1 00:00:08,245 --> 00:00:15,125 Speaker 1: School of Humans. 2 00:00:16,165 --> 00:00:21,325 Speaker 2: I'm Miranda Hawkins. Welcome to the Deep dark Woods. Today's 3 00:00:21,405 --> 00:00:24,965 Speaker 2: story is Atu five hundred, the name of the Helper 4 00:00:25,565 --> 00:00:27,085 Speaker 2: or Rumpelstiltskin. 5 00:00:35,645 --> 00:00:38,165 Speaker 3: Once upon a time there was a miller who was poor, 6 00:00:38,645 --> 00:00:42,165 Speaker 3: but who had a beautiful daughter. Now it happened that 7 00:00:42,165 --> 00:00:44,965 Speaker 3: he got into a conversation with the king, and to 8 00:00:45,005 --> 00:00:48,165 Speaker 3: make an impression on him, he said, I have a 9 00:00:48,285 --> 00:00:52,605 Speaker 3: daughter who can spin straw into gold. The king said 10 00:00:52,645 --> 00:00:54,445 Speaker 3: to the miller, that is an. 11 00:00:54,445 --> 00:00:55,605 Speaker 4: Art I really like. 12 00:00:56,525 --> 00:00:59,245 Speaker 3: If your daughter is as skillful as you say, then 13 00:00:59,285 --> 00:01:01,885 Speaker 3: bring her to my castle tomorrow and I will put 14 00:01:01,885 --> 00:01:05,045 Speaker 3: her to the test. When the girl was brought to him, 15 00:01:05,085 --> 00:01:07,445 Speaker 3: he led her into a room that was entirely filled 16 00:01:07,485 --> 00:01:10,805 Speaker 3: with straw, giving her a spinning wheel and reel, he said, 17 00:01:11,605 --> 00:01:14,845 Speaker 3: get to work now, spin all night, and if by 18 00:01:14,845 --> 00:01:17,845 Speaker 3: morning you have not spun this straw into gold, then 19 00:01:17,885 --> 00:01:22,205 Speaker 3: you will have to die. Then he himself locked the room, 20 00:01:22,485 --> 00:01:26,245 Speaker 3: and she was there all alone. The poor miller's daughter 21 00:01:26,325 --> 00:01:28,485 Speaker 3: sat there and for her life she did not know 22 00:01:28,565 --> 00:01:30,885 Speaker 3: what to do. She had no idea how to spin 23 00:01:30,965 --> 00:01:34,845 Speaker 3: straw into gold. She became more and more afraid and 24 00:01:34,965 --> 00:01:41,205 Speaker 3: finally began to cry. Then Suddenly the door opened, a 25 00:01:41,245 --> 00:01:45,125 Speaker 3: little man stepped inside and said, good evening, mistress Miller. 26 00:01:45,685 --> 00:01:49,765 Speaker 4: Why are you crying so oh? Answered the girl. 27 00:01:50,445 --> 00:01:52,725 Speaker 3: I am supposed to spin straw into gold, and I 28 00:01:52,765 --> 00:01:55,725 Speaker 3: don't know how to do it. The little man said, 29 00:01:56,365 --> 00:01:58,525 Speaker 3: what will you give me if I spin it for you? 30 00:02:00,045 --> 00:02:04,485 Speaker 3: My necklace, said the girl. The little man took the necklace, 31 00:02:04,685 --> 00:02:08,085 Speaker 3: sat down before the spinning wheel, and whir whre whre 32 00:02:08,285 --> 00:02:12,605 Speaker 3: three times pulled, and the spool was full. Then he 33 00:02:12,605 --> 00:02:16,845 Speaker 3: put another one on and whre whre whre three times pulled, 34 00:02:17,165 --> 00:02:20,125 Speaker 3: and the second one was full as well. So it 35 00:02:20,205 --> 00:02:24,085 Speaker 3: went until morning, and then all the straw was spun, 36 00:02:24,765 --> 00:02:31,005 Speaker 3: and all the spools were filled with gold. At sunrise, 37 00:02:31,045 --> 00:02:32,965 Speaker 3: the king came and when he saw the gold, he 38 00:02:33,045 --> 00:02:36,365 Speaker 3: was surprised and happy, but his heart became even more 39 00:02:36,525 --> 00:02:39,725 Speaker 3: greedy for gold. He had the miller's daughter taken to 40 00:02:39,765 --> 00:02:43,005 Speaker 3: another room filled with straw. It was even larger, and 41 00:02:43,045 --> 00:02:45,125 Speaker 3: he ordered her to spin it in one night if 42 00:02:45,125 --> 00:02:49,365 Speaker 3: she valued her life. The girl did not know what 43 00:02:49,405 --> 00:02:53,165 Speaker 3: to do, and she cried once again. The door opened 44 00:02:53,205 --> 00:02:56,125 Speaker 3: and the little man appeared. He said, what will you 45 00:02:56,205 --> 00:02:58,765 Speaker 3: give me if I spin the straw into gold for 46 00:02:58,965 --> 00:03:04,085 Speaker 3: you the ring from my finger, answered the girl. The 47 00:03:04,125 --> 00:03:06,765 Speaker 3: little man took the ring and began once again to 48 00:03:06,805 --> 00:03:10,005 Speaker 3: whir with the spinning wheel. By morning he had spun 49 00:03:10,045 --> 00:03:14,805 Speaker 3: all the straw into glistening gold. The king was happy 50 00:03:14,845 --> 00:03:17,125 Speaker 3: beyond measure when he saw it, but he still did 51 00:03:17,165 --> 00:03:20,445 Speaker 3: not have his fill of gold. He had the miller's 52 00:03:20,485 --> 00:03:23,445 Speaker 3: daughter taken to a still larger room filled with straw, 53 00:03:23,525 --> 00:03:28,045 Speaker 3: and said to night you must spin this too. If 54 00:03:28,045 --> 00:03:31,725 Speaker 3: you succeed, you shall become my wife. He thought, even 55 00:03:31,765 --> 00:03:34,005 Speaker 3: if she is only a miller's daughter, I will not 56 00:03:34,085 --> 00:03:37,925 Speaker 3: find a richer wife in all the world. When the 57 00:03:37,965 --> 00:03:41,205 Speaker 3: girl was alone, the little man returned for a third time. 58 00:03:41,565 --> 00:03:44,405 Speaker 3: He said, what will you give me if I spin 59 00:03:44,525 --> 00:03:44,925 Speaker 3: the straw? 