1 00:00:08,245 --> 00:00:09,165 Speaker 1: School of Humans. 2 00:00:11,445 --> 00:00:17,685 Speaker 2: This episode discusses sensitive topics. Please listen with care. My 3 00:00:17,845 --> 00:00:22,085 Speaker 2: name is Miranda Hawkins. Welcome to the Deep Dark Woods. 4 00:00:23,165 --> 00:00:29,685 Speaker 2: Today's episode is at U seven twenty or the Juniper Tree. 5 00:00:30,085 --> 00:00:32,765 Speaker 2: Like the Robber Bridegroom. You might not have heard this 6 00:00:32,885 --> 00:00:36,765 Speaker 2: tale before. It hasn't been adapted by big names like 7 00:00:36,805 --> 00:00:41,005 Speaker 2: Walt Disney, but a lot of folklorests agree it's the 8 00:00:41,045 --> 00:00:45,445 Speaker 2: most gruesome brothers Grim story. We'll be telling the tale 9 00:00:45,525 --> 00:00:55,565 Speaker 2: in its entirety, so sit back and enjoy. 10 00:00:56,965 --> 00:01:00,085 Speaker 3: Long ago, at least two thousand years there was a 11 00:01:00,205 --> 00:01:03,125 Speaker 3: rich man who had a beautiful and pious wife, and 12 00:01:03,165 --> 00:01:06,885 Speaker 3: they loved each other dearly. However, they had no children, 13 00:01:07,005 --> 00:01:09,885 Speaker 3: though they wished very much to have some, and the 14 00:01:09,925 --> 00:01:12,445 Speaker 3: woman prayed for them day and night, but they didn't 15 00:01:12,485 --> 00:01:16,725 Speaker 3: get any, and they didn't get any. In front of 16 00:01:16,765 --> 00:01:19,445 Speaker 3: their house there was a courtyard where there stood a 17 00:01:19,565 --> 00:01:24,005 Speaker 3: juniper tree. One day in winter, the woman was standing 18 00:01:24,045 --> 00:01:26,845 Speaker 3: beneath it, peeling herself an apple. And while she was 19 00:01:26,885 --> 00:01:29,285 Speaker 3: thus peeling the apple, she cut her finger and the 20 00:01:29,325 --> 00:01:34,365 Speaker 3: blood fell into the snow. Oh, the woman said. She 21 00:01:34,605 --> 00:01:37,725 Speaker 3: sighed heavily, looked at the blood before her, and was 22 00:01:37,845 --> 00:01:41,645 Speaker 3: most unhappy, if only I had a child as red 23 00:01:41,645 --> 00:01:44,925 Speaker 3: as blood and as white as snow. And as she 24 00:01:45,005 --> 00:01:48,845 Speaker 3: said that, she became quite contented and felt sure that 25 00:01:48,885 --> 00:01:52,205 Speaker 3: it was going to happen. Then she went into the house, 26 00:01:52,245 --> 00:01:54,805 Speaker 3: and a month went by and the snow was gone. 27 00:01:55,245 --> 00:01:58,285 Speaker 3: Then two months and everything was green. And three months 28 00:01:58,285 --> 00:02:00,765 Speaker 3: and all the flowers came out of the earth. And 29 00:02:00,925 --> 00:02:03,565 Speaker 3: four months and all the trees in the woods grew thicker, 30 00:02:03,925 --> 00:02:06,565 Speaker 3: and the green branches were all in twined in one another, 31 00:02:06,885 --> 00:02:09,365 Speaker 3: and the birds sang until the woods resounded, and the 32 00:02:09,405 --> 00:02:14,285 Speaker 3: blossoms fell from the trees. Then the fifth month passed, 33 00:02:14,325 --> 00:02:17,365 Speaker 3: and she stood beneath the juniper tree, which smelled so 34 00:02:17,605 --> 00:02:21,005 Speaker 3: sweet that her heart jumped for joy. And she fell 35 00:02:21,045 --> 00:02:24,365 Speaker 3: on her knees and was beside herself. And when the 36 00:02:24,405 --> 00:02:27,485 Speaker 3: sixth month was over, the fruit was thick and large, 37 00:02:28,325 --> 00:02:32,325 Speaker 3: and then she was quite still. And after the seventh 38 00:02:32,365 --> 00:02:35,285 Speaker 3: month she picked up the juniper berries and ate them greedily. 39 00:02:36,605 --> 00:02:42,005 Speaker 3: Then she grew sick and sorrowful. Then the eighth month passed, 40 00:02:42,005 --> 00:02:44,445 Speaker 3: and she called her husband to her and cried and said, 41 00:02:45,085 --> 00:02:47,965 Speaker 3: if I die, then bury me beneath the juniper tree. 42 00:02:48,405 --> 00:02:51,605 Speaker 3: Then she was quite comforted and happy until the next 43 00:02:51,605 --> 00:02:54,085 Speaker 3: month was over. And then she had a child as 44 00:02:54,125 --> 00:02:57,445 Speaker 3: white as snow and as red as blood. And when 45 00:02:57,485 --> 00:03:00,245 Speaker 3: she saw it, she was so happy that she died. 46 00:03:01,525 --> 00:03:04,445 Speaker 3: Her husband buried her beneath the juniper tree and began 47 00:03:04,485 --> 00:03:08,445 Speaker 3: to cry bitterly. After some time he was at more ease, 48 00:03:08,885 --> 00:03:12,285 Speaker 3: and although he still cried, he could bear it. And 49 00:03:12,405 --> 00:03:15,925 Speaker 3: some time later he took another wife. He had a 50 00:03:16,005 --> 00:03:18,805 Speaker 3: daughter by the second wife, but the first wife's child 51 00:03:18,845 --> 00:03:21,245 Speaker 3: was a little son, and he was as red as 52 00:03:21,285 --> 00:03:24,605 Speaker 3: blood and as white as snow. When the woman looked 53 00:03:24,605 --> 00:03:28,085 Speaker 3: at her daughter, she loved her very much. But then 54 00:03:28,205 --> 00:03:30,605 Speaker 3: she looked at the little boy, and it pierced her heart, 55 00:03:31,365 --> 00:03:33,525 Speaker 3: for she thought that he would always stand in her way. 56 00:03:34,045 --> 00:03:36,485 Speaker 3: That she was always thinking of how she could get 57 00:03:36,485 --> 00:03:40,285 Speaker 3: the entire inheritance for her daughter, and the evil one 58 00:03:40,405 --> 00:03:43,285 Speaker 3: filled her mind with this, until she grew very angry 59 00:03:43,325 --> 00:03:46,245 Speaker 3: with the little boy, and she pushed him from one 60 00:03:46,325 --> 00:03:48,645 Speaker 3: corner to the other, and slapped him here and cuffed 61 00:03:48,685 --> 00:03:52,725 Speaker 3: him there, until the poor child was always afraid, for 62 00:03:52,805 --> 00:03:54,885 Speaker 3: when he came home from school there was nowhere he 63 00:03:54,885 --> 00:03:58,685 Speaker 3: could find any peace. One day, the woman had gone 64 00:03:58,725 --> 00:04:01,405 Speaker 3: upstairs to her room when her little daughter came up 65 00:04:01,445 --> 00:04:06,125 Speaker 3: too and said, Mother, give me an apple. Yes, my child, 66 00:04:06,165 --> 00:04:08,885 Speaker 3: said the woman, and gave her a beautiful apple out 67 00:04:08,885 --> 00:04:12,605 Speaker 3: of the chest. The chest had a large, heavy lid 68 00:04:12,605 --> 00:04:16,365 Speaker 3: with a sharp iron lock. Mother said, the little daughter 69 00:04:17,285 --> 00:04:20,565 Speaker 3: is brother not to have one too. This made the 70 00:04:20,565 --> 00:04:23,965 Speaker 3: woman angry, but she said, yes, when he comes home 71 00:04:24,005 --> 00:04:27,725 Speaker 3: from school. When from the window she saw him coming, 72 00:04:27,965 --> 00:04:30,205 Speaker 3: it was as though the evil one came over her, 73 00:04:30,405 --> 00:04:32,725 Speaker 3: and she grabbed the apple and took it away from 74 00:04:32,765 --> 00:04:35,885 Speaker 3: her daughter, saying, you shall not have one before your brother. 75 00:04:36,565 --> 00:04:38,565 Speaker 3: She threw the apple into the chest and shut it. 76 00:04:39,365 --> 00:04:41,605 Speaker 3: Then the little boy came in the door, and the 77 00:04:41,645 --> 00:04:44,645 Speaker 3: evil one made her say to him kindly, my son, 78 00:04:44,765 --> 00:04:48,045 Speaker 3: do you want an apple? And she looked at him fiercely. 