1 00:00:08,245 --> 00:00:09,165 Speaker 1: School of Humans. 2 00:00:13,045 --> 00:00:21,885 Speaker 2: This episode discusses sensitive topics. Please listen with care. My 3 00:00:22,045 --> 00:00:26,085 Speaker 2: name is Miranda Hawkins. Welcome to the Deep Dark Woods. 4 00:00:27,125 --> 00:00:40,605 Speaker 2: Today's episode is ATU nine fifty five or the Robber Bridegroom. 5 00:00:40,885 --> 00:00:42,885 Speaker 3: Once upon a time there was a miller who had 6 00:00:42,885 --> 00:00:46,405 Speaker 3: a beautiful daughter. When she came of age, he wished 7 00:00:46,485 --> 00:00:49,805 Speaker 3: that she was provided for and well married. He thought, 8 00:00:50,125 --> 00:00:53,205 Speaker 3: if a respectable suitor comes and asks for her hand 9 00:00:53,245 --> 00:00:58,165 Speaker 3: in marriage, I will give her to him. Not long afterwards, 10 00:00:58,165 --> 00:01:01,245 Speaker 3: a suitor came who appeared to be very rich. And 11 00:01:01,285 --> 00:01:03,765 Speaker 3: because the girl, however, did not like him as much 12 00:01:03,765 --> 00:01:06,605 Speaker 3: as a bride should like her bride, she did not 13 00:01:06,725 --> 00:01:10,005 Speaker 3: trust him, and whenever she saw him or thought about him, 14 00:01:10,085 --> 00:01:14,245 Speaker 3: she felt within her heart a sense of horror. One 15 00:01:14,285 --> 00:01:17,325 Speaker 3: time he said to her, you are engaged to marry me, 16 00:01:17,405 --> 00:01:20,805 Speaker 3: but you have never once paid me a visit. The 17 00:01:20,885 --> 00:01:25,125 Speaker 3: girl replied, I don't know where your house is. Then 18 00:01:25,165 --> 00:01:29,565 Speaker 3: the bridegroom said, my house is out in the dark woods. 19 00:01:30,245 --> 00:01:32,245 Speaker 3: Looking for an excuse, she said she would not be 20 00:01:32,325 --> 00:01:36,685 Speaker 3: able to find the way there. The bridegroom said, next 21 00:01:36,845 --> 00:01:39,645 Speaker 3: Sunday you must come out to me. I have already 22 00:01:39,645 --> 00:01:42,925 Speaker 3: invited guests. I will make a trail of ashes so 23 00:01:42,965 --> 00:01:50,805 Speaker 3: that you can find your way through the woods. When 24 00:01:50,885 --> 00:01:52,805 Speaker 3: Sunday came and it was time for the girl to 25 00:01:52,845 --> 00:01:56,325 Speaker 3: start on her way, she became frightened, although she herself 26 00:01:56,365 --> 00:02:00,405 Speaker 3: did not know exactly why. In order to mark the path, 27 00:02:00,565 --> 00:02:03,965 Speaker 3: she filled both her pockets full of peas and lentils. 28 00:02:05,205 --> 00:02:07,285 Speaker 3: At the entrance of the forest, there was a trail 29 00:02:07,325 --> 00:02:10,965 Speaker 3: of ashes, which she followed, but at every step she 30 00:02:11,045 --> 00:02:13,445 Speaker 3: threw a couple of peas on to the ground to 31 00:02:13,525 --> 00:02:17,365 Speaker 3: the right and to the left. She walked almost the 32 00:02:17,405 --> 00:02:19,845 Speaker 3: whole day until she came to the middle of the woods, 33 00:02:20,045 --> 00:02:23,805 Speaker 3: where it was the darkest, and there stood a solitary house. 34 00:02:25,325 --> 00:02:27,365 Speaker 3: She did not like it because it looked so dark 35 00:02:27,405 --> 00:02:31,765 Speaker 3: and sinister. She went inside, but no one was there. 36 00:02:32,805 --> 00:02:40,685 Speaker 3: It was totally quiet. Suddenly a voice called out, turn back, 37 00:02:40,805 --> 00:02:44,685 Speaker 3: turn back, you, young bride. You are in a murderer's house. 38 00:02:46,965 --> 00:02:48,925 Speaker 3: The girl looked up and saw that the voice came 39 00:02:48,925 --> 00:02:50,965 Speaker 3: from the bird, which was hanging in a cage on 40 00:02:51,005 --> 00:02:54,445 Speaker 3: the wall. It cried out again, turn back, turn back, you, 41 00:02:54,445 --> 00:02:59,485 Speaker 3: young bride, You are in a murderer's house. The beautiful 42 00:02:59,485 --> 00:03:02,565 Speaker 3: bride went from one room to another, walking through the 43 00:03:02,605 --> 00:03:05,285 Speaker 3: whole house, but it was empty, not a human soul 44 00:03:05,645 --> 00:03:11,285 Speaker 3: to be found. Finally she came to a cellar. A 45 00:03:11,485 --> 00:03:15,805 Speaker 3: very old woman was sitting there, shaking her head. Could 46 00:03:15,805 --> 00:03:18,245 Speaker 3: you tell me, said the girl, if my bridegroom lives here? 47 00:03:20,205 --> 00:03:25,205 Speaker 3: Oh you poor child, replied the old woman, Where did 48 00:03:25,205 --> 00:03:25,965 Speaker 3: you come from? 49 00:03:26,645 --> 00:03:28,445 Speaker 4: You are in a murderer's den. 50 00:03:29,365 --> 00:03:31,885 Speaker 3: You think you are a bride soon to be married, 51 00:03:31,925 --> 00:03:35,325 Speaker 3: but it is death that you will be marrying. Look, 52 00:03:36,085 --> 00:03:38,645 Speaker 3: they made me put a large kettle of water on 53 00:03:38,725 --> 00:03:42,605 Speaker 3: the fire. When they have captured you, they will chop 54 00:03:42,645 --> 00:03:45,245 Speaker 3: you to pieces without mercy, cook you and eat you, 55 00:03:45,885 --> 00:03:49,125 Speaker 3: for they are cannibals. If I do not show you 56 00:03:49,245 --> 00:03:55,245 Speaker 3: compassion and save you, you are doomed with this. The 57 00:03:55,325 --> 00:03:57,965 Speaker 3: old woman led her behind a large barrel where she 58 00:03:58,005 --> 00:04:01,005 Speaker 3: could not be seen. Be quiet as a mouse, she said, 59 00:04:01,285 --> 00:04:03,565 Speaker 3: do not make a sound or move, or all will 60 00:04:03,565 --> 00:04:06,645 Speaker 3: be over for you. Tonight, when the robbers are asleep, 61 00:04:06,805 --> 00:04:11,845 Speaker 3: we will escape. I have long waited for an opportunity. 62 00:04:11,965 --> 00:04:14,885 Speaker 3: This had scarcely happened. When the godless band came home, 63 00:04:18,205 --> 00:04:21,965 Speaker 3: they were dragging with them another maiden. They were drunk 64 00:04:22,005 --> 00:04:26,125 Speaker 3: and paid no attention to her screams and sobs. They 65 00:04:26,165 --> 00:04:29,725 Speaker 3: gave her wine to drink, three glasses full, one glass 66 00:04:29,725 --> 00:04:33,045 Speaker 3: of white, one glass of red, and one glass of yellow, 67 00:04:33,285 --> 00:04:37,485 Speaker 3: which caused her heart to break. Then they ripped off 68 00:04:37,485 --> 00:04:39,885 Speaker 3: her fine clothes, laid her on the table, chopped her 69 00:04:39,925 --> 00:04:44,965 Speaker 3: beautiful body in pieces, and sprinkled salt on it. The 70 00:04:45,005 --> 00:04:48,285 Speaker 3: poor bride behind the barrel trembled and shook, for she 71 00:04:48,325 --> 00:04:50,885 Speaker 3: saw well what fate the robbers had planned for her. 72 00:04:52,325 --> 00:04:54,325 Speaker 3: One of them noticed a gold ring on the murdered 73 00:04:54,325 --> 00:04:57,805 Speaker 3: girl's little finger. Because it did not come off, he 74 00:04:57,885 --> 00:05:02,205 Speaker 3: took an axe and chopped the finger off, but it 75 00:05:02,245 --> 00:05:05,125 Speaker 3: flew into the air and over the barrel, falling right 76 00:05:05,205 --> 00:05:09,645 Speaker 3: into bride's lap. The robber took a light and looked 77 00:05:09,685 --> 00:05:13,645 Speaker 3: for it, but could not find it. Then another one said, 78 00:05:13,845 --> 00:05:17,005 Speaker 3: did you look behind the large barrel, But the old 79 00:05:17,005 --> 00:05:19,525 Speaker 3: woman cried out, come and eat. You can continue looking 80 00:05:19,525 --> 00:05:22,165 Speaker 3: in the morning. That finger won't run away from you. 81 00:05:23,525 --> 00:05:27,565 Speaker 3: Then the robbers said the old woman's right. They gave 82 00:05:27,645 --> 00:05:31,725 Speaker 3: up their search and they sat down to eat. The 83 00:05:31,765 --> 00:05:34,485 Speaker 3: old woman poured a sleeping potion into their wine, so 84 00:05:34,525 --> 00:05:36,965 Speaker 3: that they soon lay down in the cellar and fell 85 00:05:37,005 --> 00:05:42,405 Speaker 3: asleep snoring. When the bride heard them snoring, she came 86 00:05:42,445 --> 00:05:44,885 Speaker 3: out from behind the barrel and had to step over 87 00:05:44,965 --> 00:05:47,605 Speaker 3: the sleepers, for they lay all in rows on the ground. 