60 00:03:45,005 --> 00:03:47,845 Speaker 4: This time? I have nothing more. 61 00:03:47,725 --> 00:03:51,165 Speaker 3: That I could give you, answered the girl. Then promise 62 00:03:51,205 --> 00:03:55,925 Speaker 3: me after you are a queen your first child. Who 63 00:03:55,965 --> 00:03:58,685 Speaker 3: knows what will happen, thought the miller's daughter, and, not 64 00:03:58,765 --> 00:04:01,085 Speaker 3: knowing what else to do, she promised the little man 65 00:04:01,165 --> 00:04:04,925 Speaker 3: what he demanded. In return, the little man once again 66 00:04:05,525 --> 00:04:10,485 Speaker 3: spun the straw into gold. When in the morning the 67 00:04:10,565 --> 00:04:13,125 Speaker 3: king came and found everything just as he desired. He 68 00:04:13,165 --> 00:04:19,005 Speaker 3: married her, and the beautiful Miller's daughter became queen. A 69 00:04:19,085 --> 00:04:22,045 Speaker 3: year later, she brought a beautiful child into the world. 70 00:04:22,685 --> 00:04:25,045 Speaker 3: She thought no more about the little Man, but suddenly 71 00:04:25,125 --> 00:04:27,845 Speaker 3: he appeared in her room and said, now give me 72 00:04:27,925 --> 00:04:31,165 Speaker 3: that which you have promised. The queen took fright and 73 00:04:31,245 --> 00:04:34,205 Speaker 3: offered the little man all the wealth of the kingdom 74 00:04:34,245 --> 00:04:35,965 Speaker 3: if he would let her keep the child. But the 75 00:04:36,005 --> 00:04:40,165 Speaker 3: little man said no, something living is dearer to me 76 00:04:40,245 --> 00:04:43,725 Speaker 3: than all the treasures of the world. Then the queen 77 00:04:43,805 --> 00:04:46,685 Speaker 3: began lamenting and crying so much that the little man 78 00:04:46,725 --> 00:04:48,205 Speaker 3: took pity on her and said. 79 00:04:49,005 --> 00:04:52,365 Speaker 1: I will give you three days time. If by then 80 00:04:52,485 --> 00:04:55,565 Speaker 1: you know my name, then you shall keep your child. 81 00:04:57,165 --> 00:04:59,565 Speaker 1: The queen spent an entire night thinking of all the 82 00:04:59,645 --> 00:05:03,125 Speaker 1: names she had ever heard. Then she sent a messenger 83 00:05:03,165 --> 00:05:05,845 Speaker 1: into the country to inquire far and wide what other 84 00:05:05,925 --> 00:05:06,565 Speaker 1: names there were. 85 00:05:07,605 --> 00:05:08,485 Speaker 4: When the little man. 86 00:05:08,365 --> 00:05:14,205 Speaker 3: Returned the next day, she began with Casper Melcher Bowser 87 00:05:14,245 --> 00:05:17,405 Speaker 3: and said, in order all the names she knew. After 88 00:05:17,485 --> 00:05:21,405 Speaker 3: each one, the little man said, that's not my name. 89 00:05:22,685 --> 00:05:25,285 Speaker 3: The second day she sent inquiries into the neighborhood as 90 00:05:25,285 --> 00:05:28,845 Speaker 3: to what names people had. She recited the most unusual 91 00:05:28,925 --> 00:05:32,085 Speaker 3: and most curious names to the little man, is your 92 00:05:32,165 --> 00:05:35,725 Speaker 3: name perhaps beast rib or mutton, calf or leg string, 93 00:05:36,485 --> 00:05:41,325 Speaker 3: But he always answered, that's not my name. On the 94 00:05:41,405 --> 00:05:44,485 Speaker 3: third day, the messenger returned and said, I have not 95 00:05:44,605 --> 00:05:47,765 Speaker 3: been able to find a single new name. But when 96 00:05:47,765 --> 00:05:50,085 Speaker 3: I was approaching a high mountain in the corner of 97 00:05:50,125 --> 00:05:52,845 Speaker 3: the woods there where the fox and the hare sa 98 00:05:52,885 --> 00:05:56,125 Speaker 3: good night, I saw a little house. A fire was 99 00:05:56,165 --> 00:05:58,965 Speaker 3: burning in front of the house, and an altogether comical 100 00:05:59,005 --> 00:06:01,685 Speaker 3: little man was jumping around the fire, hopping on one 101 00:06:01,805 --> 00:06:05,085 Speaker 3: leg and calling out, Today, I'll bake, Tomorrow, I'll brew, 102 00:06:05,285 --> 00:06:09,245 Speaker 3: then I'll fetch the queen's newte child. It's good that 103 00:06:09,365 --> 00:06:13,845 Speaker 3: no one knows rumpel Stiltskin is my name. You can 104 00:06:13,845 --> 00:06:16,285 Speaker 3: imagine how happy the queen was when she heard that name. 105 00:06:16,725 --> 00:06:20,165 Speaker 3: Soon afterwards, the little man came in and asked, now, 106 00:06:20,205 --> 00:06:25,445 Speaker 3: Madam Queen, what is my name? She first asked, is 107 00:06:25,485 --> 00:06:27,325 Speaker 3: your name kunts No? 108 00:06:28,485 --> 00:06:28,885 Speaker 4: Is your name? 109 00:06:28,965 --> 00:06:30,245 Speaker 3: Heinz no? 110 00:06:32,005 --> 00:06:32,565 Speaker 4: Is your name? 111 00:06:32,605 --> 00:06:37,325 Speaker 3: Perhaps rumpel Stiltskin. The devil told you that. 112 00:06:38,125 --> 00:06:40,965 Speaker 2: The devil told you that, shouted the little. 