79 00:04:48,805 --> 00:04:52,765 Speaker 3: Mother said the little boy, how angry you look. Yes, 80 00:04:53,085 --> 00:04:56,525 Speaker 3: give me an apple. Then it seemed to her as 81 00:04:56,525 --> 00:05:00,005 Speaker 3: if she had to persuade him. Come with me, she said, 82 00:05:00,045 --> 00:05:03,245 Speaker 3: opening the lid of the chest, take out an apple 83 00:05:03,285 --> 00:05:06,845 Speaker 3: for yourself. And while the little boy was leaning over, 84 00:05:06,925 --> 00:05:10,445 Speaker 3: the evil One prompted her and crash. She slammed down 85 00:05:10,485 --> 00:05:14,125 Speaker 3: the lid and his head flew off, falling among the 86 00:05:14,165 --> 00:05:19,965 Speaker 3: red apples. Then fear overcame her, and she thought, maybe 87 00:05:19,965 --> 00:05:22,685 Speaker 3: I can get out of this. So she went upstairs 88 00:05:22,765 --> 00:05:24,845 Speaker 3: to her room to her chest of drawers and took 89 00:05:24,885 --> 00:05:27,725 Speaker 3: a white scarf out of the top drawer and set 90 00:05:27,765 --> 00:05:30,525 Speaker 3: the head on the neck, again, tying the scarf around 91 00:05:30,525 --> 00:05:34,085 Speaker 3: it so that nothing could be seen. Then she set 92 00:05:34,165 --> 00:05:35,805 Speaker 3: him on a chair in front of the door and 93 00:05:35,845 --> 00:05:39,685 Speaker 3: put the apple in his hand. After this, Marlene came 94 00:05:39,685 --> 00:05:41,725 Speaker 3: into the kitchen to her mother, who was standing by 95 00:05:41,765 --> 00:05:43,885 Speaker 3: the fire with a pot of hot water before her, 96 00:05:44,085 --> 00:05:48,645 Speaker 3: which she was stirring around and around. Mother said, Marlene, 97 00:05:49,085 --> 00:05:51,445 Speaker 3: brother is sitting at the door, and he looks totally 98 00:05:51,525 --> 00:05:53,845 Speaker 3: white and has an apple in his hand. I asked 99 00:05:53,885 --> 00:05:55,285 Speaker 3: him to give me the apple, but he did not 100 00:05:55,405 --> 00:05:59,005 Speaker 3: answer me, and I was very frightened. Go back to him, 101 00:05:59,085 --> 00:06:01,685 Speaker 3: said the mother. And if you will not answer, you 102 00:06:01,925 --> 00:06:07,845 Speaker 3: then box his ears. So Arlene went to him and said, brother, 103 00:06:08,205 --> 00:06:11,565 Speaker 3: give me the apple, but he was silent, so she 104 00:06:11,645 --> 00:06:13,765 Speaker 3: gave him one on the ear and his head fell off. 105 00:06:14,765 --> 00:06:18,005 Speaker 3: Marlene was terrified and began crying and screaming and ran 106 00:06:18,045 --> 00:06:20,445 Speaker 3: to her mother and said, oh, mother, I have knocked 107 00:06:20,445 --> 00:06:23,765 Speaker 3: my brother's head off. And she cried and cried and 108 00:06:23,885 --> 00:06:27,565 Speaker 3: could not be comforted. Marlene said the mother, what have 109 00:06:27,645 --> 00:06:31,605 Speaker 3: you done? Be quiet and don't let anyone know about it. 110 00:06:31,605 --> 00:06:34,285 Speaker 3: It cannot be helped. Now we will cook him into 111 00:06:34,285 --> 00:06:39,045 Speaker 3: the stew. Then the mother took the little boy and 112 00:06:39,125 --> 00:06:42,405 Speaker 3: shopped him in pieces, put him into the pot, and 113 00:06:42,525 --> 00:06:48,045 Speaker 3: cooked him into stew. But Marlene stood by crying and crying, 114 00:06:48,085 --> 00:06:50,765 Speaker 3: and all her tears fell into the pot, and they 115 00:06:50,805 --> 00:06:54,605 Speaker 3: did not need any salt. Then the father came home 116 00:06:54,645 --> 00:06:57,405 Speaker 3: and sat down at the table and said where is 117 00:06:57,445 --> 00:07:01,965 Speaker 3: my son? And the mother served up a large large 118 00:07:02,085 --> 00:07:06,805 Speaker 3: dish of stew, and Marlene cried and could not stop. 119 00:07:08,325 --> 00:07:12,405 Speaker 3: Then the father said again, where is my son? Oh, 120 00:07:12,445 --> 00:07:14,805 Speaker 3: said the mother. He has gone across the country to 121 00:07:14,845 --> 00:07:17,485 Speaker 3: his mother's great uncle. He will stay there for a while. 122 00:07:18,765 --> 00:07:20,885 Speaker 3: What is he doing there? He did not even say 123 00:07:20,885 --> 00:07:24,565 Speaker 3: good bye to me. Oh, he wanted to go, and 124 00:07:24,645 --> 00:07:26,685 Speaker 3: he asked me if he could stay six weeks. He 125 00:07:26,725 --> 00:07:30,605 Speaker 3: will be well taken care of there. Oh, said the man. 126 00:07:31,285 --> 00:07:32,165 Speaker 3: I am unhappy. 127 00:07:32,365 --> 00:07:33,085 Speaker 1: This isn't right. 128 00:07:33,525 --> 00:07:36,405 Speaker 3: He should have said good bye to me. With that, 129 00:07:36,525 --> 00:07:40,125 Speaker 3: he began to eat, saying Marlen, why are you crying? 130 00:07:40,685 --> 00:07:45,525 Speaker 3: Your brother will certainly come back then, he said, wife, 131 00:07:46,005 --> 00:07:49,405 Speaker 3: this food is delicious. Give me some more. And the 132 00:07:49,405 --> 00:07:51,725 Speaker 3: more he ate, the more he wanted. And he said, 133 00:07:52,325 --> 00:07:54,605 Speaker 3: give me some more. You two shall have none of 134 00:07:54,645 --> 00:07:57,645 Speaker 3: it seems to me as if it were all mine. 135 00:07:58,765 --> 00:08:01,485 Speaker 3: And he ate and ate, throwing all the bones under 136 00:08:01,485 --> 00:08:04,885 Speaker 3: the table until he had finished it all. Marlen went 137 00:08:04,925 --> 00:08:08,205 Speaker 3: to her chest drawers, took her best silk scarf from 138 00:08:08,205 --> 00:08:10,685 Speaker 3: the bottom drawer, and carried all the bones from beneath 139 00:08:10,725 --> 00:08:13,405 Speaker 3: the table and tied them up in her silk scarf, 140 00:08:14,165 --> 00:08:17,645 Speaker 3: then carried them outside the door. Crying tears of blood. 141 00:08:18,685 --> 00:08:20,925 Speaker 3: She laid them down beneath the juniper tree on the 142 00:08:20,925 --> 00:08:23,525 Speaker 3: green grass, and after she had put them there, she 143 00:08:23,605 --> 00:08:27,805 Speaker 3: suddenly felt better and did not cry anymore. The juniper 144 00:08:27,845 --> 00:08:31,805 Speaker 3: tree began to move. The branches moved apart, then moved 145 00:08:31,845 --> 00:08:34,565 Speaker 3: together again, just as if someone were rejoicing and clapping 146 00:08:34,605 --> 00:08:38,525 Speaker 3: his hands. At the same time. A mist seemed to 147 00:08:38,605 --> 00:08:40,925 Speaker 3: rise from the tree. And in the center of this 148 00:08:41,125 --> 00:08:44,765 Speaker 3: mist it burned like a fire, and a beautiful bird 149 00:08:45,165 --> 00:08:50,205 Speaker 3: flew out of the fire, singing magnificently, and it flew 150 00:08:50,365 --> 00:08:54,005 Speaker 3: high into the air, and then it was gone. The 151 00:08:54,085 --> 00:08:56,925 Speaker 3: juniper tree was just as it had been before, and 152 00:08:57,005 --> 00:09:01,125 Speaker 3: the cloth with the bones was no longer there. Marlene, however, 153 00:09:01,285 --> 00:09:03,805 Speaker 3: was as happy and contented as if her brother was 154 00:09:03,845 --> 00:09:07,085 Speaker 3: still alive. And she he went merrily into the house, 155 00:09:07,205 --> 00:09:11,245 Speaker 3: sat down at the table, and ate. The bird flew 156 00:09:11,285 --> 00:09:14,725 Speaker 3: away and lit on a goldsmith's house and began to sing, 157 00:09:15,485 --> 00:09:18,685 Speaker 3: My mother she killed me, My father, he ate me. 158 00:09:19,605 --> 00:09:22,965 Speaker 3: My sister. Marlene gathered all my bones, tied them in 159 00:09:23,005 --> 00:09:28,045 Speaker 3: a silken scarf, laid them beneath the juniper tree. Tweet, tweet, 160 00:09:28,085 --> 00:09:31,725 Speaker 3: What a beautiful bird am I? The goldsmith was sitting 161 00:09:31,725 --> 00:09:34,365 Speaker 3: in his workshop making a golden chain when he heard 162 00:09:34,365 --> 00:09:37,725 Speaker 3: the bird sitting on his roof and singing. The song 163 00:09:37,845 --> 00:09:42,005 Speaker 3: seemed very beautiful to him. He stood up, but as 164 00:09:42,005 --> 00:09:44,245 Speaker 3: he crossed the threshold he lost one. 165 00:09:44,085 --> 00:09:45,365 Speaker 1: Of his slippers. 