88 00:05:48,925 --> 00:05:50,965 Speaker 3: She was afraid that she might awaken one of them, 89 00:05:51,045 --> 00:05:55,445 Speaker 3: but God helped her and she got through safely. The 90 00:05:55,525 --> 00:05:58,045 Speaker 3: old woman went upstairs with her, opened the door, and 91 00:05:58,085 --> 00:06:00,285 Speaker 3: they hurried out of the murderers down as fast as 92 00:06:00,325 --> 00:06:06,085 Speaker 3: they could. The wind had blown away the trail of ashes, 93 00:06:06,125 --> 00:06:08,765 Speaker 3: but the peas and lentils had sprouted and grown up 94 00:06:08,965 --> 00:06:12,005 Speaker 3: and showed them the way in the moonlight. They walked 95 00:06:12,045 --> 00:06:15,885 Speaker 3: all night, arriving at the mill the next morning. Then 96 00:06:16,445 --> 00:06:20,165 Speaker 3: the girl told her father everything just as it had happened. 97 00:06:23,325 --> 00:06:26,445 Speaker 3: When the wedding day came, the bridegroom appeared. The miller 98 00:06:26,485 --> 00:06:30,725 Speaker 3: had invited all his relatives and acquaintances. As they sat 99 00:06:30,765 --> 00:06:33,445 Speaker 3: at the table, each one was asked to tell something. 100 00:06:34,885 --> 00:06:39,165 Speaker 3: The bride sat still and said nothing. Then the bridegroom 101 00:06:39,245 --> 00:06:42,365 Speaker 3: said to the bride, come, sweetheart, don't you know anything? 102 00:06:42,805 --> 00:06:47,005 Speaker 3: Tell us something like the others have done. She answered, 103 00:06:47,565 --> 00:06:50,645 Speaker 3: then I will tell about a dream. I was walking 104 00:06:50,645 --> 00:06:53,005 Speaker 3: alone through the woods when finally I came to a 105 00:06:53,085 --> 00:06:57,325 Speaker 3: house inside there was not a single human soul. But 106 00:06:57,445 --> 00:06:59,285 Speaker 3: on the wall there was a bird in a cage. 107 00:06:59,365 --> 00:07:03,405 Speaker 3: It cried out, turn back, turn back, you young bride, 108 00:07:03,485 --> 00:07:07,085 Speaker 3: You are in a murderer's house. Then it cried out 109 00:07:07,085 --> 00:07:10,965 Speaker 3: the same thing again, Darling, it was only a dream. 110 00:07:12,885 --> 00:07:16,125 Speaker 3: Then I went through all the rooms. They were all empty, 111 00:07:16,125 --> 00:07:20,085 Speaker 3: and there was something so eerie in there. Finally I 112 00:07:20,125 --> 00:07:23,045 Speaker 3: went down into the cellar, and there sat a very 113 00:07:23,125 --> 00:07:27,925 Speaker 3: old woman, shaking her head. She answered, alas, poor child, 114 00:07:28,525 --> 00:07:32,645 Speaker 3: you have gotten into a murderer's den. Your bridegroom does 115 00:07:32,725 --> 00:07:35,125 Speaker 3: live here, but he intends to chop you to pieces 116 00:07:35,165 --> 00:07:37,965 Speaker 3: and kill you. And then he intends to cook you 117 00:07:38,085 --> 00:07:44,805 Speaker 3: and eat you. Darling, it was only a dream. After that, 118 00:07:44,845 --> 00:07:48,045 Speaker 3: the old woman hid me behind a large barrel. I 119 00:07:48,085 --> 00:07:51,005 Speaker 3: had scarcely hidden myself there. When the robbers came home, 120 00:07:51,485 --> 00:07:54,765 Speaker 3: dragging a girl with them. They gave her three kinds 121 00:07:54,765 --> 00:07:59,245 Speaker 3: of wine to drink, white, red, and yellow, which caused 122 00:07:59,245 --> 00:08:04,005 Speaker 3: her heart to stop beating. Darling, it was only a dream. 123 00:08:06,165 --> 00:08:08,765 Speaker 3: After that, they took off her fine clothes and chopped 124 00:08:08,765 --> 00:08:12,605 Speaker 3: her beautiful body to pieces on a table, then sprinkled 125 00:08:12,645 --> 00:08:17,765 Speaker 3: salt on it. Darling, it was only a dream. Then 126 00:08:17,805 --> 00:08:19,725 Speaker 3: one of the robbers saw that there was still a 127 00:08:19,805 --> 00:08:23,045 Speaker 3: ring on her finger. Because it was hard to get 128 00:08:23,045 --> 00:08:25,725 Speaker 3: the ring off, he took an axe and chopped off 129 00:08:25,765 --> 00:08:28,565 Speaker 3: the finger. The finger flew through the air behind the 130 00:08:28,645 --> 00:08:32,565 Speaker 3: large barrel and fell into my lap. And here is 131 00:08:32,605 --> 00:08:37,285 Speaker 3: the finger with the ring. With these words, she pulled 132 00:08:37,285 --> 00:08:39,365 Speaker 3: out the finger and showed it to every one who 133 00:08:39,405 --> 00:08:42,765 Speaker 3: was there. The robber, who had during this story become 134 00:08:42,805 --> 00:08:45,605 Speaker 3: white as chalk, jumped up and tried to escape, but 135 00:08:45,685 --> 00:08:48,325 Speaker 3: the guests held him fast and turned him over to 136 00:08:48,365 --> 00:08:53,245 Speaker 3: the ports. Then he and his whole band were executed 137 00:08:53,445 --> 00:09:04,645 Speaker 3: for their shameful deeds. 138 00:09:05,805 --> 00:09:08,565 Speaker 2: The Robber Bridegroom isn't as well known as the other 139 00:09:08,645 --> 00:09:11,645 Speaker 2: tales we've talked about in the show. It was never 140 00:09:11,685 --> 00:09:15,565 Speaker 2: picked up by Walt Disney or rewritten for a younger audience. 141 00:09:16,165 --> 00:09:19,885 Speaker 2: In fact, it wasn't even popular during the Grimm's time. 142 00:09:21,565 --> 00:09:24,885 Speaker 2: This story wasn't included in their eighteen twenty five collection 143 00:09:25,965 --> 00:09:29,085 Speaker 2: that was the year their tales began to gain popularity, 144 00:09:29,725 --> 00:09:33,245 Speaker 2: and this story hasn't been found in collections targeted at 145 00:09:33,325 --> 00:09:39,405 Speaker 2: children past nineteen sixty. Although the underlying theme is about marriage, 146 00:09:39,445 --> 00:09:43,405 Speaker 2: some folklorists don't view The Robber Bridegroom as a fairy tale, 147 00:09:43,925 --> 00:09:49,525 Speaker 2: but rather as a horror story. The Robber Bridegroom is 148 00:09:49,565 --> 00:09:52,405 Speaker 2: one of the most violent tales by the Grim Brothers, 149 00:09:52,885 --> 00:09:56,685 Speaker 2: which is impressive considering all of the violence we've already 150 00:09:56,765 --> 00:10:02,925 Speaker 2: encountered from Cinderella's stepsisters cutting off their feet, Rumpelstilskin splitting 151 00:10:02,965 --> 00:10:06,405 Speaker 2: in half, Little Red and her grandmother getting devoured by 152 00:10:06,405 --> 00:10:06,845 Speaker 2: a wolf. 153 00:10:07,765 --> 00:10:08,485 Speaker 4: And if you are. 154 00:10:08,405 --> 00:10:11,445 Speaker 2: Reading this grim story in a book, it becomes even 155 00:10:11,525 --> 00:10:14,445 Speaker 2: more horrific with the illustrations. 