him he had to leave but, at Fonzo's persuasion, stuck a dagger in the ground, opening a fountain; he told his brother that he was well when it flowed clear, in troubles when it was turbid, and dead when it was dry. He stuck it again, and a myrtle sprang: while he was well, it would be green, when ill, withered, and when dead, dead. He set out.
One day he came to a tournament, won it, and so married the princess there, Fenicia. After some time, he set out hunting, despite the king's warning of a shapeshifting
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...
ogre
Ogre
An ogre is a large, cruel, monstrous, and hideous humanoid monster, featured in mythology, folklore, and fiction. Ogres are often depicted in fairy tales and folklore as feeding on human beings, and have appeared in many classic works of literature...
. The ogre turned itself into a doe, and in the evening, asked to warm itself at the fire, begging him to tie up his dogs and sword so that it would not fear. He did, and the ogre captured him, imprisoning him in a pit.
Fonzo found the myrtle withered and the spring troubled and set out, with two enchanted
Incantation
An incantation or enchantment is a charm or spell created using words. An incantation may take place during a ritual, either a hymn or prayer, and may invoke or praise a deity. In magic, occultism, witchcraft it may be used with the intention of casting a spell on an object or a person...
dogs. He found the city where Canneloro had married, in mourning, and learned what had happened. He went hunting, killed the ogre, and freed his brother. They went back, and his wife was able to recognize Canneloro by his scar.
See also
- The Knights of the FishThe Knights of the FishThe Knights of the Fish is a Spanish fairy tale collected by Fernan Caballaro in Cuentos. Oraciones y Adivinas.Andrew Lang included it in The Brown Fairy Book....
- The Fisherman and His WifeThe Fisherman and His WifeThe Fisherman and His Wife is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, tale no. 19. It is Aarne-Thompson type 555, the fisherman and his wife. Its theme was used in The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish, a 1835 poem by Aleksandr Pushkin. Mrs Ramsey reads the story to James, her son in...
- The Two BrothersThe Two BrothersThe Two Brothers is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, tale number 60. It is Aarne-Thompson type 567A, the magic bird heart, and type 303, the blood brothers.-Synopsis:...
- The Three Princes and their BeastsThe Three Princes and their BeastsThe Three Princes and their Beasts is a Lithuanian fairy tale. Andrew Lang included it in The Violet Fairy Book.-Synopsis:Three princes had a stepsister. They all set out one day, hunting, and were going to shoot a wolf when it offered to give each of the princes a cub if they did not. The same...
- The Gold-ChildrenThe Gold-ChildrenThe Gold-Children is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, tale number 85. It is Aarne-Thompson type 555, the fisherman and his wife, followed by type 303, blood brothers.-Synopsis:...