Half-Man
Encyclopedia
Half-Man is a French fairy tale
collected by Achille Millien and Paul Delarue.
It is Aarne-Thompson type 675, a type of tale found throughout Europe. Another variant is Peruonto
.
sons, but the youngest was only half a man: one arm, one leg, etc. One day, the mother sent the sons for wood. The older two got ahead of Half-Man and came to a river. An old woman
asked for help across, but they said they did not have time. Half-Man came and helped her. She gave him a magic wand. He used it to get wood, and then to turn
himself into a bourgeois. He went to speak to his father, who told him that he was poor, and that one of his sons was only half a man but he liked him better than the others. Half-Man took back his normal form and filled the pantry with things to eat.
He went for a walk and saw the king's daughter. He used the wand to make her magically pregnant with a son who would walk and talk at birth and say that Half-Man was his father. She gave birth nine months later, and the boy said he could recognize his father. The king made all the men pass before the boy, who recognized Half-Man. Angry, the king sent all three of the sons away. As soon as they reached a suitable place, Half-Man conjured up a castle. He went ahead of the princess, turned himself into the bourgeois, and went back. The princess repulsed him because she did not want to deceive Half-Man. Half-Man made himself known, and the princess was pleased.
After some time, Half-Man invited three kings, one his father-in-law
, to the castle. His son played with three golden apple
s, and Half-Man used the wand to put one in his father-in-law's pocket. The boy complained. Half-Man had the castle searched, and then demanded that his guests be searched. His father-in-law was astounded, and Half-Man told him the same magic had made his daughter pregnant.
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
collected by Achille Millien and Paul Delarue.
It is Aarne-Thompson type 675, a type of tale found throughout Europe. Another variant is Peruonto
Peruonto
Peruonto is an Italian literary fairy tale written by Giambattista Basile in his 1634 work, the Pentamerone.It is Aarne-Thompson type 675. Other literary tales of this type are Straparola's "Peter The Fool" and Madame d'Aulnoy's The Dolphin...
.
Synopsis
A farmer and his wife had threeRule of three (writing)
The "rule of three" is a principle in writing that suggests that things that come in threes are inherently funnier, more satisfying, or more effective than other numbers of things. The reader/audience of this form of text is also more likely to consume information if it is written in groups of...
sons, but the youngest was only half a man: one arm, one leg, etc. One day, the mother sent the sons for wood. The older two got ahead of Half-Man and came to a river. An old woman
Donor (fairy tale)
In fairy tales, a donor is a character that tests the hero and provides magical assistances to the hero when he succeeds.The fairy godmother is a well-known form of this character...
asked for help across, but they said they did not have time. Half-Man came and helped her. She gave him a magic wand. He used it to get wood, and then to turn
Shapeshifting
Shapeshifting is a common theme in mythology, folklore, and fairy tales. It is also found in epic poems, science fiction literature, fantasy literature, children's literature, Shakespearean comedy, ballet, film, television, comics, and video games...
himself into a bourgeois. He went to speak to his father, who told him that he was poor, and that one of his sons was only half a man but he liked him better than the others. Half-Man took back his normal form and filled the pantry with things to eat.
He went for a walk and saw the king's daughter. He used the wand to make her magically pregnant with a son who would walk and talk at birth and say that Half-Man was his father. She gave birth nine months later, and the boy said he could recognize his father. The king made all the men pass before the boy, who recognized Half-Man. Angry, the king sent all three of the sons away. As soon as they reached a suitable place, Half-Man conjured up a castle. He went ahead of the princess, turned himself into the bourgeois, and went back. The princess repulsed him because she did not want to deceive Half-Man. Half-Man made himself known, and the princess was pleased.
After some time, Half-Man invited three kings, one his father-in-law
Father-in-law
A parent-in-law is a person who has a legal affinity with another by being the parent of the other's spouse. Many cultures and legal systems impose duties and responsibilities on persons connected by this relationship...
, to the castle. His son played with three golden apple
Golden apple
The golden apple is an element that appears in various national and ethnic folk legends or fairy tales. Recurring themes depict a hero retrieving the golden apples hidden or stolen by a monstrous antagonist...
s, and Half-Man used the wand to put one in his father-in-law's pocket. The boy complained. Half-Man had the castle searched, and then demanded that his guests be searched. His father-in-law was astounded, and Half-Man told him the same magic had made his daughter pregnant.