156 00:10:15,845 --> 00:10:18,765 Speaker 1: Fairy tales come with illustrations, and we often see that 157 00:10:18,925 --> 00:10:23,165 Speaker 1: moment where all the characters are together being chosen as 158 00:10:23,405 --> 00:10:26,445 Speaker 1: an illustrative moment, the moment to illustrate in a story. 159 00:10:27,365 --> 00:10:29,765 Speaker 4: This is folklorist doctor Len McNeil. 160 00:10:30,725 --> 00:10:33,885 Speaker 1: And when we think about this scene in the house 161 00:10:34,005 --> 00:10:36,285 Speaker 1: in the middle of the woods, our young heroine is 162 00:10:36,325 --> 00:10:40,405 Speaker 1: hiding behind some boxes and there is just straight up 163 00:10:40,725 --> 00:10:44,365 Speaker 1: butchery and debauchery happening in the same room as her. 164 00:10:44,405 --> 00:10:47,165 Speaker 1: A woman is being murdered, she's being chopped up. Body 165 00:10:47,205 --> 00:10:50,765 Speaker 1: parts are literally flying around the room. We can picture 166 00:10:51,085 --> 00:10:54,245 Speaker 1: the bloody scene and the moment they go looking and 167 00:10:54,285 --> 00:10:56,245 Speaker 1: the old woman comes in and says no, no, no, no, 168 00:10:56,645 --> 00:10:59,685 Speaker 1: Come and eat like everyone's there together, right, and we 169 00:10:59,765 --> 00:11:03,445 Speaker 1: have it all encapsulated, the violence, these bad people, the victim, 170 00:11:03,765 --> 00:11:07,125 Speaker 1: the girl hiding, the tension, woman trying to distract them. 171 00:11:07,165 --> 00:11:10,005 Speaker 1: Like that moment just brings all of these things together, 172 00:11:10,085 --> 00:11:11,965 Speaker 1: and it's really visceral. 173 00:11:13,245 --> 00:11:17,845 Speaker 2: Clearly, the robber bridegroom is incredibly violent, with a gruesome 174 00:11:17,965 --> 00:11:22,405 Speaker 2: murder and cannibalism, and doctor McNeil says there's a specific 175 00:11:22,525 --> 00:11:25,725 Speaker 2: reason why the Grims did that. It was to make 176 00:11:25,765 --> 00:11:30,685 Speaker 2: it extremely obvious that these men, including the future husband, 177 00:11:30,965 --> 00:11:31,565 Speaker 2: are evil. 178 00:11:32,765 --> 00:11:38,645 Speaker 1: Fairy tales, by definition, are understood to be fairly simplistic structurally. 179 00:11:38,885 --> 00:11:41,565 Speaker 1: These are some of the defining characteristics of these tales 180 00:11:41,605 --> 00:11:45,085 Speaker 1: is that they don't have long, ornate passages that describe 181 00:11:45,085 --> 00:11:47,845 Speaker 1: in detail various things. So if you want something to 182 00:11:47,925 --> 00:11:50,925 Speaker 1: have an impact, you have to make it pretty stark. 183 00:11:51,325 --> 00:11:55,645 Speaker 1: We need our readers or listeners to know that these 184 00:11:55,725 --> 00:12:00,845 Speaker 1: bad guys are bad, like they are not oh ambiguously bad, 185 00:12:00,885 --> 00:12:03,805 Speaker 1: They're not just sort of selfish and mean. These are 186 00:12:03,805 --> 00:12:05,685 Speaker 1: the worst of the worst. That story has been being 187 00:12:05,765 --> 00:12:09,245 Speaker 1: told for literal thousands of years about whoever it is 188 00:12:09,285 --> 00:12:12,005 Speaker 1: that we want to be able to hate without nuance, 189 00:12:12,605 --> 00:12:17,005 Speaker 1: and it's really interesting to see that motif crop up, 190 00:12:17,485 --> 00:12:19,605 Speaker 1: so that we don't have to think, we don't have 191 00:12:19,645 --> 00:12:24,085 Speaker 1: to complicate these people, we can just hate them. 192 00:12:24,405 --> 00:12:28,125 Speaker 2: Another element that increases the suspense and horror of the 193 00:12:28,205 --> 00:12:31,445 Speaker 2: story is that the merchant's daughter has to march into 194 00:12:31,565 --> 00:12:34,885 Speaker 2: her fate, despite the feeling of an ease she has. 195 00:12:35,405 --> 00:12:38,365 Speaker 2: She has to marry this man her father found for her, 196 00:12:38,805 --> 00:12:42,085 Speaker 2: and she has to go see her future husband's house. 197 00:12:43,165 --> 00:12:46,885 Speaker 2: Similarly to how she couldn't escape without the old woman's help, 198 00:12:47,325 --> 00:12:52,085 Speaker 2: she can't escape the will of the men in her life. 199 00:12:52,365 --> 00:12:55,965 Speaker 1: One of the tropes that we see here is how 200 00:12:56,085 --> 00:12:59,045 Speaker 1: powerless women are at the hands of men. So her 201 00:12:59,045 --> 00:13:02,885 Speaker 1: father encouraging her towards this marriage that she just does 202 00:13:02,925 --> 00:13:06,165 Speaker 1: not feel good about, and then her husband to be 203 00:13:06,925 --> 00:13:10,765 Speaker 1: encouraging her to make choices that her gut tells her 204 00:13:10,805 --> 00:13:12,565 Speaker 1: do not feel good. Yeah, my house is in the 205 00:13:12,605 --> 00:13:14,245 Speaker 1: middle of the woods. You should see it before we 206 00:13:14,285 --> 00:13:18,365 Speaker 1: get married. Walk there alone at night through the forest. 207 00:13:18,485 --> 00:13:24,405 Speaker 1: It'll be fine. All of these things are going against instinct. 208 00:13:24,525 --> 00:13:28,805 Speaker 1: I think that we know historically that men making deals 209 00:13:28,805 --> 00:13:31,805 Speaker 1: with other men about marriage is an incredibly common practice 210 00:13:31,845 --> 00:13:34,845 Speaker 1: around the world, so a woman's father and a woman's 211 00:13:34,885 --> 00:13:37,965 Speaker 1: future husband would often negotiate the terms of her marriage 212 00:13:37,965 --> 00:13:41,445 Speaker 1: without her involvement at all, so that's not particularly surprising. 213 00:13:41,485 --> 00:13:45,085 Speaker 1: Here we do have the fairy tale elements of come 214 00:13:45,125 --> 00:13:48,805 Speaker 1: into the woods, go against your instinct, put yourself in danger, 215 00:13:48,845 --> 00:13:52,485 Speaker 1: and clearly he has no good intent here at all. 216 00:13:52,805 --> 00:13:56,885 Speaker 1: We get sort of that tension of a woman ostensibly 217 00:13:56,925 --> 00:14:02,045 Speaker 1: behaving in a societally appropriate way, but knowing something is wrong. 218 00:14:03,365 --> 00:14:07,285 Speaker 2: The Robbert Bridegroom is a disturbing indeed, and some people 219 00:14:07,605 --> 00:14:10,965 Speaker 2: even consider it a Gothic story instead of a simple 220 00:14:11,005 --> 00:14:15,325 Speaker 2: fairy tale. In the time of Mary Shelley and Edgar 221 00:14:15,365 --> 00:14:20,725 Speaker 2: Allan Poe, the word German evoked feelings of darkness and ominousness, 222 00:14:21,205 --> 00:14:24,325 Speaker 2: and that's when the Robber Bridegroom entered the world. But 223 00:14:24,445 --> 00:14:27,845 Speaker 2: let's look at the fairy tales. The Robber Bridegroom is 224 00:14:27,885 --> 00:14:32,205 Speaker 2: one of many stories that features a murderous husband, and 225 00:14:32,285 --> 00:14:45,525 Speaker 2: in one tale type, he's a serial killer. As with 226 00:14:45,645 --> 00:14:48,885 Speaker 2: their other stories. The brothers Grim heard the Robber Bridegroom 227 00:14:49,045 --> 00:14:52,565 Speaker 2: from Marie Hasenflug, one of the sisters who was a 228 00:14:52,565 --> 00:14:54,725 Speaker 2: descendant of French Huguenots. 