113 00:06:40,725 --> 00:06:43,285 Speaker 3: Man, and with anger he stomped his right foot so 114 00:06:43,485 --> 00:06:45,725 Speaker 3: hard into the ground that he fell in up to 115 00:06:45,845 --> 00:06:51,005 Speaker 3: his waist. Then with both hands he took hold of 116 00:06:51,005 --> 00:06:53,965 Speaker 3: his left foot and ripped himself up the middle. 117 00:06:53,965 --> 00:07:06,685 Speaker 2: Into rumpel Stiltskin was never one of my favorite stories. 118 00:07:07,285 --> 00:07:09,285 Speaker 2: It never stood out to me in the way other 119 00:07:09,325 --> 00:07:12,765 Speaker 2: tales did. But although it is popular, and the brother's 120 00:07:12,845 --> 00:07:16,525 Speaker 2: grim version perhaps the most popular, it's a tale that 121 00:07:16,605 --> 00:07:21,325 Speaker 2: has far reaching roots. Similar to Cinderella, the origins of 122 00:07:21,405 --> 00:07:25,765 Speaker 2: Rumpelstiltskin dates back thousands of years. The tale we know 123 00:07:25,925 --> 00:07:30,165 Speaker 2: itself doesn't, but making a deal with a supernatural creature 124 00:07:30,325 --> 00:07:34,325 Speaker 2: for a return does. This pattern for a story has 125 00:07:34,365 --> 00:07:38,645 Speaker 2: been dated back between twenty five hundred to six thousand years. 126 00:07:39,685 --> 00:07:43,165 Speaker 2: It wasn't until later that the Rumpelstiltskin We're familiar with 127 00:07:43,405 --> 00:07:51,365 Speaker 2: was written. Joann Fischhart was a German satirist and publicist 128 00:07:51,565 --> 00:07:56,485 Speaker 2: whose book Gargantua was published sometime in the fifteen seventies. 129 00:07:57,805 --> 00:08:02,085 Speaker 2: The book is an adaptation of frenchmen Francois Rabelais The 130 00:08:02,165 --> 00:08:05,925 Speaker 2: Life of Gargantua and of pantic Roll. This was a 131 00:08:05,965 --> 00:08:09,485 Speaker 2: series of five books published between fifteen thirty two and 132 00:08:09,565 --> 00:08:10,685 Speaker 2: fifteen sixty four. 133 00:08:11,765 --> 00:08:13,205 Speaker 4: The book is a satirical and. 134 00:08:13,245 --> 00:08:16,925 Speaker 2: Humorous take on religion through the Adventures of two Giants, 135 00:08:16,965 --> 00:08:18,205 Speaker 2: a father and a son. 136 00:08:18,965 --> 00:08:20,405 Speaker 4: Although the books were banned. 137 00:08:20,205 --> 00:08:24,125 Speaker 2: During Rabelais's time, they were still read all across Europe. 138 00:08:24,525 --> 00:08:27,685 Speaker 2: In fact, these two giants are some of the most 139 00:08:27,685 --> 00:08:32,565 Speaker 2: famous giants in European literature. But that crudeness and violence 140 00:08:32,725 --> 00:08:36,205 Speaker 2: found in the original tales were in a way the 141 00:08:36,245 --> 00:08:40,365 Speaker 2: foundation for rumpel Stilskin, because they were the elements that fish. 142 00:08:40,165 --> 00:08:41,565 Speaker 4: Art really liked. 143 00:08:42,205 --> 00:08:45,845 Speaker 2: In Fishart's adaptation, rumpel Stilskin shows up as a three 144 00:08:45,925 --> 00:08:50,245 Speaker 2: hundred and sixty third amusement. Basically that means he had 145 00:08:50,285 --> 00:08:52,605 Speaker 2: a list of games in his book, and this was 146 00:08:52,645 --> 00:08:57,685 Speaker 2: a three hundred and sixty third one listed. There's this 147 00:08:57,805 --> 00:09:02,565 Speaker 2: old children's game rempel Stilt oder dare Popart, which Fischhart 148 00:09:02,725 --> 00:09:07,405 Speaker 2: Rumpelstilskin is thought to be derived from. In German, rumpel 149 00:09:07,405 --> 00:09:12,805 Speaker 2: Stiltskin is translated as little rattle stilt. The stilt refers 150 00:09:12,845 --> 00:09:15,765 Speaker 2: to a pole or post which is used for support, 151 00:09:16,245 --> 00:09:19,805 Speaker 2: like the support to use for building a fence, stilt 152 00:09:19,925 --> 00:09:23,445 Speaker 2: or stults, if you're taking their archaic German word also 153 00:09:23,565 --> 00:09:27,325 Speaker 2: means lame or with a limp, and the first half 154 00:09:27,565 --> 00:09:31,725 Speaker 2: rumpel stilt refers to a type of goblin. That goblin 155 00:09:31,885 --> 00:09:36,605 Speaker 2: was also called Poupard or pope art, hint the origins 156 00:09:36,725 --> 00:09:40,045 Speaker 2: of Rumpel's name. The game was played with one child 157 00:09:40,245 --> 00:09:43,485 Speaker 2: being the goblin and banging on pots or pans or 158 00:09:43,525 --> 00:09:47,605 Speaker 2: planks to make noise and chase the other children. Think 159 00:09:47,605 --> 00:09:50,045 Speaker 2: of it like a game of tag, just a lot 160 00:09:50,125 --> 00:09:53,845 Speaker 2: louder in with no tagging, and to this day the 161 00:09:53,885 --> 00:09:59,085 Speaker 2: game is still played in some parts of Germany. By 162 00:09:59,125 --> 00:10:02,165 Speaker 2: the time the Grams got around to Rumpelstiltskin, it was 163 00:10:02,205 --> 00:10:05,765 Speaker 2: a well known story throughout Europe. Although the brother are 164 00:10:05,805 --> 00:10:08,765 Speaker 2: said to have collected stories from the everyday folk, we 165 00:10:08,925 --> 00:10:11,365 Speaker 2: know that most of the stories they collected were from 166 00:10:11,485 --> 00:10:13,765 Speaker 2: other scholars and people from upper classes. 