166 00:09:45,685 --> 00:09:47,685 Speaker 3: However, he went right up the middle of the street 167 00:09:47,765 --> 00:09:50,885 Speaker 3: with only one slipper and one sock on. He had 168 00:09:50,925 --> 00:09:53,245 Speaker 3: his leather apron on, and in one hand he had 169 00:09:53,245 --> 00:09:56,885 Speaker 3: a golden chain and in the other his tongs. The 170 00:09:56,965 --> 00:10:00,765 Speaker 3: sun was shining brightly on the street. He walked onward, 171 00:10:00,885 --> 00:10:05,245 Speaker 3: then stood still and said to the bird, bird, he said, 172 00:10:06,045 --> 00:10:07,485 Speaker 3: how beautifully you can sing? 173 00:10:08,205 --> 00:10:09,245 Speaker 1: Sing that piece again? 174 00:10:09,285 --> 00:10:12,485 Speaker 3: For me, No, said the bird. I do not sing 175 00:10:12,565 --> 00:10:15,845 Speaker 3: twice for nothing. Give me the golden chain, and then 176 00:10:15,885 --> 00:10:18,405 Speaker 3: I will sing it again for you. Here is the 177 00:10:18,405 --> 00:10:21,045 Speaker 3: golden chain for you. Now sing that song again for me. 178 00:10:22,205 --> 00:10:24,485 Speaker 3: Then the bird came and took the golden chain in 179 00:10:24,525 --> 00:10:27,005 Speaker 3: his right claw, and went and sat in front of 180 00:10:27,045 --> 00:10:30,365 Speaker 3: the goldsmith and sang, my mother she killed me. My 181 00:10:30,525 --> 00:10:34,725 Speaker 3: father he ate me. My sister Marlene gathered all my bones, 182 00:10:35,045 --> 00:10:38,165 Speaker 3: tied them in a silken scarf, laid them beneath the 183 00:10:38,285 --> 00:10:39,205 Speaker 3: juniper tree. 184 00:10:39,845 --> 00:10:42,045 Speaker 1: Tweet tweaked, What a beautiful bird am I? 185 00:10:44,525 --> 00:10:47,565 Speaker 3: Then the bird flew away to a shoemaker and lit 186 00:10:47,645 --> 00:10:50,765 Speaker 3: on his roof and sang, my mother, she killed me, 187 00:10:50,885 --> 00:10:53,765 Speaker 3: My father he ate me. My sister Marlen gathered all 188 00:10:53,765 --> 00:10:56,165 Speaker 3: my bones, tied them in a silken scarf, laid them 189 00:10:56,165 --> 00:11:00,125 Speaker 3: beneath the juniper tree. Tweet tweet, What a beautiful bird 190 00:11:00,165 --> 00:11:04,085 Speaker 3: am I? Hearing this, the shoemaker ran out of doors 191 00:11:04,085 --> 00:11:05,845 Speaker 3: in his shirt sleeves and looked at up at his 192 00:11:05,965 --> 00:11:07,965 Speaker 3: roof and had to hold his hand in front of 193 00:11:07,965 --> 00:11:11,205 Speaker 3: his eyes to keep the sun from blinding him. Bird, 194 00:11:11,285 --> 00:11:15,205 Speaker 3: He said, how beautifully you can sing? Then he called 195 00:11:15,205 --> 00:11:19,005 Speaker 3: in at his door wife, come outside, there's a bird here. 196 00:11:19,725 --> 00:11:20,805 Speaker 1: Look at this bird. 197 00:11:21,125 --> 00:11:24,525 Speaker 3: You certainly can sing. Then he called his daughter and 198 00:11:24,565 --> 00:11:27,165 Speaker 3: her children, and the journeymen, and the apprentice and the maid, 199 00:11:27,445 --> 00:11:29,405 Speaker 3: and they all came out into the street and looked 200 00:11:29,405 --> 00:11:31,925 Speaker 3: at the bird and saw how beautiful he was, and 201 00:11:32,005 --> 00:11:35,205 Speaker 3: what fine red and green feathers he had, and how 202 00:11:35,245 --> 00:11:38,205 Speaker 3: his neck was like pure gold, and how his eyes 203 00:11:38,325 --> 00:11:43,125 Speaker 3: shone like stars in his head. Bird said the shoemaker, 204 00:11:43,325 --> 00:11:46,925 Speaker 3: Now sing that song again for me. No, said the bird. 205 00:11:47,165 --> 00:11:49,805 Speaker 3: I do not sing twice for nothing. You must give 206 00:11:49,845 --> 00:11:53,445 Speaker 3: me something. Wife said the man. Go into the shop. 207 00:11:53,485 --> 00:11:55,485 Speaker 3: There's a pair of red shoes on the top shelf. 208 00:11:55,805 --> 00:11:56,525 Speaker 1: Bring them down. 209 00:11:57,405 --> 00:11:58,885 Speaker 3: Then the wife went and. 210 00:11:58,765 --> 00:12:00,765 Speaker 1: Brought the shoes there. 211 00:12:00,845 --> 00:12:03,965 Speaker 3: Birds, said the man, Now sing that piece again for me. 212 00:12:05,205 --> 00:12:07,845 Speaker 3: Then the bird came and took the shoe in his 213 00:12:07,965 --> 00:12:10,845 Speaker 3: left claw, and flew back to the roof and sang, 214 00:12:11,565 --> 00:12:14,125 Speaker 3: my mother she killed me, My father he ate me, 215 00:12:14,165 --> 00:12:17,605 Speaker 3: and my sister Marlene. Gathered on my bones, tied them 216 00:12:17,605 --> 00:12:20,565 Speaker 3: in a silken scarf, laid them beneath the juniper tree. 217 00:12:20,965 --> 00:12:25,325 Speaker 3: Twee tweet, What a beautiful bird ever I. When he 218 00:12:25,365 --> 00:12:28,565 Speaker 3: had finished his song, he flew away in his right claw, 219 00:12:28,645 --> 00:12:31,405 Speaker 3: he had the chain, and in his left warm the shoes. 220 00:12:32,405 --> 00:12:33,245 Speaker 1: He flew far. 221 00:12:33,085 --> 00:12:36,685 Speaker 3: Away to a mill, and the mill went crickety clack, 222 00:12:36,765 --> 00:12:41,485 Speaker 3: crickety clack, crickety clack. In the mill sat twenty millers 223 00:12:41,525 --> 00:12:47,205 Speaker 3: apprentices cutting a stone and chiseling chip toop, chiptop, chip top, 224 00:12:48,085 --> 00:12:51,205 Speaker 3: and the mill went clickety clack, clickty clack, crickety clap. 225 00:12:51,925 --> 00:12:54,245 Speaker 3: Then the bird went and sat on a linden tree 226 00:12:54,325 --> 00:12:57,605 Speaker 3: which stood in front of the mill, and sang, my mother, 227 00:12:57,765 --> 00:13:01,485 Speaker 3: she killed me. Then one of them stopped working. My 228 00:13:01,685 --> 00:13:05,165 Speaker 3: father he ate me. Then two more stopped working, and 229 00:13:05,245 --> 00:13:10,765 Speaker 3: less and my sister Marlene. Then four more stopped, gathered 230 00:13:10,805 --> 00:13:13,965 Speaker 3: all my bones, tied them in a silken scarf. Now 231 00:13:14,085 --> 00:13:18,485 Speaker 3: only eight were chiseling, laid them beneath, now only five 232 00:13:18,885 --> 00:13:22,725 Speaker 3: the juniper tree. Now only one tweet tweet, What a 233 00:13:22,725 --> 00:13:26,445 Speaker 3: beautiful bird am I? Then the last one stopped also 234 00:13:26,885 --> 00:13:31,165 Speaker 3: and heard the last words bird, He said, how beautiful 235 00:13:31,205 --> 00:13:34,605 Speaker 3: you sing? Let me hear that too. Sing it once 236 00:13:34,605 --> 00:13:37,965 Speaker 3: more for me, No, said the bird. I do not 237 00:13:38,085 --> 00:13:41,405 Speaker 3: sing twice for nothing. Give me the millstone and then 238 00:13:41,445 --> 00:13:45,405 Speaker 3: I will sing it again. Yes, he said, if it 239 00:13:45,485 --> 00:13:49,165 Speaker 3: belonged only to me. You should have it, yes, said 240 00:13:49,165 --> 00:13:51,765 Speaker 3: the other. If he sings again, he can have it. 241 00:13:53,005 --> 00:13:55,765 Speaker 3: Then the bird came down, and the twenty millers took 242 00:13:55,845 --> 00:13:57,965 Speaker 3: a beam and lifted the stone up. 243 00:13:58,805 --> 00:14:02,165 Speaker 1: Yo. Heave ho yo, heave ho yo, heave holl. 244 00:14:03,205 --> 00:14:05,485 Speaker 3: The bird stuck his neck through the hole and put 245 00:14:05,685 --> 00:14:08,965 Speaker 3: stone on as if it were a collar. Then flew 246 00:14:09,005 --> 00:14:12,405 Speaker 3: to the tree again and sang, my mother she killed me, 247 00:14:12,525 --> 00:14:15,885 Speaker 3: My father he ate me. My sister Marlene gathered all 248 00:14:15,885 --> 00:14:18,885 Speaker 3: my bones, tied them in a silken scarf, laid them 249 00:14:18,925 --> 00:14:20,405 Speaker 3: beneath the juniper tree. 250 00:14:21,045 --> 00:14:23,085 Speaker 1: Tweet tweet, What a beautiful. 251 00:14:22,605 --> 00:14:26,405 Speaker 3: Bird am I. When he was finished singing, he spread 252 00:14:26,445 --> 00:14:29,365 Speaker 3: his wings, and in his right claw he had the chain, 253 00:14:29,525 --> 00:14:32,725 Speaker 3: and in his left one the shoes, and around his 254 00:14:32,845 --> 00:14:37,125 Speaker 3: neck the millstone. He flew far away to his father's house. 255 00:14:39,205 --> 00:14:41,645 Speaker 3: In the room, the father, the mother, and Marlene were 256 00:14:41,685 --> 00:14:46,165 Speaker 3: sitting at the table. The father said, I feel so contented. 257 00:14:46,205 --> 00:14:50,125 Speaker 3: I am so happy. Not, I said the mother. I 258 00:14:50,245 --> 00:14:52,965 Speaker 3: feel uneasy, just as if a bad storm were coming. 259 00:14:53,685 --> 00:14:57,925 Speaker 3: But Marlene just sat and cried and cried. Then the 260 00:14:57,925 --> 00:15:01,245 Speaker 3: bird flew up, and as it seated itself on the roof, 261 00:15:01,285 --> 00:15:05,285 Speaker 3: the father said Oh, I feel so truly happy, and 262 00:15:05,485 --> 00:15:09,325 Speaker 3: the sun is shining so beautifully outside. I feel as 263 00:15:09,325 --> 00:15:14,165 Speaker 3: if I were about to see some old acquaintance again. Not, 264 00:15:14,325 --> 00:15:16,645 Speaker 3: I said the woman. I am so afraid that my 265 00:15:16,725 --> 00:15:18,845 Speaker 3: teeth are chattering, and I feel like I have fire 266 00:15:18,925 --> 00:15:22,605 Speaker 3: in my veins. And she tore open her bodice even more. 267 00:15:23,645 --> 00:15:27,445 Speaker 3: Marlene sat in a corner crying. She held a handkerchief 268 00:15:27,485 --> 00:15:30,245 Speaker 3: before her eyes and cried until it was wet clear through. 269 00:15:31,485 --> 00:15:34,605 Speaker 3: Then the bird seated itself on the juniper tree and sang, 270 00:15:35,005 --> 00:15:38,125 Speaker 3: my mother, she killed me. The mother stopped her ears 271 00:15:38,125 --> 00:15:40,365 Speaker 3: and shut her eyes, not wanting to see or hear. 272 00:15:40,405 --> 00:15:42,325 Speaker 3: But there was a roaring in her ears like the 273 00:15:42,445 --> 00:15:46,445 Speaker 3: fiercest storm, and her eyes burned and flashed like lightning. 274 00:15:48,045 --> 00:15:51,925 Speaker 3: My father he ate me, Oh, mother, said the man. 275 00:15:52,205 --> 00:15:55,605 Speaker 3: That is a beautiful bird. He's singing so splendidly, and 276 00:15:55,645 --> 00:15:58,125 Speaker 3: the sun is shining so warmly, and it smells like 277 00:15:58,205 --> 00:16:05,045 Speaker 3: pure cinnamon, my sister Marlene. Then Marlene laid her head 278 00:16:05,045 --> 00:16:07,325 Speaker 3: on her knee and cried and cried. But the man said, 279 00:16:07,565 --> 00:16:10,365 Speaker 3: I'm going out. I must see the bird up close. 280 00:16:11,245 --> 00:16:14,285 Speaker 3: Oh don't go, said the woman. I feel as if 281 00:16:14,325 --> 00:16:17,725 Speaker 3: the whole house were shaking and on fire. But the 282 00:16:17,765 --> 00:16:21,245 Speaker 3: man went out and looked at the bird, gathered all 283 00:16:21,245 --> 00:16:24,205 Speaker 3: my bones, tied them in a silken scarf, laid them 284 00:16:24,205 --> 00:16:25,645 Speaker 3: beneath the juniper tree. 285 00:16:26,125 --> 00:16:28,125 Speaker 1: Tweet tweaked, what a beautiful bird am I? 286 00:16:29,285 --> 00:16:31,805 Speaker 3: With this? The bird dropped the golden chain, and it 287 00:16:31,925 --> 00:16:35,645 Speaker 3: fell right around the man's neck, so exactly around it 288 00:16:35,685 --> 00:16:39,565 Speaker 3: that it fit beautifully. Then the man went in and said, 289 00:16:40,205 --> 00:16:42,765 Speaker 3: just look what a beautiful bird that is, and what 290 00:16:42,805 --> 00:16:45,725 Speaker 3: a beautiful golden chain he has given me, and how 291 00:16:45,845 --> 00:16:50,485 Speaker 3: nice it looks. But the woman was terrified. She fell 292 00:16:50,525 --> 00:16:52,365 Speaker 3: down on the floor in the room, and her cap 293 00:16:52,445 --> 00:16:56,165 Speaker 3: fell off her head. Then the bird sang once more, 294 00:16:57,285 --> 00:17:00,285 Speaker 3: my mother, she killed me. I wish I were a 295 00:17:00,365 --> 00:17:03,005 Speaker 3: thousand fathoms beneath the earth so I would not have 296 00:17:03,125 --> 00:17:03,685 Speaker 3: to hear that. 297 00:17:04,805 --> 00:17:06,045 Speaker 1: My father ate me. 298 00:17:06,925 --> 00:17:09,685 Speaker 3: The woman fell down as if she were dead. My 299 00:17:09,845 --> 00:17:14,205 Speaker 3: sister Marlin, Oh, said Marlene, I too will go out 300 00:17:14,205 --> 00:17:17,245 Speaker 3: and see if the bird will give me something. Then 301 00:17:17,485 --> 00:17:21,085 Speaker 3: she went out, gathered all my bones, tied them in 302 00:17:21,125 --> 00:17:24,605 Speaker 3: a silken scarf. He threw the shoes down to her, 303 00:17:25,485 --> 00:17:29,005 Speaker 3: laid them beneath the juniper tree. Tweet tweet, what a 304 00:17:29,005 --> 00:17:33,205 Speaker 3: beautiful bird. And I then she was so contented and happy. 305 00:17:33,485 --> 00:17:35,245 Speaker 1: She put on the new red shoes. 306 00:17:34,965 --> 00:17:37,725 Speaker 3: And danced and leaped into the house. Oh, she said, 307 00:17:38,005 --> 00:17:39,765 Speaker 3: I was so sad when I went out, and now 308 00:17:39,805 --> 00:17:43,365 Speaker 3: I am so contented. That is a splendid bird. He 309 00:17:43,405 --> 00:17:46,565 Speaker 3: has given me a pair of red shoes. No, said 310 00:17:46,605 --> 00:17:49,205 Speaker 3: the woman, jumping to her feet, and with her hair 311 00:17:49,325 --> 00:17:52,645 Speaker 3: standing up like flames of a fire. I feel as 312 00:17:52,645 --> 00:17:54,885 Speaker 3: if the world were coming to an end. I too, 313 00:17:54,925 --> 00:17:56,805 Speaker 3: will go out and see if it makes me feel better. 