229 00:14:55,445 --> 00:14:56,165 Speaker 4: One tale that. 230 00:14:56,165 --> 00:15:00,045 Speaker 2: Is closely related to the Robber Bridegroom is Bluebeard. It's 231 00:15:00,085 --> 00:15:04,485 Speaker 2: a different tale type ATU three twelve, but it could 232 00:15:04,565 --> 00:15:09,005 Speaker 2: have possibly better the inspiration for the Robber Bridegroom. The 233 00:15:09,125 --> 00:15:12,285 Speaker 2: Grims wrote their own version of blue Beard and included 234 00:15:12,285 --> 00:15:15,165 Speaker 2: it in their first edition, but then they decided that 235 00:15:15,205 --> 00:15:19,085 Speaker 2: the tale was too French and not authentically German enough 236 00:15:19,165 --> 00:15:23,885 Speaker 2: for them to include in future editions. It was very 237 00:15:23,925 --> 00:15:27,045 Speaker 2: similar to the tale by Charles Perraut, which was published 238 00:15:27,045 --> 00:15:32,085 Speaker 2: in sixteen ninety seven. There's a rich man who is 239 00:15:32,165 --> 00:15:35,205 Speaker 2: unlucky to have a blue beard, which makes him so 240 00:15:35,605 --> 00:15:36,685 Speaker 2: ugly that. 241 00:15:36,645 --> 00:15:38,245 Speaker 4: All the ladies run from him. 242 00:15:38,685 --> 00:15:42,085 Speaker 2: But one of his neighbors has two beautiful daughters, and 243 00:15:42,165 --> 00:15:45,245 Speaker 2: he asks to have one of them as his bride. 244 00:15:45,485 --> 00:15:48,445 Speaker 2: The two sisters sent him back and forth between the two, 245 00:15:49,165 --> 00:15:53,845 Speaker 2: neither one wanting him for his ugliness. Another reason neither 246 00:15:53,925 --> 00:15:56,605 Speaker 2: sister wants to marry him is they know he has 247 00:15:56,685 --> 00:16:00,805 Speaker 2: been previously married several times, but no one knows what's 248 00:16:00,925 --> 00:16:02,165 Speaker 2: happened to those wives. 249 00:16:03,845 --> 00:16:04,485 Speaker 4: To win their. 250 00:16:04,325 --> 00:16:08,525 Speaker 2: Affection, Bluebeard decides to host the mother daughters and some 251 00:16:08,605 --> 00:16:10,605 Speaker 2: of their friends and other neighbors at one of his 252 00:16:10,685 --> 00:16:16,445 Speaker 2: country homes. The time is filled with parties, hunting, fishing, dancing, mirth, 253 00:16:16,525 --> 00:16:17,165 Speaker 2: and feasting. 254 00:16:18,205 --> 00:16:19,685 Speaker 4: Everything goes so well. 255 00:16:19,965 --> 00:16:22,965 Speaker 2: The youngest daughter decides a blue Beard isn't so bad 256 00:16:23,005 --> 00:16:23,925 Speaker 2: after all. 257 00:16:24,005 --> 00:16:25,685 Speaker 4: And that he is quite the gentleman. 258 00:16:26,725 --> 00:16:29,845 Speaker 2: When everyone returns home, blue Beard and the youngest daughter 259 00:16:29,925 --> 00:16:34,445 Speaker 2: are married. A month later, blue Beard announces he has 260 00:16:34,485 --> 00:16:37,965 Speaker 2: to leave for six weeks to attend to important business. 261 00:16:38,405 --> 00:16:41,285 Speaker 2: He tells her to keep herself entertained while he's gone 262 00:16:41,605 --> 00:16:45,405 Speaker 2: by inviting her friends to the country house. He hands 263 00:16:45,445 --> 00:16:45,885 Speaker 2: her a. 264 00:16:45,765 --> 00:16:46,605 Speaker 4: Set of keys. 265 00:16:46,965 --> 00:16:50,765 Speaker 2: One key unlocks great wardrobes where he keeps his best furniture, 266 00:16:51,325 --> 00:16:54,445 Speaker 2: Another unlocks where he keeps his gold and silver plates, 267 00:16:55,445 --> 00:16:59,805 Speaker 2: another to his gold, silver, and jewels, and finally the 268 00:16:59,925 --> 00:17:03,645 Speaker 2: smallest key, which opens a little closet on the ground floor. 269 00:17:04,405 --> 00:17:07,765 Speaker 2: He tells her she can open anything she wants except 270 00:17:07,925 --> 00:17:11,605 Speaker 2: for the small closet. If she does, she should expect 271 00:17:11,605 --> 00:17:16,085 Speaker 2: his just anger. She promises to do as he says. 272 00:17:16,525 --> 00:17:19,045 Speaker 2: Then he gets into his coach and leaves. 273 00:17:22,165 --> 00:17:22,325 Speaker 1: Her. 274 00:17:22,325 --> 00:17:24,885 Speaker 2: Neighbors and friends didn't wait for an invite to go 275 00:17:24,925 --> 00:17:25,925 Speaker 2: to the country. 276 00:17:25,525 --> 00:17:26,765 Speaker 4: House with the new wife. 277 00:17:27,205 --> 00:17:30,005 Speaker 2: They had been waiting for her husband to leave before 278 00:17:30,205 --> 00:17:32,125 Speaker 2: visiting because they were still. 279 00:17:31,885 --> 00:17:33,045 Speaker 4: Frightened of his beard. 280 00:17:34,365 --> 00:17:38,285 Speaker 2: As a new wife begins unlocking everything, everyone is beside 281 00:17:38,285 --> 00:17:42,365 Speaker 2: themselves with the treasures for each finery surpasses the one 282 00:17:42,405 --> 00:17:46,165 Speaker 2: before it, but the new bride can't wait and heads 283 00:17:46,165 --> 00:17:48,405 Speaker 2: to the little door before the rest of the party. 284 00:17:49,165 --> 00:17:52,005 Speaker 2: She thinks a moment about her husband's warning, but the 285 00:17:52,045 --> 00:17:57,125 Speaker 2: temptation is too strong. She opens the door. It takes 286 00:17:57,125 --> 00:18:00,405 Speaker 2: a minute because all the windows are shut, but after 287 00:18:00,485 --> 00:18:04,525 Speaker 2: a few moments she realizes the floors are covered in 288 00:18:04,565 --> 00:18:07,805 Speaker 2: clotted blood. The room is filled with the bodies of 289 00:18:07,845 --> 00:18:14,885 Speaker 2: Bluebeard's previous wives. Terrified, she drops the key. After somewhat recovering, 290 00:18:15,165 --> 00:18:18,165 Speaker 2: she picks the key back up and locks the door again. 291 00:18:19,365 --> 00:18:22,005 Speaker 2: The new wife notices there is blood on the key, 292 00:18:22,525 --> 00:18:25,245 Speaker 2: but no matter how much she tries to wipe it off, 293 00:18:25,645 --> 00:18:30,485 Speaker 2: the blood remains, for it's a magical key. Bluebeard returns 294 00:18:30,485 --> 00:18:33,765 Speaker 2: from his journey that same evening. He had received letters 295 00:18:33,765 --> 00:18:36,605 Speaker 2: while on the road informing him his business matters were 296 00:18:36,605 --> 00:18:40,045 Speaker 2: concluded to his advantage. His new wife does all she 297 00:18:40,085 --> 00:18:43,045 Speaker 2: can to convince him she's happy of his early return. 298 00:18:44,165 --> 00:18:48,045 Speaker 2: The next morning, he asks for the keys, her hands 299 00:18:48,045 --> 00:18:53,045 Speaker 2: tremble so much he already knows she didn't obey. He 300 00:18:53,205 --> 00:18:56,285 Speaker 2: asks why the small key isn't among the rest. She 301 00:18:56,445 --> 00:19:00,405 Speaker 2: replies she does not know. He then pushes her to 302 00:19:00,445 --> 00:19:01,565 Speaker 2: retrieve the key. 303 00:19:01,565 --> 00:19:02,285 Speaker 4: Which she does. 304 00:19:03,165 --> 00:19:06,285 Speaker 2: When he asks why there's blood on the key, she cries, 305 00:19:06,485 --> 00:19:11,445 Speaker 2: paler than death. I do not know, you do not know, 306 00:19:11,805 --> 00:19:15,525 Speaker 2: replies blue Beard. I very well know you went into 307 00:19:15,565 --> 00:19:16,805 Speaker 2: the closet, did you not? 308 00:19:17,685 --> 00:19:18,645 Speaker 4: Very well? Madam? 