167 00:10:14,765 --> 00:10:15,845 Speaker 4: We also know that. 168 00:10:15,805 --> 00:10:19,565 Speaker 2: The brothers did a lot of editing the tales published, 169 00:10:19,565 --> 00:10:22,605 Speaker 2: and their collections were not the original stories that were 170 00:10:22,605 --> 00:10:26,165 Speaker 2: told on the street or had been passed down with Rumpell. 171 00:10:26,405 --> 00:10:29,685 Speaker 2: The brothers actually took four different versions of the story 172 00:10:30,165 --> 00:10:34,565 Speaker 2: and stitched them into the well known tale we now know. However, 173 00:10:34,805 --> 00:10:37,885 Speaker 2: the first version they published was more tame than the 174 00:10:37,925 --> 00:10:42,405 Speaker 2: final version. The eighteen twelve version ends with Rumpel running 175 00:10:42,445 --> 00:10:46,205 Speaker 2: away angrily and never coming back, but this tale actually 176 00:10:46,205 --> 00:10:49,565 Speaker 2: became more dark and evolved into the ending you just heard, 177 00:10:49,725 --> 00:10:53,685 Speaker 2: which is where he tears himself into Although Rumpel dies 178 00:10:53,725 --> 00:10:57,685 Speaker 2: gruesomely in the Grim's final telling, that's not always how 179 00:10:57,725 --> 00:11:11,045 Speaker 2: the story ends. When I first set out on digging 180 00:11:11,045 --> 00:11:13,605 Speaker 2: into Rumple, I felt like this was one of those 181 00:11:13,645 --> 00:11:17,325 Speaker 2: tales that was falling by the wayside. I didn't feel 182 00:11:17,365 --> 00:11:20,445 Speaker 2: like it held as much importance or wasn't as relevant 183 00:11:20,525 --> 00:11:24,685 Speaker 2: as stories like Cinderella and The Frog Prince. To my knowledge, 184 00:11:24,805 --> 00:11:28,325 Speaker 2: Disney hasn't done its own spin on the fairy tale. 185 00:11:28,525 --> 00:11:31,685 Speaker 2: But as with almost everything, the more I researched, the 186 00:11:31,685 --> 00:11:35,405 Speaker 2: more I proved myself wrong. I also realized I was 187 00:11:35,445 --> 00:11:40,085 Speaker 2: surrounded with adaptations of Rumpel, but they weren't necessarily as obvious. 188 00:11:41,165 --> 00:11:45,005 Speaker 2: First off, so many countries have a Rumpel tail. While 189 00:11:45,045 --> 00:11:48,285 Speaker 2: stories like Cinderella have what I call the main three, 190 00:11:48,405 --> 00:11:51,965 Speaker 2: the Zilee, Pirot, and the brothers Grim, Rumpel has roots 191 00:11:51,965 --> 00:11:55,845 Speaker 2: all over the world, Arabic, Russian, and even South American 192 00:11:56,325 --> 00:12:00,165 Speaker 2: that falls under the tail Type five hundred A mischievous 193 00:12:00,325 --> 00:12:03,205 Speaker 2: or evil helper that is defeated by a hero or 194 00:12:03,325 --> 00:12:09,205 Speaker 2: heroine in the end. There's a Scottish version that was 195 00:12:09,205 --> 00:12:12,565 Speaker 2: collected by Robert Chambers and published in eighteen fifty eight. 196 00:12:13,485 --> 00:12:16,445 Speaker 2: In this story, a woman's husband heads to the market 197 00:12:16,525 --> 00:12:20,085 Speaker 2: with all their money and never comes back. She's left 198 00:12:20,085 --> 00:12:23,525 Speaker 2: with their baby and prize pig. The pig was pregnant, 199 00:12:23,725 --> 00:12:26,965 Speaker 2: so the woman felt that everything would be okay because 200 00:12:26,965 --> 00:12:30,325 Speaker 2: she believed a strong litter of piglets would see her 201 00:12:30,365 --> 00:12:34,405 Speaker 2: and her son throw. But soon after she realized the 202 00:12:34,405 --> 00:12:37,965 Speaker 2: mother pig wasn't doing so hot. The pig laid on 203 00:12:38,005 --> 00:12:41,085 Speaker 2: her side in the pig pen, wheezing, and it seemed 204 00:12:41,165 --> 00:12:44,565 Speaker 2: she would die soon. At that point, the woman lost 205 00:12:44,565 --> 00:12:49,685 Speaker 2: all hope and sat down crying. All of a sudden, 206 00:12:49,925 --> 00:12:52,645 Speaker 2: a small woman came down the road and told the 207 00:12:52,725 --> 00:12:55,685 Speaker 2: mother she knew all about our troubles and could save 208 00:12:55,725 --> 00:12:58,525 Speaker 2: the pig. But the small woman asked what would be 209 00:12:58,525 --> 00:13:01,405 Speaker 2: given in payment. The mother did not have time to 210 00:13:01,445 --> 00:13:04,525 Speaker 2: respond before the small woman pulled out a small vial 211 00:13:04,565 --> 00:13:07,725 Speaker 2: of liquid, rubbed some on the pig, who was then 212 00:13:07,765 --> 00:13:12,645 Speaker 2: immediately healed. The woman then said she wanted the mother's 213 00:13:12,765 --> 00:13:16,805 Speaker 2: child as payment. The mother cried out in despair. The 214 00:13:16,885 --> 00:13:20,085 Speaker 2: small woman revealed she was a fairy and said she'd 215 00:13:20,125 --> 00:13:22,405 Speaker 2: be back in three days to take the child. 