Week 8- #GRIMMread2019
Speak of the devil, and he will appear... in two of this week's stories: The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs and The Girl without Hands. The other two stories: The Louse and the Flea and Clever Hans are rather silly and repetitive. They make me think of those we sing silly songs for kids, like the green grass grows all around, and there was an old woman who swallowed a fly, and others.
The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs: This story has some comical moments. The scene with the devil's grandmother, in particular, had me laughing. I had to look up what a caul was. It's part of an amniotic sac. The kid was born with this on his head, which makes him lucky. He survives being sent down a river in a box by a jealous king (sound familiar?), and continues to cheat death, and the devil, with his wits, luck, and goodness. The ferryman who ferries the boy to the devil's house seems to be a reference to Charon who ferries souls to the Underworld in Greek mythology.
The Girl without Hands: This is a very dark tale. A miller unknowingly makes a deal with the devil. He thinks he is giving away his apple tree to some random Joe in exchange for unfathomable riches (Yeah, that was stupid of him). He finds out that It's actually the devil, who tricked him into giving him his daughter, a very sweet and good child. Instead of standing up to the devil and protecting his daughter, the farmer willingly let's the devil try to take her. The devil is foiled in his attempts by the girl's innocence. When the devil orders the farmer to cut off his daughter's hands, the farmer agrees because he is afraid of the devil taking him instead (This is the most horrible thing I've read in any of these stories so far). Even after this the devil cannot take the girl, and she decides she can't stay with her parents anymore (Good choice kid). She is helped by an angel, and married to a king, who makes her silver hands. The devil tracks her down, and tries to ruin her life again. She is forced to go into hiding for seven years. Her hands are restored to her by God, and the king finally finds her and their son, whom she named Sorrowful, and they live happily ever after.
The Louse and the Flea: So the louse and the flea are brewing beer in an eggshell, and more nonsense ensues until everybody/object dies.
Clever Hans: Clever Hans isn't clever at all. He takes everything so literally that he botches up everything, while mistreating his friend, Grethel, and yet somehow ends up winning her heart.
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