309 00:19:19,125 --> 00:19:21,325 Speaker 2: You shall go back and take your place among the 310 00:19:21,405 --> 00:19:25,485 Speaker 2: ladies you saw there. The new wife begs blue Beard 311 00:19:25,525 --> 00:19:29,765 Speaker 2: to spare her, but he refuses. Pirot writes, she would 312 00:19:29,805 --> 00:19:33,325 Speaker 2: have melted a rock, so beautiful and sorrowful was she, 313 00:19:34,005 --> 00:19:36,165 Speaker 2: But blue Beard had a heart harder. 314 00:19:35,885 --> 00:19:36,605 Speaker 4: Than any rock. 315 00:19:37,765 --> 00:19:40,285 Speaker 2: The new wife convinces blue Beard to give her time 316 00:19:40,365 --> 00:19:44,085 Speaker 2: to pray before he kills her. He concedes and gives 317 00:19:44,125 --> 00:19:47,845 Speaker 2: her half a quarter of an hour. The new wife 318 00:19:47,925 --> 00:19:50,325 Speaker 2: calls up to her sister Anne, who is still at 319 00:19:50,325 --> 00:19:53,525 Speaker 2: the country house. She asks Anne to climb to the 320 00:19:53,525 --> 00:19:55,685 Speaker 2: top of the tower to see if her brothers are coming. 321 00:19:56,325 --> 00:19:59,725 Speaker 2: They had made plans to arrive that day, and if 322 00:19:59,765 --> 00:20:02,445 Speaker 2: Anne does see them, to give them a sign to 323 00:20:02,565 --> 00:20:06,125 Speaker 2: make haste. Three times is Anne and see a cloud 324 00:20:06,165 --> 00:20:09,885 Speaker 2: of dust, and three times it's not her brother's. On 325 00:20:10,005 --> 00:20:13,645 Speaker 2: the fourth look, Anne sees two horsemen, but there's still a. 326 00:20:13,565 --> 00:20:14,405 Speaker 4: Great way off. 327 00:20:15,445 --> 00:20:19,005 Speaker 2: Blue Beard has no more patience and balls so loudly 328 00:20:19,365 --> 00:20:22,565 Speaker 2: that his distressed wife comes down and throws herself at 329 00:20:22,565 --> 00:20:25,805 Speaker 2: his feet. He uses one hand to grab her hair 330 00:20:25,845 --> 00:20:28,405 Speaker 2: and hold her head back, while the other hand holds 331 00:20:28,405 --> 00:20:32,485 Speaker 2: a sword poise to strike her head off. As he's 332 00:20:32,525 --> 00:20:35,365 Speaker 2: about to kill her, there's such a loud knocking at 333 00:20:35,405 --> 00:20:38,925 Speaker 2: the gate that Bluebeard stops. The gate opens and the 334 00:20:38,965 --> 00:20:43,925 Speaker 2: two horsemen enter. Blue Beard recognizes it's his wife's two brothers, 335 00:20:44,485 --> 00:20:47,605 Speaker 2: one who is a dragoon and the other a musketeer, 336 00:20:48,285 --> 00:20:51,245 Speaker 2: and so he turns to flee to safe himself. But 337 00:20:51,365 --> 00:20:54,325 Speaker 2: do two brothers catch him and run their swords through him, 338 00:20:54,685 --> 00:21:00,965 Speaker 2: leaving his body where he dies. Since blue Beard has 339 00:21:01,085 --> 00:21:04,405 Speaker 2: no heirs or mistress, all his fortune goes to his 340 00:21:04,445 --> 00:21:07,605 Speaker 2: new wife. She uses part of it to marry her 341 00:21:07,645 --> 00:21:10,165 Speaker 2: sister Anne to a young gentleman who has been in 342 00:21:10,165 --> 00:21:13,645 Speaker 2: love with Anne for a while now. She uses another 343 00:21:13,685 --> 00:21:17,165 Speaker 2: part to buy captain's commissions for her brothers, and the 344 00:21:17,205 --> 00:21:20,765 Speaker 2: rest she uses to marry herself to a worthy gentleman, 345 00:21:21,165 --> 00:21:27,525 Speaker 2: who in time makes her forget blue Beard. Perrot's morals 346 00:21:27,565 --> 00:21:32,045 Speaker 2: are a bit heavy handed in this tale. He writes, curiosity, 347 00:21:32,245 --> 00:21:35,205 Speaker 2: in spite of its appeal, often leads to deep regret, 348 00:21:36,165 --> 00:21:39,645 Speaker 2: to the displeasure of many a maiden, Its enjoyment. 349 00:21:39,325 --> 00:21:40,205 Speaker 4: Is short lived. 350 00:21:40,685 --> 00:21:45,205 Speaker 2: Once satisfied, it ceases to exist, and always costs dearly. 351 00:21:46,005 --> 00:21:49,605 Speaker 2: Apply logic to this grim story, and you will ascertain 352 00:21:49,885 --> 00:21:53,765 Speaker 2: that it took place many years ago. No husband of 353 00:21:53,845 --> 00:21:56,845 Speaker 2: our age would be so terrible as to demand the 354 00:21:56,885 --> 00:22:00,645 Speaker 2: impossible for his wife, nor would he be such a 355 00:22:00,725 --> 00:22:04,925 Speaker 2: jealous malcontent. For whatever the color of her husband's beard, 356 00:22:05,245 --> 00:22:07,085 Speaker 2: the wife of today will let. 357 00:22:07,005 --> 00:22:08,725 Speaker 4: Him know who the master is. 358 00:22:11,445 --> 00:22:15,245 Speaker 2: On one hand, Perrot scolds women for their curiosity. On 359 00:22:15,325 --> 00:22:21,845 Speaker 2: the other hand, he warns against controlling jealous husbands. Robbers 360 00:22:21,845 --> 00:22:25,325 Speaker 2: with colorful beards aren't unusual, though, and appear in several 361 00:22:25,365 --> 00:22:29,165 Speaker 2: other tales. Switching back to at U nine fifty five, 362 00:22:29,725 --> 00:22:33,645 Speaker 2: there's a Lithuanian tale published in eighteen fifty seven titled 363 00:22:33,885 --> 00:22:37,565 Speaker 2: green Beard in the City. There is a wealthy merchant 364 00:22:37,565 --> 00:22:40,845 Speaker 2: with a beautiful daughter. The girl says she will only 365 00:22:40,845 --> 00:22:43,965 Speaker 2: marry a man with a green beard. In the woods 366 00:22:44,005 --> 00:22:48,805 Speaker 2: surrounding the city, twenty four robbers live together. The handsome 367 00:22:48,845 --> 00:22:51,965 Speaker 2: captain says he wants to marry this girl, so he 368 00:22:52,125 --> 00:22:56,245 Speaker 2: finds the dye to turn his beard green. After coloring 369 00:22:56,285 --> 00:22:59,445 Speaker 2: his beard, the captain rides into the city and courts 370 00:22:59,485 --> 00:23:03,245 Speaker 2: the merchant's daughter. She likes him so much that he 371 00:23:03,325 --> 00:23:06,485 Speaker 2: spends the night. The next day, plans are made for 372 00:23:06,525 --> 00:23:09,285 Speaker 2: her to visit him at his large mansion in the woods. 373 00:23:09,965 --> 00:23:14,045 Speaker 2: He gives her directions, which she follows on horseback. The 374 00:23:14,085 --> 00:23:17,165 Speaker 2: path becomes too narrow, so she dismounts her horse and 375 00:23:17,205 --> 00:23:21,045 Speaker 2: continues on foot. Soon she comes upon a small house 376 00:23:21,165 --> 00:23:23,005 Speaker 2: with two lions chained. 377 00:23:22,765 --> 00:23:25,765 Speaker 4: Near the door. When she realizes. 378 00:23:25,365 --> 00:23:28,805 Speaker 2: They're not doing anything, she goes inside. 379 00:23:28,845 --> 00:23:29,525 Speaker 4: She enters her. 380 00:23:29,525 --> 00:23:32,285 Speaker 2: Room with beds and flint locks hanging on the walls. 