216 00:13:22,885 --> 00:13:25,045 Speaker 4: Having to wait due to fairy. 217 00:13:24,845 --> 00:13:28,245 Speaker 2: Law, she told the mother the only way she could 218 00:13:28,245 --> 00:13:30,965 Speaker 2: save her son was if she could guess the fairy's name, 219 00:13:31,085 --> 00:13:36,765 Speaker 2: and three tries, the fairy then left. The woman wandered 220 00:13:36,765 --> 00:13:39,765 Speaker 2: the woods to help herself think. On the second day, 221 00:13:39,845 --> 00:13:42,565 Speaker 2: she heard a song and followed it and found the 222 00:13:42,645 --> 00:13:46,125 Speaker 2: fairy spinning and singing to herself, And in that song, 223 00:13:46,285 --> 00:13:49,405 Speaker 2: the fay said her name. The next day, when the 224 00:13:49,405 --> 00:13:52,245 Speaker 2: fairy showed up to take the baby, the mother guessed 225 00:13:52,245 --> 00:13:56,005 Speaker 2: her name was Whoopedie's story. The fairy was so mad 226 00:13:56,085 --> 00:13:59,325 Speaker 2: she turned red and stumped off, never to be seen again. 227 00:14:03,365 --> 00:14:06,325 Speaker 2: Then there's an Icelandic tail about a farmer who married 228 00:14:06,365 --> 00:14:09,685 Speaker 2: a young and beautiful woman, but his new wife was 229 00:14:09,845 --> 00:14:13,325 Speaker 2: lazy and never wanted to work for the winter. He 230 00:14:13,405 --> 00:14:15,765 Speaker 2: gave her wool and asked her to spin it so 231 00:14:15,805 --> 00:14:19,085 Speaker 2: they could make cloth, but she did not, no matter 232 00:14:19,125 --> 00:14:22,925 Speaker 2: how much she complained at her. One day, a large 233 00:14:22,925 --> 00:14:26,605 Speaker 2: woman came by asking for a favor. The farmer's wife 234 00:14:26,725 --> 00:14:29,205 Speaker 2: asked if the woman could do some work in return. 235 00:14:30,005 --> 00:14:32,565 Speaker 2: She asked the large woman to spin the wool to 236 00:14:32,605 --> 00:14:35,685 Speaker 2: be used to make cloth. The large woman agreed and 237 00:14:35,765 --> 00:14:39,405 Speaker 2: spun all of the wool and payment. She told the 238 00:14:39,445 --> 00:14:42,165 Speaker 2: farmer's bride that she would have to guess her name. 239 00:14:42,965 --> 00:14:45,285 Speaker 2: A deal was made, and the large woman said she'd 240 00:14:45,325 --> 00:14:49,045 Speaker 2: return the first day of summer. The farmer's wife became 241 00:14:49,125 --> 00:14:51,845 Speaker 2: more irate during the winter and spring months as she 242 00:14:51,885 --> 00:14:55,325 Speaker 2: couldn't figure out the large woman's name. When she told 243 00:14:55,325 --> 00:14:57,805 Speaker 2: her husband, he responded she had done a bad thing 244 00:14:58,245 --> 00:15:00,765 Speaker 2: because that woman was a troll and was going to 245 00:15:00,805 --> 00:15:04,645 Speaker 2: take her away. A while later, the farmer was taking 246 00:15:04,685 --> 00:15:08,085 Speaker 2: a walk and came upon a large mound of rock. 247 00:15:08,725 --> 00:15:10,925 Speaker 2: He heard a sound and followed it to a hole 248 00:15:10,965 --> 00:15:14,205 Speaker 2: in the rock, where he saw the troll spinning and singing, 249 00:15:14,765 --> 00:15:18,205 Speaker 2: and in that song she said her name. The man 250 00:15:18,245 --> 00:15:20,885 Speaker 2: went back home, wrote the name down and gave. 251 00:15:20,725 --> 00:15:24,285 Speaker 4: It to his wife, telling her this was the troll's name. 252 00:15:26,645 --> 00:15:29,245 Speaker 2: When the troll came the first day of summer, the 253 00:15:29,325 --> 00:15:32,525 Speaker 2: farmer's wife said the name on the third try, and 254 00:15:32,565 --> 00:15:35,445 Speaker 2: the troll was so angry she ran off, never to 255 00:15:35,485 --> 00:15:40,765 Speaker 2: be seen again. The farmer's wife was so relieved she 256 00:15:40,885 --> 00:15:47,765 Speaker 2: became an industrious person that happily spun wool if you 257 00:15:47,885 --> 00:15:51,405 Speaker 2: Notice and Rumbel Stilskin and these other Helper stories, the 258 00:15:51,445 --> 00:15:55,085 Speaker 2: helper is portrayed as the villain. The character is used 259 00:15:55,165 --> 00:15:58,405 Speaker 2: as a device to show the shortcomings of those around them. 260 00:15:58,765 --> 00:15:59,845 Speaker 4: But let's fast. 261 00:15:59,605 --> 00:16:04,485 Speaker 2: Forward to newer takes on the old Helper story. Rumbel 262 00:16:04,565 --> 00:16:07,765 Speaker 2: has been tucked into some of my favorite childhood cartoons 263 00:16:07,845 --> 00:16:11,965 Speaker 2: without me realizing it. I was rewatching Courage the Cowardly 264 00:16:12,005 --> 00:16:14,885 Speaker 2: Dog the other day because I still do watch cartoons. 265 00:16:15,645 --> 00:16:18,685 Speaker 2: One episode is a new creepy take on the story. 