314 00:17:57,485 --> 00:18:00,845 Speaker 3: And as she went out the door crash. The bird 315 00:18:00,925 --> 00:18:03,765 Speaker 3: threw the millstone on her head, and it crushed her 316 00:18:03,805 --> 00:18:09,205 Speaker 3: to death. The father and Marlene heard it and went out. Smoke, 317 00:18:09,445 --> 00:18:12,445 Speaker 3: flames and fire were rising from the place. And when 318 00:18:12,445 --> 00:18:15,965 Speaker 3: that was over, the little brother was standing there, and 319 00:18:16,005 --> 00:18:18,805 Speaker 3: he took his father and Marlene by the hand, and 320 00:18:18,965 --> 00:18:22,765 Speaker 3: all three were very happy, and they went into the house, 321 00:18:23,045 --> 00:18:24,885 Speaker 3: sat down at the table, and. 322 00:18:24,965 --> 00:18:29,685 Speaker 2: Ate more on the juniper tree. After the break the 323 00:18:29,765 --> 00:18:32,885 Speaker 2: Juniper Tree is considered the darkest collected tale by the 324 00:18:32,925 --> 00:18:36,965 Speaker 2: Grim Brothers. In fact, the stories listed under at U 325 00:18:37,205 --> 00:18:41,125 Speaker 2: seven twenty are also titled My Mother slew Me, My 326 00:18:41,285 --> 00:18:46,445 Speaker 2: Father ate to me. Folklorist Maria Tatar, who's written extensively 327 00:18:46,565 --> 00:18:50,485 Speaker 2: about the Grim Tales, said that it is probably the 328 00:18:50,525 --> 00:18:54,605 Speaker 2: most shocking of all fairy tales, and not just of 329 00:18:54,645 --> 00:18:59,365 Speaker 2: Grim but of all tales. So what makes it so dark? 330 00:19:00,605 --> 00:19:03,245 Speaker 2: We know in other fairy tales the stepmother is a 331 00:19:03,245 --> 00:19:07,525 Speaker 2: bad guy, but there's usually a reason for it. Stepmothers 332 00:19:07,565 --> 00:19:10,045 Speaker 2: are looking out for themselves so they don't starve to 333 00:19:10,085 --> 00:19:13,805 Speaker 2: death like a handle and Gretel, or they're looking out 334 00:19:13,845 --> 00:19:18,445 Speaker 2: for their own biological children to secure an inheritance. However, 335 00:19:18,765 --> 00:19:22,885 Speaker 2: folkloreist doctor Lynn McNeil says the stepmother's actions and the 336 00:19:22,965 --> 00:19:25,005 Speaker 2: juniper tree are beyond redemption. 337 00:19:26,285 --> 00:19:29,565 Speaker 4: We could say, man, she's looking out for herself and 338 00:19:29,605 --> 00:19:33,445 Speaker 4: her daughter. That makes sense, But the way to make 339 00:19:33,565 --> 00:19:36,885 Speaker 4: us not think that at all is to have her 340 00:19:37,085 --> 00:19:39,885 Speaker 4: set the body up, put the head back on the shoulders, 341 00:19:39,925 --> 00:19:42,725 Speaker 4: and ask the other child to slap them across the face. 342 00:19:43,165 --> 00:19:47,205 Speaker 4: That suddenly it's like, nope, no more, no, we cannot 343 00:19:47,245 --> 00:19:51,885 Speaker 4: make any excuses for her. She is just evil because 344 00:19:51,925 --> 00:19:57,845 Speaker 4: there's a there's almost a level of unsettling enjoyment in that, 345 00:19:58,205 --> 00:20:02,565 Speaker 4: you know, there's almost a she's we get no description 346 00:20:02,725 --> 00:20:06,885 Speaker 4: that she finds her work distasteful. She sets this child's 347 00:20:06,885 --> 00:20:09,525 Speaker 4: body up in a chair, right, she is like, all right, 348 00:20:09,685 --> 00:20:11,285 Speaker 4: I know what to do, and then she cooks and 349 00:20:11,325 --> 00:20:13,445 Speaker 4: eats him and makes someone else think that they're. 350 00:20:13,285 --> 00:20:17,205 Speaker 2: To be Doctor McNeil says, the stepmother takes her evilness 351 00:20:17,285 --> 00:20:21,765 Speaker 2: a step further by involving her own daughter. She's not 352 00:20:22,045 --> 00:20:25,525 Speaker 2: only messing with her step son, but also her own 353 00:20:25,645 --> 00:20:26,485 Speaker 2: flesh and blood. 354 00:20:27,125 --> 00:20:30,125 Speaker 4: She sits his body on a chair, puts his head 355 00:20:30,125 --> 00:20:32,845 Speaker 4: back on his neck, ties the scarf around it so 356 00:20:32,925 --> 00:20:38,485 Speaker 4: you can't see what's happened, and then asks his sister 357 00:20:39,445 --> 00:20:42,725 Speaker 4: to come in and interact with him, and makes her 358 00:20:42,885 --> 00:20:46,325 Speaker 4: think that she knocked his head off when she slaps 359 00:20:46,365 --> 00:20:49,445 Speaker 4: him on the cheek. I mean, this is like the 360 00:20:49,485 --> 00:20:53,325 Speaker 4: worst kind of horrific gaslighting ever. Like this young girl 361 00:20:53,405 --> 00:20:55,965 Speaker 4: is being made to believe she murdered her brother so 362 00:20:56,125 --> 00:20:59,725 Speaker 4: that she will be complicit in hiding the crime from 363 00:20:59,725 --> 00:21:04,005 Speaker 4: her father. It is so horrifying. The whole thing, just 364 00:21:04,405 --> 00:21:07,765 Speaker 4: the deviousness, the complexity of it. The whole thing is 365 00:21:08,285 --> 00:21:09,485 Speaker 4: absolutely horrible. 366 00:21:10,685 --> 00:21:14,325 Speaker 2: I've had visceral reactions to the cannibalism and some of 367 00:21:14,365 --> 00:21:17,925 Speaker 2: these stories, but in the Juniper Tree. There was a 368 00:21:18,005 --> 00:21:21,285 Speaker 2: different element that I couldn't quite put my finger on. 369 00:21:22,125 --> 00:21:25,565 Speaker 2: Doctor McNeil helped me understand what that element is. 370 00:21:26,325 --> 00:21:29,645 Speaker 4: We see a lot of monsters eating people in fairy tales, 371 00:21:29,685 --> 00:21:32,085 Speaker 4: the wolf swallowing, Little Red riding Hood and Grandma Hole, 372 00:21:32,845 --> 00:21:36,285 Speaker 4: the giant in Jack and the beanstalk. Who's gonna eat Jack? 373 00:21:36,605 --> 00:21:39,685 Speaker 4: Somehow wolves and giants sort of get a pass. We 374 00:21:39,885 --> 00:21:43,805 Speaker 4: understand that they eat people because they're monsters, right. Giants, wolves, 375 00:21:44,005 --> 00:21:47,485 Speaker 4: they are predators, They are you know, supernatural evil things 376 00:21:47,485 --> 00:21:52,045 Speaker 4: that eat people. This is someone's dad eating them. So 377 00:21:52,165 --> 00:21:55,085 Speaker 4: we are on a whole different level of cannibalism that 378 00:21:55,165 --> 00:21:58,845 Speaker 4: really leans into the taboo nature of it. And so 379 00:21:58,965 --> 00:22:03,525 Speaker 4: the cannibalism becomes insidious on this level that I think 380 00:22:03,645 --> 00:22:07,445 Speaker 4: is really unsettling in a way that it's not when 381 00:22:07,485 --> 00:22:10,965 Speaker 4: a monster's doing it. And I think that's what I think, 382 00:22:10,965 --> 00:22:14,205 Speaker 4: that's what gives this tale its staying power, but it's 383 00:22:14,245 --> 00:22:17,445 Speaker 4: also what has led it to be lesser known. 384 00:22:18,845 --> 00:22:22,645 Speaker 2: Even though it's, as doctor McNeil says, lesser known. There 385 00:22:22,685 --> 00:22:26,645 Speaker 2: are several hundred versions of the Juniper Tree, and most 386 00:22:26,685 --> 00:22:29,725 Speaker 2: of the other versions were recorded and published with any 387 00:22:29,725 --> 00:22:34,525 Speaker 2: century of the Grims. The first recorded version was titled 388 00:22:34,605 --> 00:22:38,685 Speaker 2: The Almond Tree. It was collected by Philip Otto Runge 389 00:22:38,965 --> 00:22:41,885 Speaker 2: and was published in a journal in eighteen oh eight. 