381 00:23:32,925 --> 00:23:36,885 Speaker 2: Flintlocks are guns that use the striking of flint to fire. 382 00:23:37,925 --> 00:23:40,125 Speaker 2: In the next room is a table with a bird 383 00:23:40,205 --> 00:23:43,605 Speaker 2: in a cage hanging from the rafter. The little bird 384 00:23:43,685 --> 00:23:46,445 Speaker 2: asks how she got in and tells her that robbers 385 00:23:46,485 --> 00:23:50,205 Speaker 2: live there. The bird also warns if she tries to 386 00:23:50,325 --> 00:23:53,005 Speaker 2: leave now, the lions will eat her, so she needs 387 00:23:53,005 --> 00:23:55,645 Speaker 2: to hide under the bed until the robbers get drunk 388 00:23:55,725 --> 00:23:58,965 Speaker 2: and pass out. Then as she leaves, she can throw 389 00:23:59,005 --> 00:24:00,485 Speaker 2: a piece of cake to each. 390 00:24:00,325 --> 00:24:01,365 Speaker 4: Lion and run away. 391 00:24:02,205 --> 00:24:05,125 Speaker 2: The girl follows the bird's advice and crawls under the bed. 392 00:24:05,765 --> 00:24:08,925 Speaker 2: When the robbers come home, one says it smells of 393 00:24:09,045 --> 00:24:12,525 Speaker 2: human flesh, but the bird makes excuses and the robbers 394 00:24:12,525 --> 00:24:16,885 Speaker 2: stop asking questions. The robbers have brought home a girl 395 00:24:16,925 --> 00:24:20,845 Speaker 2: with them. First they eat dinner, then they chop the 396 00:24:20,885 --> 00:24:25,205 Speaker 2: other girl into pieces, starting with her fingers. The finger 397 00:24:25,245 --> 00:24:28,005 Speaker 2: with the ring flies out of the carnage and lands 398 00:24:28,045 --> 00:24:31,005 Speaker 2: beside the girl hiding under the bed. She puts it 399 00:24:31,045 --> 00:24:35,405 Speaker 2: in her pocket. After the robbers drink themselves to sleep, 400 00:24:35,645 --> 00:24:38,245 Speaker 2: the girl comes out from under the bed, feeds the 401 00:24:38,245 --> 00:24:41,445 Speaker 2: bird some sugar, then feeds the lions the cake as 402 00:24:41,485 --> 00:24:44,845 Speaker 2: she flees. But no sooner had she started running than 403 00:24:44,885 --> 00:24:49,805 Speaker 2: the lions begin to roar, waking up the robbers. Knowing 404 00:24:49,885 --> 00:24:53,045 Speaker 2: it's the merchant's daughter, they take after her, but she's 405 00:24:53,125 --> 00:24:57,405 Speaker 2: already reached her horse and is riding safely home. Green 406 00:24:57,445 --> 00:25:00,485 Speaker 2: Beard cuts off his beard and devises the plan. He 407 00:25:00,605 --> 00:25:03,405 Speaker 2: orders large wagons with large barrels for his men to 408 00:25:03,485 --> 00:25:06,005 Speaker 2: hide in. He tells his men to stay they hidden 409 00:25:06,285 --> 00:25:09,685 Speaker 2: until he gives them a sign. Green Beard goes to 410 00:25:09,765 --> 00:25:13,365 Speaker 2: the merchant's house, pretending to be someone else. While the 411 00:25:13,365 --> 00:25:16,605 Speaker 2: two are talking, one of the servants overhears the men 412 00:25:16,685 --> 00:25:20,005 Speaker 2: whispering and the barrels and goes to tell the merchant. 413 00:25:20,405 --> 00:25:23,245 Speaker 2: The merchant then forces green Beard to sit with the 414 00:25:23,325 --> 00:25:26,445 Speaker 2: guard on each side while other men prepare to catch 415 00:25:26,485 --> 00:25:30,765 Speaker 2: the hidden robbers. The merchant's daughter calms down and shows 416 00:25:30,845 --> 00:25:34,165 Speaker 2: her father and green Beard the dead girl's finger with 417 00:25:34,325 --> 00:25:38,485 Speaker 2: the ring. Green Beard, knowing he's been caught, tries to run, 418 00:25:38,605 --> 00:25:42,365 Speaker 2: but the guards hold him down. He and all his 419 00:25:42,525 --> 00:25:46,165 Speaker 2: men are caught. The girl then leads people to the 420 00:25:46,245 --> 00:25:49,885 Speaker 2: robber's house. She keeps the little bird, the merchant keeps 421 00:25:49,925 --> 00:25:52,805 Speaker 2: the lions. The rest is divided among the poor, and 422 00:25:52,845 --> 00:25:57,005 Speaker 2: the house is burnt down. The robbers all die in prison, 423 00:25:57,325 --> 00:26:00,485 Speaker 2: and the merchant's daughter no longer has a desire to 424 00:26:00,485 --> 00:26:04,285 Speaker 2: marry a man with a green beard. One of the 425 00:26:04,325 --> 00:26:07,005 Speaker 2: morals is to warn women to not be so picky 426 00:26:07,165 --> 00:26:10,365 Speaker 2: about who they marry, But not all of these tales 427 00:26:10,405 --> 00:26:13,605 Speaker 2: are about marriage. 428 00:26:14,325 --> 00:26:15,645 Speaker 4: One of my favorites, and. 429 00:26:15,645 --> 00:26:18,685 Speaker 2: Perhaps the Saddest Story Ran Across from this tell type 430 00:26:18,845 --> 00:26:22,405 Speaker 2: is a Romanian story written by Moses Gastor published in 431 00:26:22,525 --> 00:26:27,125 Speaker 2: nineteen fifteen. A poor orphan girl works as a servant 432 00:26:27,165 --> 00:26:30,965 Speaker 2: for a rich man. Her dearest companions a little dog 433 00:26:31,005 --> 00:26:34,885 Speaker 2: her parents had given her before they died. One day, 434 00:26:35,165 --> 00:26:37,685 Speaker 2: the head of a robber band disguises himself as a 435 00:26:37,725 --> 00:26:42,085 Speaker 2: servant and asks her to marry him. Feeling something sinister 436 00:26:42,165 --> 00:26:46,285 Speaker 2: about the man, the girl refuses. The chieftain has his 437 00:26:46,325 --> 00:26:49,805 Speaker 2: fellow robbers kidnapped the girl and her dog, but although 438 00:26:49,845 --> 00:26:53,165 Speaker 2: she is trapped in his home, the girl still refuses 439 00:26:53,205 --> 00:26:56,365 Speaker 2: to marry him. Fed Up, the head of the robbers 440 00:26:56,565 --> 00:27:01,245 Speaker 2: sells her to an innkeeper. This innkeeper robs and kills 441 00:27:01,285 --> 00:27:04,645 Speaker 2: travelers and then serves their flesh to his other customers. 442 00:27:05,725 --> 00:27:09,485 Speaker 2: Terrorizes the girl by showing her the stolen valuables, the 443 00:27:09,565 --> 00:27:13,005 Speaker 2: room where he murders people, and the weapons he uses 444 00:27:13,085 --> 00:27:16,925 Speaker 2: for his violent crimes. Later, he brings her a little 445 00:27:16,965 --> 00:27:20,205 Speaker 2: boy who he has captured. He cuts the little boy's 446 00:27:20,245 --> 00:27:22,565 Speaker 2: head off before cutting the rest of him to pieces. 447 00:27:23,525 --> 00:27:26,405 Speaker 2: The innkeeper then forces the girl to cook the boy's 448 00:27:26,445 --> 00:27:31,765 Speaker 2: flesh and serve it to the guests. Sometime later, an old, wrinkled, 449 00:27:31,845 --> 00:27:35,365 Speaker 2: ugly woman shows up. She's nothing but skin and bones, 450 00:27:36,365 --> 00:27:39,005 Speaker 2: maybe wanting to fatten her up to eat, The innkeeper 451 00:27:39,045 --> 00:27:41,885 Speaker 2: locks her in the room with the girl. Turns out 452 00:27:42,005 --> 00:27:45,165 Speaker 2: it's the innkeeper's mother who has come to punish him 453 00:27:45,245 --> 00:27:48,965 Speaker 2: for his wickedness. She tells a girl that to escape, 454 00:27:49,085 --> 00:27:51,165 Speaker 2: she has to eat a piece of her dog's heart, 455 00:27:51,485 --> 00:27:54,885 Speaker 2: which the girl does. Then the woman rubs ointment all 456 00:27:55,005 --> 00:27:58,205 Speaker 2: over the girl's body, which transforms her into a duck. 457 00:27:59,605 --> 00:28:02,165 Speaker 2: A little later, when the man opens the door, the 458 00:28:02,245 --> 00:28:06,125 Speaker 2: girl flies out to safety. The innkeeper runs from room 459 00:28:06,125 --> 00:28:10,045 Speaker 2: to room looking for the girl. Meanwhile, his mother mutters 460 00:28:10,085 --> 00:28:13,285 Speaker 2: a magic curse that causes the end to collapse, killing 461 00:28:13,325 --> 00:28:17,245 Speaker 2: the man at once. The girl turns around and sees 462 00:28:17,365 --> 00:28:20,925 Speaker 2: the ruins. She's free, but since the witch never told 463 00:28:20,925 --> 00:28:23,965 Speaker 2: her how to become human again, the story says, she 464 00:28:24,085 --> 00:28:28,565 Speaker 2: remains a duck to this very day. While each story 465 00:28:28,605 --> 00:28:32,005 Speaker 2: has commonalities, there are different levels of violence to them. 466 00:28:32,805 --> 00:28:36,285 Speaker 2: But what about the brother's grim story? As it turns out, 467 00:28:36,765 --> 00:28:50,645 Speaker 2: they didn't shy away from the darkness. The version of 468 00:28:50,645 --> 00:28:52,965 Speaker 2: the robber bridegroom you heard at the beginning of the 469 00:28:53,005 --> 00:28:57,045 Speaker 2: episode was from eighteen nineteen, but that's not the first 470 00:28:57,085 --> 00:29:00,525 Speaker 2: time they published the story. The first one, published in 471 00:29:00,565 --> 00:29:04,565 Speaker 2: eighteen twelve, is very different, and while most of the 472 00:29:04,645 --> 00:29:07,605 Speaker 2: time the Grim Brothers sanitize their stories to be more 473 00:29:07,605 --> 00:29:11,125 Speaker 2: appropriate for children, they didn't do that for the robber 474 00:29:11,125 --> 00:29:15,685 Speaker 2: bridegroom in the eighteen twelve version. Instead of a merchant's daughter, 475 00:29:15,925 --> 00:29:19,565 Speaker 2: there's a princess and she is set to marry a prince. 