266 00:16:19,285 --> 00:16:22,165 Speaker 2: Courage of the Cowardly Dog is a Cartoon Network show, 267 00:16:22,725 --> 00:16:25,685 Speaker 2: so while it's four kids, it's for adults as well, 268 00:16:26,285 --> 00:16:29,165 Speaker 2: And the whole show is about a dog who's terrified 269 00:16:29,205 --> 00:16:33,725 Speaker 2: of everything but protects his owners, Muriel and Eustas against 270 00:16:33,925 --> 00:16:37,365 Speaker 2: creepy events that happen in the middle of nowhere. That's 271 00:16:37,405 --> 00:16:40,765 Speaker 2: the town they live in, and sure enough, the title 272 00:16:40,805 --> 00:16:45,205 Speaker 2: of the episode is called Rumpled Stiltskin. Notice they add 273 00:16:45,325 --> 00:16:48,245 Speaker 2: the ed in there, so it's rump Bold instead of 274 00:16:48,445 --> 00:16:52,765 Speaker 2: rump bull in it, the bad tempered Scottish Storf tricks 275 00:16:52,845 --> 00:16:56,365 Speaker 2: Muriel in Courage to make five thousand tartan kilts for 276 00:16:56,445 --> 00:17:00,005 Speaker 2: his outlet stores. If they don't complete the task, he'll 277 00:17:00,005 --> 00:17:03,325 Speaker 2: make them into shepherd's pie unless they discover his name. 278 00:17:04,365 --> 00:17:08,245 Speaker 2: Courage escapes goes through a series of tasks to learn 279 00:17:08,325 --> 00:17:11,485 Speaker 2: Rumpold's name before passing the knowledge to Muriel. 280 00:17:12,165 --> 00:17:13,605 Speaker 4: When Muriel reveals to. 281 00:17:13,645 --> 00:17:17,445 Speaker 2: Rumpold she knows his name, the Scottish dwarf bursts into tears. 282 00:17:18,085 --> 00:17:22,085 Speaker 2: Turns out he hates his name. Muriel says he should 283 00:17:22,125 --> 00:17:26,445 Speaker 2: change it to Rumpelstilskin without the ed, and he likes 284 00:17:26,485 --> 00:17:28,765 Speaker 2: it so much that he changes it and the two 285 00:17:28,885 --> 00:17:33,485 Speaker 2: become business partners. It's a happy ending for all. Rumpel 286 00:17:33,725 --> 00:17:37,125 Speaker 2: or Rumpled isn't a bad guy in this story. It's 287 00:17:37,165 --> 00:17:40,765 Speaker 2: that he's unhappy, and the episode teaches that a little 288 00:17:40,845 --> 00:17:46,485 Speaker 2: kindness can lead to a quote happy ending. Also, there's 289 00:17:46,485 --> 00:17:49,685 Speaker 2: a change in the dynamic of power. It's not Rumpel 290 00:17:49,925 --> 00:17:54,525 Speaker 2: helping someone, but he's his own master. If this was 291 00:17:54,605 --> 00:17:57,525 Speaker 2: an older tale, it could be argued he portrays the 292 00:17:57,565 --> 00:18:00,565 Speaker 2: devil himself, who in the end is really not so bad. 293 00:18:01,605 --> 00:18:05,165 Speaker 2: The idea of looking at Rumpel as more than an 294 00:18:05,285 --> 00:18:08,205 Speaker 2: m or a creature or a person to make a 295 00:18:08,245 --> 00:18:13,845 Speaker 2: deal with continues in modern character arcs. In my opinion. 296 00:18:14,205 --> 00:18:16,765 Speaker 2: One of these strongest examples of this is in the 297 00:18:16,805 --> 00:18:22,765 Speaker 2: show Once Upon a Time. It was a fantasy drama 298 00:18:22,845 --> 00:18:27,565 Speaker 2: adventure that spanned seven seasons from twenty eleven to twenty eighteen. 299 00:18:28,245 --> 00:18:30,845 Speaker 2: In order to save a child from a curse, fair 300 00:18:30,925 --> 00:18:35,725 Speaker 2: tale characters are sent to modern day Storybrooke, Maine. The 301 00:18:35,765 --> 00:18:38,605 Speaker 2: show starts with a young boy showing up at bail 302 00:18:38,725 --> 00:18:42,925 Speaker 2: bondsman Emma Swan's place, claiming he's her son and she's 303 00:18:43,125 --> 00:18:46,805 Speaker 2: the daughter of Snow White and Prince Charming. After dropping 304 00:18:46,805 --> 00:18:49,885 Speaker 2: the boy off in the town, Emma Swan starts to 305 00:18:50,045 --> 00:18:54,405 Speaker 2: think there might be something to the boy's story. As 306 00:18:54,485 --> 00:18:58,165 Speaker 2: the show progresses, more fairy tale characters enter and we 307 00:18:58,285 --> 00:19:02,325 Speaker 2: learn about them as well. Rumpelstilskin is shown as a 308 00:19:02,405 --> 00:19:06,765 Speaker 2: human covered in scales. He's portrayed as the most villainous 309 00:19:06,805 --> 00:19:09,285 Speaker 2: of all the bad guys, but also one of the 310 00:19:09,405 --> 00:19:15,245 Speaker 2: characters you'll feel the worse for. His story is complicated. 311 00:19:15,685 --> 00:19:16,405 Speaker 2: He's evil. 312 00:19:16,645 --> 00:19:18,765 Speaker 4: Yes, he makes deals. 313 00:19:18,365 --> 00:19:21,885 Speaker 2: For firstborns and in exchange the person gets what they want, 314 00:19:22,645 --> 00:19:25,245 Speaker 2: But then you learn it's because he lost his son, 315 00:19:25,325 --> 00:19:28,645 Speaker 2: Bill Fire, and his evil stems from a dagger with 316 00:19:28,725 --> 00:19:31,245 Speaker 2: dark magic that he began using to. 317 00:19:31,245 --> 00:19:32,405 Speaker 4: Try and find his son. 318 00:19:33,325 --> 00:19:36,085 Speaker 2: All he truly wants is the love of a family 319 00:19:36,205 --> 00:19:39,845 Speaker 2: of his son, but because of the dagger, he can't stop. 320 00:19:40,725 --> 00:19:44,085 Speaker 2: It's a tale of greed and cowardice and bravery and 321 00:19:44,205 --> 00:19:48,405 Speaker 2: change all rolled into one. It's seven seasons, so there's 322 00:19:48,485 --> 00:19:51,405 Speaker 2: not time to break down every