390 00:22:43,005 --> 00:22:47,205 Speaker 2: Runge was a German Romantic painter, draftsman, and art theorist. 391 00:22:47,605 --> 00:22:51,685 Speaker 2: He's known for his expressive portraits and symbolic landscapes. He's 392 00:22:51,805 --> 00:22:56,565 Speaker 2: also known for his groundbreaking color theory. He introduced the 393 00:22:56,605 --> 00:22:59,405 Speaker 2: color sphere during the last year of his life in 394 00:22:59,485 --> 00:23:03,605 Speaker 2: eighteen ten. It was one of the first attempts to 395 00:23:03,645 --> 00:23:09,205 Speaker 2: create a comprehensive color system in three dimensions. Runge didn't 396 00:23:09,245 --> 00:23:12,365 Speaker 2: specify a source for the story. He did give the 397 00:23:12,365 --> 00:23:16,125 Speaker 2: Brothers Grimma copy, and it was that story, the one 398 00:23:16,165 --> 00:23:19,125 Speaker 2: you heard at the beginning of this episode, that the 399 00:23:19,125 --> 00:23:24,125 Speaker 2: Brothers included in their eighteen twelve collection. The same story 400 00:23:24,405 --> 00:23:28,685 Speaker 2: was included in all their future collections, although with stylistic 401 00:23:28,925 --> 00:23:33,685 Speaker 2: and dialect variations. The Little Boy in the Wicked Stepmother 402 00:23:33,885 --> 00:23:38,485 Speaker 2: is a Romanian tale written by Moses Gastor. Remember he's 403 00:23:38,565 --> 00:23:41,645 Speaker 2: also the person who collected the Romanian version of the 404 00:23:41,765 --> 00:23:44,765 Speaker 2: Robber Bridegroom, in which a girl was sold to an 405 00:23:44,765 --> 00:23:48,165 Speaker 2: innkeeper who killed travelers and served their meat to his guests, 406 00:23:48,965 --> 00:23:53,845 Speaker 2: but today's story was published in nineteen fifteen. The Little 407 00:23:53,885 --> 00:23:57,845 Speaker 2: Boy and the Wicked Stepmother actually combines a to U 408 00:23:57,965 --> 00:24:02,205 Speaker 2: three two seven Hondol and Gretel and today's tale type 409 00:24:02,525 --> 00:24:06,725 Speaker 2: ATU seven twenty. There is a poor man who has 410 00:24:06,765 --> 00:24:09,525 Speaker 2: a wife and two children, a girl and a boy. 411 00:24:10,325 --> 00:24:14,205 Speaker 2: After his wife dies, the man remarries. The new wife 412 00:24:14,285 --> 00:24:18,405 Speaker 2: gives her husband no peace. Finally, she tells him to 413 00:24:18,485 --> 00:24:22,805 Speaker 2: get rid of the children or they shall starve. At first, 414 00:24:22,845 --> 00:24:27,685 Speaker 2: the man resists, but eventually gives in The children hear everything. 415 00:24:28,525 --> 00:24:31,005 Speaker 2: The next day, the father tells the kids to come 416 00:24:31,005 --> 00:24:34,325 Speaker 2: with him to the forest while he chops wood. Before 417 00:24:34,365 --> 00:24:37,445 Speaker 2: they leave, the little girl fills her pockets with ashes 418 00:24:37,525 --> 00:24:41,565 Speaker 2: and drops bits along the way. After reaching the densest 419 00:24:41,605 --> 00:24:44,925 Speaker 2: part of the forest, the father lies, saying he's going 420 00:24:44,965 --> 00:24:47,085 Speaker 2: to cut wood and then come back for the kids, 421 00:24:47,565 --> 00:24:51,605 Speaker 2: but he doesn't return. The two wait for a long while, 422 00:24:51,645 --> 00:24:56,485 Speaker 2: but finally the girl understands what's happened. Using her trail 423 00:24:56,525 --> 00:24:59,845 Speaker 2: of ashes, the two find their way home. Their stepmother 424 00:25:00,045 --> 00:25:02,725 Speaker 2: is so angry she does not know what to do 425 00:25:02,765 --> 00:25:07,205 Speaker 2: with herself. She almost goes out of her mind with fury. 426 00:25:07,285 --> 00:25:08,485 Speaker 1: If she could, she. 427 00:25:08,405 --> 00:25:13,245 Speaker 2: Would quote, swallow them in a spoonful of water. When 428 00:25:13,245 --> 00:25:16,125 Speaker 2: the stepmother realizes she can't get her husband to do 429 00:25:16,205 --> 00:25:19,925 Speaker 2: anything about the children, she takes matters into her own hands. 430 00:25:21,205 --> 00:25:24,405 Speaker 2: One morning, when her husband is away, she kills the 431 00:25:24,445 --> 00:25:27,565 Speaker 2: little boy. She then takes him to the sister and 432 00:25:27,605 --> 00:25:29,925 Speaker 2: commands her to cut him up and prepare a meal 433 00:25:29,965 --> 00:25:33,245 Speaker 2: for all of them. The little girl, afraid of being 434 00:25:33,325 --> 00:25:37,685 Speaker 2: killed herself, does as instructed. But the little girl takes 435 00:25:37,685 --> 00:25:40,125 Speaker 2: the heart and hides it in the hollow of a tree. 436 00:25:40,925 --> 00:25:44,285 Speaker 2: When the stepmother asks where it is, she lies and 437 00:25:44,285 --> 00:25:48,005 Speaker 2: says a dog took it away. When the husband comes home, 438 00:25:48,205 --> 00:25:51,725 Speaker 2: they all sit down to eat the meal. The father 439 00:25:51,845 --> 00:25:55,805 Speaker 2: has no idea he's eating his son. The little girl, however, 440 00:25:55,925 --> 00:26:00,045 Speaker 2: refuses to touch her meal. After they are done, the 441 00:26:00,085 --> 00:26:02,565 Speaker 2: girl collects the bones and also hides them in the 442 00:26:02,605 --> 00:26:06,405 Speaker 2: hollow of the tree. The next morning, a little bird 443 00:26:06,405 --> 00:26:10,285 Speaker 2: with dark feathers emerges from the tree's hollows, singing, cuckoo. 444 00:26:10,805 --> 00:26:13,565 Speaker 2: My sister has cooked me and my father has eaten me. 445 00:26:14,005 --> 00:26:16,925 Speaker 2: But I am now a cuckoo and safe from my stepmother. 446 00:26:18,005 --> 00:26:21,005 Speaker 2: The stepmother is near the tree, and here is the bird. 447 00:26:21,805 --> 00:26:24,365 Speaker 2: In her rage and fright. She takes a heavy lump 448 00:26:24,445 --> 00:26:26,885 Speaker 2: of salt to throw at the bird, but it lands 449 00:26:26,925 --> 00:26:30,165 Speaker 2: on her head instead, killing her on the spot. The 450 00:26:30,205 --> 00:26:34,845 Speaker 2: little boy remains a cuckoo to this day. Another story 451 00:26:34,925 --> 00:26:39,165 Speaker 2: titled The Satin Frock comes from Yorkshire, England. The tale 452 00:26:39,245 --> 00:26:42,365 Speaker 2: was collected by S. O. Addie and published in eighteen 453 00:26:42,445 --> 00:26:47,205 Speaker 2: ninety seven. Addie said it was told to him from C. R. Hurst, 454 00:26:47,605 --> 00:26:50,765 Speaker 2: who initially heard it from a thirteen year old girl. 455 00:26:51,885 --> 00:26:54,725 Speaker 2: Addie was an English author who lived around the turn 456 00:26:54,725 --> 00:26:58,605 Speaker 2: of the nineteenth century. He wrote books on history and folklore. 457 00:26:59,365 --> 00:27:02,445 Speaker 2: Hurst was a woman who adopted a masculine version of 458 00:27:02,485 --> 00:27:06,125 Speaker 2: her name. She was an artist who began with water colors, 459 00:27:06,365 --> 00:27:10,845 Speaker 2: but then took on an illusionistic technique to critique male pastimes. 