The Old Woman in the Wood
Encyclopedia
"The Old Woman in the Wood" is a German fairy tale
collected by the Brothers Grimm
, tale number 123. It is Aarne-Thompson type 442.
The old woman was quite angry, but the girl did not heed her. Then, when she could not see the plain ring, she saw the old woman trying to carry off a bird cage. She took it away from her; it held a bird, which held the ring in its beak. She took it outside and waited against a tree. Two branches turned into arms about her as the tree turned
into a handsome man who kissed her and told her that the witch had turned him into a tree, and for two hours a day, a dove, and she had freed him. All his attendants turned back from trees to humans as well, and him being a king's son, they went to his father's kingdom and got married.
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 the Brothers Grimm
Brothers Grimm
The Brothers Grimm , Jacob Grimm and Wilhelm Grimm , were German academics, linguists, cultural researchers, and authors who collected folklore and published several collections of it as Grimm's Fairy Tales, which became very popular...
, tale number 123. It is Aarne-Thompson type 442.
Synopsis
A poor servant girl travelled with the family she served when robbers attacked them. She hid behind a tree, but no one else survived. She lamented her fate, and a dove came to her, with a golden key. It told her to unlock a tree, and she found food. In the evening, it brought her one to a tree with a bed. She lived like this for many days. When the dove asked her to do something for it, she agreed. It told her to go to a house and go in. An old woman would greet her, but she should not answer; she should open an inner door, which will reveal a room full of splendid rings, but she should take a plain one.The old woman was quite angry, but the girl did not heed her. Then, when she could not see the plain ring, she saw the old woman trying to carry off a bird cage. She took it away from her; it held a bird, which held the ring in its beak. She took it outside and waited against a tree. Two branches turned into arms about her as the tree turned
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...
into a handsome man who kissed her and told her that the witch had turned him into a tree, and for two hours a day, a dove, and she had freed him. All his attendants turned back from trees to humans as well, and him being a king's son, they went to his father's kingdom and got married.