moral and meaning a 323 00:19:51,565 --> 00:19:56,005 Speaker 2: hein Rumpled's character in Once but overall it shows that 324 00:19:56,045 --> 00:19:59,845 Speaker 2: there's more complexities than someone just being a bad guy. 325 00:20:00,765 --> 00:20:04,445 Speaker 2: It's us wanting to know why, taking the time to understand, 326 00:20:04,885 --> 00:20:07,485 Speaker 2: and it could even be argued what it means to 327 00:20:07,525 --> 00:20:11,485 Speaker 2: be human. The different aspects were presented and wrestle with 328 00:20:11,645 --> 00:20:17,005 Speaker 2: every day. The idea of exploring Rumpelstiltskin as a more 329 00:20:17,125 --> 00:20:22,525 Speaker 2: human character is also portrayed in the Gilded duology, published 330 00:20:22,525 --> 00:20:26,085 Speaker 2: in twenty twenty one. Gilded follows the story of Cirillda. 331 00:20:26,245 --> 00:20:29,685 Speaker 2: She's a poor miller's daughter who spends wild tales that 332 00:20:29,805 --> 00:20:33,165 Speaker 2: get her into trouble since everyone believes they are lies. 333 00:20:34,245 --> 00:20:37,005 Speaker 2: She ends up being swept away to this cursed castle 334 00:20:37,125 --> 00:20:39,765 Speaker 2: that is basically held under siege by the demon King. 335 00:20:40,605 --> 00:20:43,605 Speaker 2: It follows the original tale of she must spin straw 336 00:20:43,685 --> 00:20:46,765 Speaker 2: into gold or be killed, but instead of help coming 337 00:20:46,765 --> 00:20:49,485 Speaker 2: from a goblin or imp, it comes from a young 338 00:20:49,565 --> 00:20:53,365 Speaker 2: man who is part of the curse. As a story unfolds, 339 00:20:53,525 --> 00:20:56,485 Speaker 2: you learn that he is actually a cursed prince named 340 00:20:56,485 --> 00:21:00,085 Speaker 2: Guild who can't be released until he remembers his true name, 341 00:21:00,405 --> 00:21:04,405 Speaker 2: which is of course Rumpelstiltskin, and at the end, he 342 00:21:04,485 --> 00:21:06,045 Speaker 2: and Serrilda are married and. 343 00:21:06,005 --> 00:21:06,565 Speaker 4: Have a kid. 344 00:21:07,325 --> 00:21:09,565 Speaker 2: This child is a child that she promised for his 345 00:21:09,605 --> 00:21:12,645 Speaker 2: third night of help, but since it is their kid, 346 00:21:12,805 --> 00:21:17,285 Speaker 2: she gave him her firstborn by birthing the child. While 347 00:21:17,325 --> 00:21:20,845 Speaker 2: Srilda is the main hero here, Guild is also a hero. 348 00:21:21,525 --> 00:21:24,845 Speaker 2: Although he is under duress. He helps Srilda fight demons 349 00:21:24,925 --> 00:21:27,925 Speaker 2: and uncover the mystery to who he is and to 350 00:21:28,005 --> 00:21:30,765 Speaker 2: break the curse on him and the subjects in his castle. 351 00:21:31,765 --> 00:21:35,725 Speaker 2: These newer adaptations tend to explore more of who Rumpelstiltskin 352 00:21:35,925 --> 00:21:39,205 Speaker 2: is and what he is searching for. They humanize a 353 00:21:39,285 --> 00:21:42,805 Speaker 2: character that was originally a fairy creature bent on causing 354 00:21:42,845 --> 00:21:56,645 Speaker 2: mischief at the expense of another. As we know from 355 00:21:56,685 --> 00:22:00,525 Speaker 2: this series, fairy tales come with lessons and morals, So 356 00:22:00,605 --> 00:22:04,845 Speaker 2: what is rumpel Stiltskin trying to teach us. Some people 357 00:22:04,885 --> 00:22:08,645 Speaker 2: think that Stillskin could have been about teaching women how 358 00:22:08,685 --> 00:22:12,445 Speaker 2: they should be supportive in their marriages. At first, this 359 00:22:12,565 --> 00:22:15,725 Speaker 2: idea seems more aligned to the Icelandic tale we heard earlier, 360 00:22:16,205 --> 00:22:19,125 Speaker 2: but spinning can be interpreted as a metaphor for all 361 00:22:19,205 --> 00:22:23,685 Speaker 2: household skills, and at the time, society's expectations of women 362 00:22:23,925 --> 00:22:27,725 Speaker 2: revolved around household skills and having kids. And then others 363 00:22:27,765 --> 00:22:31,085 Speaker 2: think it's a cautionary tale for children to behave or 364 00:22:31,285 --> 00:22:33,965 Speaker 2: for mothers to keep an eye on their kids. Although 365 00:22:34,005 --> 00:22:36,605 Speaker 2: I feel like this one lends itself to other helper 366 00:22:36,685 --> 00:22:41,365 Speaker 2: stories more so than the Grimm's version. One moral in 367 00:22:41,405 --> 00:22:44,445 Speaker 2: the Grimm's tale is greed and also a warning. 368 00:22:44,165 --> 00:22:44,845 Speaker 4: To be honest. 369 00:22:45,605 --> 00:22:47,925 Speaker 2: There's this idea that if the miller had been honest 370 00:22:47,965 --> 00:22:50,925 Speaker 2: with the king from the beginning, then the miller's daughter 371 00:22:51,125 --> 00:22:53,725 Speaker 2: would never have found herself in the position she was. 372 00:22:54,805 --> 00:22:57,885 Speaker 2: Notice the patriarchal view of putting the onus on the woman, 373 00:22:58,325 --> 00:23:02,245 Speaker 2: even though it's the miller who offered her up. I 374 00:23:02,325 --> 00:23:06,085 Speaker 2: talked to cultural studies professor Meredith jack Sipes about grims 375 00:23:06,165 --> 00:23:08,885 Speaker 2: Rumplestol Skin, and he brought the moral of the story 376 00:23:08,925 --> 00:23:13,405 Speaker 2: back to spinning, specifically, what spinning represented in the lives 377 00:23:13,405 --> 00:23:15,685 Speaker 2: of women and the Grimm's time. 378 00:23:16,005 --> 00:23:18,045 Speaker 4: Women, specifically in the lower. 