460 00:27:11,845 --> 00:27:14,765 Speaker 2: The tail begins with a little girl named Mary who 461 00:27:14,805 --> 00:27:18,005 Speaker 2: has a satin frock. Her mother warns her that if 462 00:27:18,045 --> 00:27:20,845 Speaker 2: she gets the frock dirty then she will kill her. 463 00:27:21,685 --> 00:27:23,925 Speaker 2: Mary is out for a walk one day when she 464 00:27:24,005 --> 00:27:28,085 Speaker 2: passes cows who splashed mud onto her frock. She sits 465 00:27:28,125 --> 00:27:31,965 Speaker 2: down on a doorstep and begins to cry. A woman 466 00:27:32,005 --> 00:27:35,525 Speaker 2: in the house hears her and asks what's wrong. When 467 00:27:35,565 --> 00:27:39,565 Speaker 2: Mary explains, the woman takes Mary in, washes and dries 468 00:27:39,605 --> 00:27:42,605 Speaker 2: a frock, and then sends Mary on her way, warning 469 00:27:42,645 --> 00:27:46,165 Speaker 2: the girl not to get her frock dirty again. But 470 00:27:46,285 --> 00:27:49,725 Speaker 2: down the road a horse runs by, splashing Mary's frock 471 00:27:49,765 --> 00:27:53,605 Speaker 2: with mud again. When Mary gets home, her mother takes 472 00:27:53,605 --> 00:27:56,365 Speaker 2: her to the cellar, cuts her head off, and hangs 473 00:27:56,365 --> 00:27:59,325 Speaker 2: her head on the wall. When the father gets home 474 00:27:59,365 --> 00:28:02,765 Speaker 2: and asks for Mary, the mother lies and says she's 475 00:28:02,805 --> 00:28:07,085 Speaker 2: staying at her grandmother's before our bedtime. The father says 476 00:28:07,165 --> 00:28:09,525 Speaker 2: he will fetch the firewood, but the wife says, no, 477 00:28:09,925 --> 00:28:13,125 Speaker 2: she will. This goes back and forth, but the father 478 00:28:13,205 --> 00:28:16,445 Speaker 2: won't let her, so the father goes to the cellar 479 00:28:16,565 --> 00:28:19,245 Speaker 2: and sees the head. When he comes back up, he 480 00:28:19,365 --> 00:28:22,645 Speaker 2: asks his wife what it is. She tells him it's 481 00:28:22,645 --> 00:28:26,365 Speaker 2: a sheep's head for dinner tomorrow. At dinner the next night, 482 00:28:26,565 --> 00:28:29,645 Speaker 2: the husband says, this broth is nice, but it does 483 00:28:29,685 --> 00:28:33,165 Speaker 2: taste like our Mary. The wife is frightened, for when 484 00:28:33,245 --> 00:28:36,365 Speaker 2: her husband finds out what has been done, he takes 485 00:28:36,405 --> 00:28:40,045 Speaker 2: his wife to the cellar and kills her. All of 486 00:28:40,085 --> 00:28:44,405 Speaker 2: these tales are shockingly violent, So what exactly are tales 487 00:28:44,485 --> 00:28:47,045 Speaker 2: like these? And the juniper tree trying to tell us 488 00:28:48,525 --> 00:28:52,885 Speaker 2: the brothers Grim were incredibly religious. Jacob and Wilhelm were 489 00:28:52,965 --> 00:28:56,005 Speaker 2: raised Lutheran. This is one of the reasons why they 490 00:28:56,005 --> 00:29:00,285 Speaker 2: would censor or change their stories. But modern readers are 491 00:29:00,365 --> 00:29:03,325 Speaker 2: more apt to criticize the Juniper Tree for blending a 492 00:29:03,325 --> 00:29:07,965 Speaker 2: fairy tale with heavy handed bisblical illusions. In the book 493 00:29:08,085 --> 00:29:12,885 Speaker 2: The Annotated Classic Fairy Tales, folklorist Maria Tatar says that 494 00:29:12,925 --> 00:29:16,405 Speaker 2: the beginning of the story stands out because it sets 495 00:29:16,405 --> 00:29:20,645 Speaker 2: a date. Remember, the tale starts as many as two 496 00:29:20,685 --> 00:29:25,205 Speaker 2: thousand years ago, and Tatar says this specification of an 497 00:29:25,285 --> 00:29:29,165 Speaker 2: era is unusual in fairy tales. The figure of two 498 00:29:29,205 --> 00:29:33,005 Speaker 2: thousand years ago anchors the tale in biblical times and 499 00:29:33,085 --> 00:29:37,405 Speaker 2: suggests a connection with the origin of Christianity in light 500 00:29:37,445 --> 00:29:40,405 Speaker 2: of the boy's death and resurrection. The date has a 501 00:29:40,405 --> 00:29:45,965 Speaker 2: special significance, but there's more than that. For example, when 502 00:29:45,965 --> 00:29:48,925 Speaker 2: the evil One convinces the stepmother to kill her step son, 503 00:29:49,405 --> 00:29:52,925 Speaker 2: it's an allusion to the devil possessing her. The apple 504 00:29:53,125 --> 00:29:56,045 Speaker 2: is also an allusion to the Garden of Eden, when 505 00:29:56,085 --> 00:29:58,925 Speaker 2: the devil tricked Eve into eating the apple, and then 506 00:29:58,965 --> 00:30:03,845 Speaker 2: Eve tricked Adam, which ultimately leads to Adam's death. Of course, 507 00:30:04,045 --> 00:30:08,725 Speaker 2: that's only a couple examples. More recently, the juniper tree 508 00:30:08,725 --> 00:30:12,605 Speaker 2: has been adapted into novels, incorporated into short stories, and 509 00:30:12,645 --> 00:30:15,885 Speaker 2: has been inspiration for visual art. One of the most 510 00:30:15,925 --> 00:30:20,165 Speaker 2: well known adaptations was a nineteen ninety Icelandic film starring 511 00:30:20,205 --> 00:30:23,765 Speaker 2: the now famous artist b York. The film follows a 512 00:30:23,805 --> 00:30:27,885 Speaker 2: story of two sisters. The younger sister, Marguite, is played 513 00:30:27,885 --> 00:30:31,165 Speaker 2: by b Yorke, and her older sister is named Katla. 514 00:30:31,965 --> 00:30:35,325 Speaker 2: Their mother has been killed for being a witch. Katlaw 515 00:30:35,365 --> 00:30:38,125 Speaker 2: tells Marguite that she'll find a husband and cast a 516 00:30:38,165 --> 00:30:40,685 Speaker 2: spell to make sure the two are loved and cared for. 517 00:30:41,685 --> 00:30:44,325 Speaker 2: The sisters run across a widowed farmer and his son. 518 00:30:44,965 --> 00:30:47,925 Speaker 2: While Katlaw is casting her spell. The son sees her 519 00:30:48,045 --> 00:30:52,485 Speaker 2: and becomes suspicious. Marguite and the sun become closer, but 520 00:30:52,565 --> 00:30:56,325 Speaker 2: as the movie progresses, Katla eventually tricks the boy into 521 00:30:56,405 --> 00:31:00,165 Speaker 2: jumping off a cliff to his death. When Katlaw serves 522 00:31:00,205 --> 00:31:03,685 Speaker 2: as stew made out of the boy's fingers, Marguite sees 523 00:31:03,725 --> 00:31:07,445 Speaker 2: a finger internally freaks out and goes to bury it 524 00:31:07,565 --> 00:31:11,445 Speaker 2: later at his dead mother's grave. The next day, a 525 00:31:11,565 --> 00:31:13,965 Speaker 2: large juniper tree has grown at the site and a 526 00:31:14,085 --> 00:31:18,325 Speaker 2: raven has taken up residence. Marguite runs back to confess 527 00:31:18,365 --> 00:31:23,205 Speaker 2: to the father what her sister did. Her sister flees terrified, 528 00:31:23,565 --> 00:31:26,325 Speaker 2: and Marguite and the farmer are left to tend to 529 00:31:26,405 --> 00:31:30,405 Speaker 2: the tree and raven. But in the end, the farmer 530 00:31:30,445 --> 00:31:33,285 Speaker 2: goes in search of cotlaw and Marguite is left on 531 00:31:33,365 --> 00:31:37,485 Speaker 2: her own. Although it's not found in the b York adaptation, 532 00:31:38,205 --> 00:31:41,405 Speaker 2: one similar theme found in most grim stories is that 533 00:31:41,445 --> 00:31:46,445 Speaker 2: beauty can be dangerous. In some grim tales, beauty symbolizes 534 00:31:46,525 --> 00:31:50,365 Speaker 2: the inherent good in someone, but a common sentiment among 535 00:31:50,405 --> 00:31:52,885 Speaker 2: German folk at the time of the Grim Brothers was 536 00:31:52,925 --> 00:31:58,205 Speaker 2: that beauty could bring bad luck. Here's doctor McNeil. 