The Raven (Italian fairy tale)
Encyclopedia
The Raven is an Italian literary fairy tale
written by Giambattista Basile
in his 1634 work, the Pentamerone
. The story is a man winning a bride for his brother the king, and then having to protect the couple from perils that he can not tell anyone about, without being turned to stone.
It is Aarne-Thompson type 516. Others of this type are Trusty John
, and Father Roquelaure
. It is an unusual variant, in that most tales feature the main character as a servant rather than a brother.
On the voyages, two doves flew up. They talked, and one told the other that the falcon would pick out Milluccio's eyes the first time it saw him, but if Jennariello warned him, or did not bring him the bird, Jennariello would turn to marble; that the horse would break Milluccio's neck the first time he rode it, but if Jennariello warned him, or did not bring him the horse, he would turn to marble; and that a dragon would eat Milluccio and Liviella on their wedding night, but if Jennariello warned him, or did not bring him Liviella, Jennariello would turn to stone.
Jennariello brought his brother the horse and the falcon and then instantly killed them. At the wedding night, Jennariello went with a sword and fought the dragon, but when his brother woke, the dragon vanished, and he had Jennariello imprisoned as a traitor that night and sentenced to die the next. Wishing to die known as innocent, he told Milluccio his story, and turned to stone.
Liviella had twin sons. One day, while she was gone, an old man asked Milluccio what he would give to restore his brother. Milluccio said his kingdom, and when told life was needed, offered his own; when the old man said his sons' lives were needed, he killed them and put the blood on the statue, which restored them. Liviella returned and was grief-stricken, and went to the window to throw herself out. The old man, her father, stopped her, and told her that he had punished them all for their acts against him, but the punishment had been enough. He restored the babies to life.
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...
written by Giambattista Basile
Giambattista Basile
Giambattista Basile was an Italian poet, courtier, and fairy tale collector.- Biography :Born to a Neapolitan middle-class family, Basile was, during his career, a courtier and soldier to various Italian princes, including the doge of Venice. According to Benedetto Croce he was born in 1575, while...
in his 1634 work, the Pentamerone
Pentamerone
The Pentamerone is a seventeenth-century fairy tale collection by Italian poet and courtier Giambattista Basile.-Background:...
. The story is a man winning a bride for his brother the king, and then having to protect the couple from perils that he can not tell anyone about, without being turned to stone.
It is Aarne-Thompson type 516. Others of this type are Trusty John
Trusty John
Trusty John, Faithful John, Faithful Johannes, or John the True is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, tale number 6, and by Joseph Jacobs in his European Folk and Fairy Tales. Andrew Lang included it in The Blue Fairy Book.It is Aarne-Thompson type 516. Others of this type are...
, and Father Roquelaure
Father Roquelaure
Father Roquelaure is a French fairy tale collected by Achille Millien.It is a type 516 tale in the Aarne-Thompson classification system. Others of this type are Trusty John and The Raven.-Synopsis:...
. It is an unusual variant, in that most tales feature the main character as a servant rather than a brother.
Synopsis
A king named Milluccio once saw a dead raven on stone, and fell in love with the thought of a wife as black as the raven, as red as its blood, and as white as the stone. It affected his health until his brother Jennariello asked what was wrong with him and finally learned the story. Jennariello set out by ship. He bought a falcon and a splendid horse, and a beggar persuaded him to tell his story. The beggar then begged at a magician's house, and Jennariello saw that the magician's daughter, Liviella, matched his brother's dream exactly. Jennariello dressed as a peddler and showed Liviella hoods, handkerchiefs, and other goods, and persuaded her to come to the ship to see his better wares. Then he sailed off with her. Liviella lamented, but Jennariello told her why, and described his brother to her so vividly that she wanted to see this man.On the voyages, two doves flew up. They talked, and one told the other that the falcon would pick out Milluccio's eyes the first time it saw him, but if Jennariello warned him, or did not bring him the bird, Jennariello would turn to marble; that the horse would break Milluccio's neck the first time he rode it, but if Jennariello warned him, or did not bring him the horse, he would turn to marble; and that a dragon would eat Milluccio and Liviella on their wedding night, but if Jennariello warned him, or did not bring him Liviella, Jennariello would turn to stone.
Jennariello brought his brother the horse and the falcon and then instantly killed them. At the wedding night, Jennariello went with a sword and fought the dragon, but when his brother woke, the dragon vanished, and he had Jennariello imprisoned as a traitor that night and sentenced to die the next. Wishing to die known as innocent, he told Milluccio his story, and turned to stone.
Liviella had twin sons. One day, while she was gone, an old man asked Milluccio what he would give to restore his brother. Milluccio said his kingdom, and when told life was needed, offered his own; when the old man said his sons' lives were needed, he killed them and put the blood on the statue, which restored them. Liviella returned and was grief-stricken, and went to the window to throw herself out. The old man, her father, stopped her, and told her that he had punished them all for their acts against him, but the punishment had been enough. He restored the babies to life.
See also
- In Love with a StatueIn Love with a StatueIn Love with a Statue is an Italian fairy tale collected by Thomas Frederick Crane in Italian Popular Tales.-Synopsis:A king had two sons. The younger one fell in love with a statue. His older brother set out to see if he could find a woman like it...
- How to find out a True FriendHow to find out a True FriendHow to find out a True Friend is an Italian fairy tale collected by Laura Gonzenbach in Sicilianische Märchen. Andrew Lang included it in The Crimson Fairy Book.-Synopsis:...
- The Man of StoneThe Man of StoneThe Man of Stoneis a Romanian fairy tale collected by Petre Ispirescu in Legende sau basmele românilor.-Synopsis:A king and queen had no children. A black man or Arab came to the king and offered a potion that would make the queen pregnant. The cook prepared it and, not knowing its powers, tasted...
- Trusty JohnTrusty JohnTrusty John, Faithful John, Faithful Johannes, or John the True is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, tale number 6, and by Joseph Jacobs in his European Folk and Fairy Tales. Andrew Lang included it in The Blue Fairy Book.It is Aarne-Thompson type 516. Others of this type are...