379 00:23:17,805 --> 00:23:20,965 Speaker 2: Class, spent a lot of time and effort making clothes 380 00:23:21,005 --> 00:23:21,925 Speaker 2: for their families. 381 00:23:23,285 --> 00:23:28,885 Speaker 5: There were no great, huge machines in manufacturing companies that 382 00:23:29,445 --> 00:23:35,005 Speaker 5: made clothes. The closes people wore were made at home 383 00:23:35,725 --> 00:23:40,965 Speaker 5: by spinning, and so spinning was extremely important. But it 384 00:23:41,045 --> 00:23:45,005 Speaker 5: was also hard labor for young women. It's well known 385 00:23:45,005 --> 00:23:47,925 Speaker 5: that there were a lot of accidents with regard to spinning, 386 00:23:48,485 --> 00:23:51,805 Speaker 5: and it was hard work on their fingers, and so 387 00:23:52,005 --> 00:23:55,445 Speaker 5: this is a tale about the way women were forced 388 00:23:55,485 --> 00:23:58,325 Speaker 5: to make their own clothes or clothes for the family. 389 00:24:01,685 --> 00:24:06,485 Speaker 2: Spinning was arduous, back breaking labor. It could be painful, 390 00:24:06,965 --> 00:24:10,765 Speaker 2: and Zeips suggests that rumpel Stilskin could be a tale 391 00:24:10,765 --> 00:24:13,565 Speaker 2: about how women dreamed of a better life for themselves, 392 00:24:14,125 --> 00:24:18,805 Speaker 2: a life without this intense labor. After all, even though 393 00:24:18,845 --> 00:24:21,765 Speaker 2: it comes with the price and the story, it's rumpel 394 00:24:21,845 --> 00:24:24,405 Speaker 2: Stilskin who takes over the task of spinning. 395 00:24:25,525 --> 00:24:29,805 Speaker 6: In the old days, in the sixteen, seventeenth, eighteenth centuries, 396 00:24:30,165 --> 00:24:33,285 Speaker 6: there used to be aughts where women would gather in 397 00:24:33,325 --> 00:24:37,925 Speaker 6: a community and jabber away and tell stories about how 398 00:24:38,405 --> 00:24:43,285 Speaker 6: women would like to free themselves of the treatment. So 399 00:24:43,325 --> 00:24:47,685 Speaker 6: it's all about the rise of a young woman, fortunately 400 00:24:47,845 --> 00:24:54,045 Speaker 6: through the service of this little man, and she succeeds 401 00:24:54,125 --> 00:24:55,285 Speaker 6: in saving herself. 402 00:24:57,205 --> 00:25:00,525 Speaker 2: Rumpel Stilskin is a story of triumph for a young woman. 403 00:25:01,205 --> 00:25:05,325 Speaker 2: She overcomes an impossible task set before her by people 404 00:25:05,565 --> 00:25:10,645 Speaker 2: with unreasonable expectations. She lifts herself up from poverty and 405 00:25:10,685 --> 00:25:17,485 Speaker 2: becomes the queen, and then she even overcomes Rumpel. But 406 00:25:17,605 --> 00:25:22,805 Speaker 2: that's just one take. Rumpelstilskin isn't being left behind. As 407 00:25:22,845 --> 00:25:27,245 Speaker 2: with all things, it's adapting. The new retellings are filling 408 00:25:27,285 --> 00:25:31,405 Speaker 2: in blanks, digging into the whys, and really questioning not 409 00:25:31,525 --> 00:25:34,685 Speaker 2: just who the real bad guy was, but how they 410 00:25:34,725 --> 00:25:38,245 Speaker 2: became that way. And they're also holding true to the 411 00:25:38,285 --> 00:25:42,245 Speaker 2: trope of rags to riches, of someone wanting a better life. 412 00:25:43,245 --> 00:25:46,445 Speaker 2: And hopefully when help is offered to turn those dreams 413 00:25:46,485 --> 00:25:50,485 Speaker 2: into a reality, it won't be by a mischievous helper. 414 00:25:55,245 --> 00:25:59,365 Speaker 2: Next time we'll hear from an author who turned Cinderella 415 00:25:59,765 --> 00:26:00,965 Speaker 2: into a cyborg. 416 00:26:03,725 --> 00:26:04,525 Speaker 4: The Deep Dark. 417 00:26:04,365 --> 00:26:07,845 Speaker 2: Woods is a production of School of Humans and iHeart Podcasts. 418 00:26:08,485 --> 00:26:12,405 Speaker 2: It was created, written and hosted by me Miranda Hawkins. 419 00:26:13,005 --> 00:26:16,605 Speaker 2: This episode was produced by Mike hal June was senior producer. 420 00:26:16,725 --> 00:26:17,885 Speaker 4: Gabby Watts. 421 00:26:18,045 --> 00:26:22,845 Speaker 2: Executive producers are Virginia Prescott, Brandon Barr, Elsie Crowley, and 422 00:26:22,925 --> 00:26:27,365 Speaker 2: Maya Howard. Stories were voiced by Julia christ Gau. Theme 423 00:26:27,445 --> 00:26:31,485 Speaker 2: song was composed by Jesse Niswanger. This episode was sound 424 00:26:31,485 --> 00:26:35,445 Speaker 2: designed and mixed by Chris Childs. If you enjoyed the show, 425 00:26:35,645 --> 00:26:38,805 Speaker 2: please leave a review and you can follow along with 426 00:26:38,885 --> 00:26:48,565 Speaker 2: the show on Instagram at School of Humans.