476 00:29:20,405 --> 00:29:22,485 Speaker 2: The prince tells her to visit him in the castle 477 00:29:22,485 --> 00:29:25,485 Speaker 2: in the woods. The princess says she was afraid of 478 00:29:25,565 --> 00:29:28,405 Speaker 2: losing her way, but the prince says he would tie 479 00:29:28,445 --> 00:29:30,765 Speaker 2: a ribbon to the trees to help her find her way. 480 00:29:31,685 --> 00:29:35,685 Speaker 2: When she runs out of excuses, the princess agrees. The 481 00:29:35,765 --> 00:29:38,725 Speaker 2: princess comes upon a large house the evening. She goes 482 00:29:38,765 --> 00:29:42,565 Speaker 2: to visit the prince and an old woman sits outside. 483 00:29:42,685 --> 00:29:45,245 Speaker 2: The woman says it is a good thing the princess 484 00:29:45,245 --> 00:29:48,365 Speaker 2: has arrived while no one else is home, because the 485 00:29:48,405 --> 00:29:51,485 Speaker 2: prince and his robber gang are planning on eating her. 486 00:29:52,445 --> 00:29:55,405 Speaker 2: The old woman tells the princess to go hide behind 487 00:29:55,405 --> 00:29:59,165 Speaker 2: the large barrel in the cellar. Just then, the prince 488 00:29:59,245 --> 00:30:03,285 Speaker 2: and robbers arrive with another old woman. This woman is 489 00:30:03,325 --> 00:30:09,525 Speaker 2: the princess's grandmother. The murder her. After the grandmother is dead, 490 00:30:09,685 --> 00:30:12,125 Speaker 2: they take off her rings, but the ring on her 491 00:30:12,205 --> 00:30:15,045 Speaker 2: ring finger refuses to come off, so they take a 492 00:30:15,125 --> 00:30:19,165 Speaker 2: knife and hack it off. The finger flies behind the 493 00:30:19,205 --> 00:30:23,205 Speaker 2: barrel into the princess's lap. The prince and robbers decide 494 00:30:23,245 --> 00:30:27,565 Speaker 2: to look for it. The next morning, after everyone falls asleep, 495 00:30:27,925 --> 00:30:32,045 Speaker 2: the princess sneaks out of the prince's castle and uses 496 00:30:32,085 --> 00:30:34,085 Speaker 2: the ribbons to find her way home in the dark. 497 00:30:35,285 --> 00:30:39,565 Speaker 2: She then tells her father everything. He immediately orders an 498 00:30:39,765 --> 00:30:43,725 Speaker 2: entire regiment to surround the castle. The prince comes to 499 00:30:43,805 --> 00:30:46,885 Speaker 2: visit the next day to ask the princess why she 500 00:30:46,925 --> 00:30:50,245 Speaker 2: didn't come to visit like she promised. Like the eighteen 501 00:30:50,325 --> 00:30:54,005 Speaker 2: nineteen version, she tells him about her bad dream, reveals 502 00:30:54,045 --> 00:30:56,085 Speaker 2: a finger, and then he and his band of. 503 00:30:56,125 --> 00:30:57,325 Speaker 4: Robbers are put to death. 504 00:30:59,005 --> 00:31:01,885 Speaker 2: Unlike other stories such as Little Red, Riding Hood and 505 00:31:01,965 --> 00:31:05,445 Speaker 2: Sleeping Beauty, the Brother's Graham did something a bit different 506 00:31:05,725 --> 00:31:09,485 Speaker 2: with this tale. They actually leaned into the elements that 507 00:31:09,645 --> 00:31:13,925 Speaker 2: made the robber bridegroom more horrific. That's according to a 508 00:31:14,005 --> 00:31:17,765 Speaker 2: paper written by a late German Studies professor in folklorist 509 00:31:18,045 --> 00:31:23,045 Speaker 2: Linda Krause Warley. For example, Warley argued, it's awful to 510 00:31:23,045 --> 00:31:25,485 Speaker 2: see your own flesh and blood be murdered, like when 511 00:31:25,485 --> 00:31:28,325 Speaker 2: the bride's grandmother was killed in the earlier version of 512 00:31:28,365 --> 00:31:31,485 Speaker 2: the story. But then when the young woman sees another 513 00:31:31,605 --> 00:31:34,485 Speaker 2: young woman, it's worse in the sense that it's like 514 00:31:34,565 --> 00:31:39,125 Speaker 2: looking into a mirror. She's seeing her own fate. Another 515 00:31:39,245 --> 00:31:42,085 Speaker 2: argument would be the omens of death, like the suitor 516 00:31:42,165 --> 00:31:46,165 Speaker 2: using ash to mark the path through the woods, and 517 00:31:46,205 --> 00:31:48,885 Speaker 2: even another argument is that the change from princess to 518 00:31:48,965 --> 00:31:53,005 Speaker 2: Miller's daughter is significant because in folk tales, Miller's were 519 00:31:53,085 --> 00:31:58,605 Speaker 2: usually perceived as devious and distrustful. The Robber Bridegroom has 520 00:31:58,605 --> 00:32:02,925 Speaker 2: been adapted numerous times since the brother's grum. Two of 521 00:32:02,965 --> 00:32:05,805 Speaker 2: the most well known versions are a novella by e 522 00:32:05,925 --> 00:32:10,805 Speaker 2: Dora Wealthy and a novel by Margaret Atwood. Eudora Welty's 523 00:32:10,885 --> 00:32:14,885 Speaker 2: novella The Robber Bridegroom was also adapted into a Broadway play, 524 00:32:15,045 --> 00:32:18,245 Speaker 2: which was staged for the first time in nineteen seventy five. 525 00:32:19,445 --> 00:32:23,205 Speaker 2: Margaret Atwood's nineteen ninety three novel The Robber Bride turns 526 00:32:23,205 --> 00:32:26,885 Speaker 2: the tail on its head. She asks the question, is 527 00:32:26,925 --> 00:32:31,365 Speaker 2: a bad marriage better than not being married? Doctor McNeil 528 00:32:31,445 --> 00:32:34,085 Speaker 2: says this theme has carried its way through time. 529 00:32:36,565 --> 00:32:42,005 Speaker 1: A woman has been intentionally luring three other women's husbands 530 00:32:42,045 --> 00:32:46,605 Speaker 1: away from them, and the implication is that she's motivated 531 00:32:46,845 --> 00:32:49,845 Speaker 1: by thinking maybe she's sparing them from bad marriages. The 532 00:32:49,845 --> 00:32:52,085 Speaker 1: fact that these men could be lured away shows that 533 00:32:52,085 --> 00:32:55,325 Speaker 1: their bad husbands are bad partners, and she's doing these 534 00:32:55,325 --> 00:32:59,805 Speaker 1: women a favor by dispatching these men from their lives. 