537 00:31:58,085 --> 00:32:01,045 Speaker 4: So you will often see there are many traditional societies 538 00:32:01,045 --> 00:32:04,365 Speaker 4: where there's a folk custom of spitting on your baby 539 00:32:04,805 --> 00:32:07,085 Speaker 4: or licking your thumb and smearing it on your baby's 540 00:32:07,125 --> 00:32:10,845 Speaker 4: face after someone has openly admired your baby, because that 541 00:32:11,045 --> 00:32:15,765 Speaker 4: level of admiration is on a fairly instinctive folk belief 542 00:32:15,845 --> 00:32:19,805 Speaker 4: level thought to draw negativity or bad luck. 543 00:32:20,845 --> 00:32:23,245 Speaker 2: So if you look at the juniper tree, the boy 544 00:32:23,405 --> 00:32:25,205 Speaker 2: was doomed from the beginning. 545 00:32:25,845 --> 00:32:29,845 Speaker 4: And this child the young son. He's not just any child. 546 00:32:30,885 --> 00:32:37,005 Speaker 4: He is this perfection worth dying for. In his mother's eyes. 547 00:32:37,165 --> 00:32:39,845 Speaker 4: This was worth it to her. She didn't die of 548 00:32:39,885 --> 00:32:44,965 Speaker 4: like a troubled childbirth. She didn't die of bleeding out 549 00:32:45,085 --> 00:32:48,485 Speaker 4: or even of sorrow. She died of joy, of happiness 550 00:32:48,525 --> 00:32:52,405 Speaker 4: at this beautiful baby boy. And right there we see 551 00:32:52,445 --> 00:32:56,245 Speaker 4: one of the interesting paradoxes of fairy tales, which is 552 00:32:56,285 --> 00:33:03,045 Speaker 4: that usually it's not a great thing to stand out 553 00:33:03,565 --> 00:33:08,285 Speaker 4: for being beautiful. That really just draws attention to you 554 00:33:08,925 --> 00:33:12,485 Speaker 4: in ways you don't like. So we get this strange 555 00:33:12,605 --> 00:33:17,685 Speaker 4: presentation in fairy tales where like a dire sort of beauty. 556 00:33:17,765 --> 00:33:23,125 Speaker 4: It's too much beauty, it's too striking, it's too contrasting, 557 00:33:23,965 --> 00:33:27,485 Speaker 4: is just going to bring you trouble. So this young 558 00:33:27,525 --> 00:33:30,845 Speaker 4: boy is sort of doomed from the outset because who 559 00:33:30,885 --> 00:33:33,285 Speaker 4: wouldn't be jealous of him? What mother wouldn't show up 560 00:33:33,325 --> 00:33:37,085 Speaker 4: and say, why isn't my child as incredible as this child? 561 00:33:37,805 --> 00:33:41,045 Speaker 2: The tale also surfaces another theme we've come across before, 562 00:33:41,565 --> 00:33:46,165 Speaker 2: human agency. If you notice, the only one who has 563 00:33:46,285 --> 00:33:49,685 Speaker 2: any saying what happens to them is a stepmother. She 564 00:33:49,885 --> 00:33:54,285 Speaker 2: drives a plot along so to speak, but the mother, father, sister, 565 00:33:54,405 --> 00:33:58,485 Speaker 2: and little boy have things happening to them. They lack 566 00:33:58,525 --> 00:34:03,325 Speaker 2: the ability to control their own fates. Along with human agency, 567 00:34:03,525 --> 00:34:05,805 Speaker 2: the story questions humanity's goodness. 568 00:34:06,565 --> 00:34:09,445 Speaker 4: All of the magical elements in the story are the 569 00:34:09,485 --> 00:34:13,845 Speaker 4: positive ones, and the negative elements of this story are 570 00:34:13,965 --> 00:34:20,405 Speaker 4: all just really basely human, just driven by self serving 571 00:34:20,805 --> 00:34:24,605 Speaker 4: evil people, and that's it. And when magic kicks in, 572 00:34:24,725 --> 00:34:28,405 Speaker 4: it's to restore that balance. It's almost like the more 573 00:34:28,485 --> 00:34:34,765 Speaker 4: effective moral is humans are awful, which is really disappointing. 574 00:34:36,445 --> 00:34:39,565 Speaker 2: As with all the fairy tales we've explored in this series, 575 00:34:39,965 --> 00:34:44,085 Speaker 2: the Juniper Treat doesn't have a singular moral. Some say 576 00:34:44,085 --> 00:34:47,325 Speaker 2: it explores the problems and usefulness of desire, or that 577 00:34:47,365 --> 00:34:50,605 Speaker 2: it teaches imperfections can be good and real beauty comes 578 00:34:50,605 --> 00:34:54,845 Speaker 2: from the soul. But maybe, if anything, it's simply a 579 00:34:54,885 --> 00:34:59,245 Speaker 2: warning to be good. As we've traversed the woods with 580 00:34:59,365 --> 00:35:03,125 Speaker 2: Hansel and Gretel saved a little girl and her grandmother 581 00:35:03,285 --> 00:35:08,285 Speaker 2: from a hungry wolf, and princesses learn to save themselves, 582 00:35:08,885 --> 00:35:11,645 Speaker 2: the brothers Grim have taught us about the shortcomings of 583 00:35:11,725 --> 00:35:17,565 Speaker 2: society while still reminding us that good exists. These tales 584 00:35:17,605 --> 00:35:20,205 Speaker 2: give us an idea of where we were, but also 585 00:35:20,645 --> 00:35:23,885 Speaker 2: where we need to go, and in a way, it 586 00:35:23,965 --> 00:35:27,525 Speaker 2: reminds us how humanity is linked by universal themes that 587 00:35:27,605 --> 00:35:32,565 Speaker 2: spend time and cultures. Fairy Tales break down difficult problems 588 00:35:32,605 --> 00:35:36,565 Speaker 2: and ideas. It's why these stories get introduced to us 589 00:35:36,605 --> 00:35:41,005 Speaker 2: as children and why we revisit them as adults, because 590 00:35:41,045 --> 00:35:45,245 Speaker 2: they are truly for everyone. The Brothers Grim fairy Tales 591 00:35:45,325 --> 00:35:47,485 Speaker 2: may be dark, but they do more than give us 592 00:35:47,525 --> 00:35:50,565 Speaker 2: warnings about the shadowy corners of what it means to 593 00:35:50,605 --> 00:35:54,405 Speaker 2: be human. They remind us there's always a little bit 594 00:35:54,445 --> 00:35:58,725 Speaker 2: of magic hidden all around us. Our journey has come 595 00:35:58,765 --> 00:36:01,245 Speaker 2: to an end. We've made it out the other side. 596 00:36:02,245 --> 00:36:04,085 Speaker 2: Thanks for joining me through the. 597 00:36:04,045 --> 00:36:05,045 Speaker 1: Deep Dark Woods. 598 00:36:07,885 --> 00:36:10,085 Speaker 2: The Deep Dark Woods is a production of School of 599 00:36:10,165 --> 00:36:14,485 Speaker 2: Humans and iHeart Podcasts. It was created, written, and hosted 600 00:36:14,485 --> 00:36:18,445 Speaker 2: by me Miranda Hawkins. I also sound designed and mixed 601 00:36:18,565 --> 00:36:23,125 Speaker 2: this episode. This episode was produced by MIKEL. June and 602 00:36:23,245 --> 00:36:29,805 Speaker 2: senior producer Gabby Watts. Executive producers are Virginia Prescott, Brandon Barr, 603 00:36:30,045 --> 00:36:34,485 Speaker 2: el C Crowley, and Maya Howard. Stories were voiced by 604 00:36:34,565 --> 00:36:40,645 Speaker 2: Julia Christgau. Theme song was composed by Jesse Niswanger. You 605 00:36:40,685 --> 00:36:43,605 Speaker 2: can follow the show on Instagram at School of Humans 606 00:36:44,085 --> 00:36:46,645 Speaker 2: and don't forget to subscribe and leave a review.