535 00:33:00,085 --> 00:33:00,605 Speaker 4: And so we. 536 00:33:00,605 --> 00:33:04,565 Speaker 1: Start to get fairly deep questions that really do stem 537 00:33:04,645 --> 00:33:08,525 Speaker 1: from this original tail type nine fifty five. What is 538 00:33:08,565 --> 00:33:10,725 Speaker 1: the value of a bad marriage in a time when 539 00:33:10,765 --> 00:33:16,565 Speaker 1: women could not own property? Widows could, but women unmarried can't. 540 00:33:16,765 --> 00:33:20,085 Speaker 1: So I don't know. Maybe a bad marriage where you 541 00:33:20,205 --> 00:33:23,765 Speaker 1: managed to work some poisonous mushrooms into a soup, maybe 542 00:33:23,765 --> 00:33:26,805 Speaker 1: that's better. I don't know. I'm not advocating that as 543 00:33:26,845 --> 00:33:29,845 Speaker 1: a plan of action in any way. But the ways 544 00:33:29,885 --> 00:33:33,805 Speaker 1: that we see women extracting power from these systems that 545 00:33:33,885 --> 00:33:38,045 Speaker 1: disempower them are often in the background, with the help 546 00:33:38,085 --> 00:33:41,045 Speaker 1: of other women, and sometimes with the help of the supernatural, which, 547 00:33:41,045 --> 00:33:45,645 Speaker 1: of course was often an accusation turned against women in turn. 548 00:33:46,925 --> 00:33:49,645 Speaker 2: When I talked to doctor McNeil about this tale, another 549 00:33:49,685 --> 00:33:52,205 Speaker 2: way to look at the change from princess to merchant's 550 00:33:52,245 --> 00:33:54,485 Speaker 2: daughter is perhaps less significant. 551 00:33:55,885 --> 00:33:59,285 Speaker 1: Sometimes it's a merchant's daughter, which maybe changes the class 552 00:33:59,485 --> 00:34:02,645 Speaker 1: nature of this, because sometimes it's a princess, and a 553 00:34:02,685 --> 00:34:06,885 Speaker 1: princess who might be clever and able to save herself, 554 00:34:07,245 --> 00:34:09,805 Speaker 1: still has more resources than a merchant's daughter. But a 555 00:34:09,845 --> 00:34:14,525 Speaker 1: merchant's daughter still has more resources than someone living in poverty. 556 00:34:14,885 --> 00:34:17,685 Speaker 1: And this seems to be a story that we tell 557 00:34:17,845 --> 00:34:23,005 Speaker 1: about people above the poverty line. And that's somewhat interesting 558 00:34:23,045 --> 00:34:25,765 Speaker 1: that the majority of the versions would set it in 559 00:34:25,845 --> 00:34:29,445 Speaker 1: those two settings, either among royalty or among the merchant class, 560 00:34:29,925 --> 00:34:36,165 Speaker 1: because it's getting at a particular type of womanhood where 561 00:34:36,605 --> 00:34:39,725 Speaker 1: it's not just hey, take what you can get. You 562 00:34:39,765 --> 00:34:42,325 Speaker 1: are at the mercy of everyone. There is this sense 563 00:34:42,405 --> 00:34:45,325 Speaker 1: of choice, there is this sense of agency, there is 564 00:34:45,365 --> 00:34:49,365 Speaker 1: this sense of negotiation. Right there's her father wants to 565 00:34:49,405 --> 00:34:52,405 Speaker 1: make her a good match. He believes that this guy, 566 00:34:52,805 --> 00:34:55,765 Speaker 1: whether he's a prince or a bandit or another merchant 567 00:34:55,845 --> 00:34:59,445 Speaker 1: or whatever, is going to be a good match. And 568 00:34:59,485 --> 00:35:04,165 Speaker 1: then suddenly we get the battle between culture and personal emotion, 569 00:35:04,445 --> 00:35:08,645 Speaker 1: gut instinct, all of that stuff. So we're really hearing 570 00:35:08,725 --> 00:35:13,445 Speaker 1: something about a level of society that has the luxury 571 00:35:13,565 --> 00:35:18,605 Speaker 1: of making this negotiation. If this woman were slightly lower 572 00:35:18,685 --> 00:35:21,885 Speaker 1: on the socioeconomic scale, the bandits would have done to 573 00:35:21,925 --> 00:35:24,765 Speaker 1: her what they did to their first victim, whose finger 574 00:35:24,925 --> 00:35:26,245 Speaker 1: flies off with the ring on it. 575 00:35:27,645 --> 00:35:30,565 Speaker 2: What is also different about the Robert bridegroom story from 576 00:35:30,685 --> 00:35:34,565 Speaker 2: other Graham tales is that it shows women looking out 577 00:35:34,605 --> 00:35:37,645 Speaker 2: for other women. We talked about a safety net and 578 00:35:37,685 --> 00:35:40,485 Speaker 2: little red riding hood when the brothers Grim added the huntsmen. 579 00:35:41,525 --> 00:35:43,965 Speaker 2: I think the old woman could also be viewed as 580 00:35:44,005 --> 00:35:46,205 Speaker 2: that same societal safety net. 581 00:35:47,485 --> 00:35:50,445 Speaker 1: What I love about this story is that we have 582 00:35:50,525 --> 00:35:54,845 Speaker 1: an equally strong theme of clever and intelligent women looking 583 00:35:54,885 --> 00:35:58,005 Speaker 1: out for women. The old woman in the house who 584 00:35:58,645 --> 00:36:02,085 Speaker 1: encourages the young girl to hide, helps her stay hidden. 585 00:36:02,285 --> 00:36:04,405 Speaker 1: When the men go looking for the body part that 586 00:36:04,605 --> 00:36:07,005 Speaker 1: flies off, she calls them back to the table and 587 00:36:07,125 --> 00:36:08,405 Speaker 1: is like, but don't worry about it, you can get 588 00:36:08,405 --> 00:36:12,085 Speaker 1: it later. Come eat dinners ready, And we see them 589 00:36:12,205 --> 00:36:14,565 Speaker 1: believing her, and we see the way that works out. 590 00:36:14,765 --> 00:36:17,325 Speaker 1: Sometimes that old woman's role is filled by a bird, 591 00:36:17,525 --> 00:36:19,605 Speaker 1: which I think is also really interesting. We see a 592 00:36:19,645 --> 00:36:24,085 Speaker 1: strong tie between women and birds as messengers of goodness 593 00:36:24,125 --> 00:36:27,445 Speaker 1: and things like that. And the young woman succeeds her, 594 00:36:27,845 --> 00:36:30,485 Speaker 1: they allow her to tell the story of her dream, 595 00:36:30,485 --> 00:36:33,365 Speaker 1: dismissing whatever she might be saying as meaningless until it's 596 00:36:33,365 --> 00:36:36,285 Speaker 1: too late for it to be meaningless. So we have 597 00:36:36,805 --> 00:36:41,125 Speaker 1: two opposing messages about the power of women in the story, 598 00:36:41,165 --> 00:36:42,805 Speaker 1: and I think that's one of the things that has 599 00:36:42,885 --> 00:36:46,205 Speaker 1: made it stick around so long despite being so bizarre. 600 00:36:47,805 --> 00:36:51,925 Speaker 2: The Robber Bridegroom a horror story or a fairy tale 601 00:36:53,165 --> 00:36:55,725 Speaker 2: in the end, maybe it's a little bit of both. 602 00:36:59,965 --> 00:37:02,405 Speaker 2: Next time, the end is in sight as we visit 603 00:37:02,445 --> 00:37:04,965 Speaker 2: the absolute darkest tale of the Brother's grim in the 604 00:37:04,965 --> 00:37:10,725 Speaker 2: final The Deep Dark Woods is a production of School 605 00:37:10,765 --> 00:37:15,165 Speaker 2: of Humans and iHeart Podcasts. It was created, written, and 606 00:37:15,285 --> 00:37:19,405 Speaker 2: hosted by me Miranda Hawkins. This episode was produced by 607 00:37:19,405 --> 00:37:24,205 Speaker 2: mikeyl June with senior producer Gabby Watts. Executive producers are 608 00:37:24,285 --> 00:37:28,845 Speaker 2: Virginia Prescott, Brandon Barr, el C Crowley, and Maya Howard. 609 00:37:29,365 --> 00:37:33,405 Speaker 2: Stories were voiced by Julia Christgau. Theme song was composed 610 00:37:33,445 --> 00:37:37,765 Speaker 2: by Jesse Niswanger, This episode was sound designed and mixed. 611 00:37:37,405 --> 00:37:38,365 Speaker 4: By Chris Childs. 612 00:37:39,005 --> 00:37:41,445 Speaker 2: You can follow the show on Instagram at School of 613 00:37:41,525 --> 00:37:45,045 Speaker 2: Humans and don't forget to subscribe and leave a review.