Monday, April 1, 2013

A is for the Apple Princess

Because, you know, A is for Apple. Even in Hungarian. Duh.

And no, I am not talking about Snow White. She has been told and re-told in so many genius ways. No, the first Weird Princess of the A to Z challenge is brought to you by master writer and storyteller Italo Calvino from Florence, Italy.

The tale is called the Apple Girl, and starts with the usual careless royal wish: A childless queen wishes to be as fertile as an apple tree. And then gives birth to an apple. Don't you just love it when that happens? Still better off than the woman with the hedgehog, though...

Apple Princess lives in her apple. She only comes out once a day to brush her hair and do her make-up. I kind of picture her like a real life Yankee Candle, with golden-red hair, red cheeks, and a strong sweet healthy apple scent.

(Are we craving fruit yet?)

She doesn't do much - it will turn out later that she is under a spell - and she never says a word. Later on in the story we also learn that the apple is not only a home for her; it is part of her body. When the apple is cut, it bleeds, and when the princess is summoned, she will have scars all over her body.  

Apple Princess in one in a long line of fruit-based instant wives in folklore: Similar stories exist with oranges, figs, lemons, citrons, pears, walnuts etc. She is not really an active participant in her own story. She gets engaged, saved, and married. Then again she is, technically... an apple.

13 comments:

  1. I had no idea there was such a thing as fruit-wife-folklore...interesting post!

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  2. An apple princess, how interesting. Looking forward to tomorrow's folklore tale.
    http://sallys-scribbles.blogspot.co.uk #1134

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  3. I have never heard of this before! Fascinating! Amazing what stories you can dig up. :)

    Jaimie
    Living in the Light
    A to Z Ambassador

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  4. Dreadful thought: what if the poor woman who gave birth to Hans my Hedgehog had had a breach delivery?

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  5. Living in an apple! That could be sweeet until it starts to turn. :) Interesting post.

    Thanks for visiting my blog over at elizabethwatgibson.wordpress.com. Will be back for more folklore.

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  6. Okay, that's kind of awesome. I'm gonna love this A to Z.

    ~MPL
    http://pepperwords.com

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  7. What a sad but interestingly odd story. I had never heard of fruit-wife_folklore. I look forward to "B".

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  8. I think weird princesses might be my favorite A to Z theme so far. And the apple princess is a great way to kick off the month!

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  9. I just read the story about the citron and the prince and all I can say is Wow! What a story! Who knew?

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  10. I have to say this is the most creative and fun themes I've come across.

    What used-to-be-little-girl doesn't just love princesses?

    How fun!!

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  11. I've been perusing the blogosphere for hours and yours is my favorite theme so far! Please visit us and become a member at http://citymusecountrymuse2012.blogspot.com/

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  12. What a great theme. Looking forward to reading more :)
    I'm over at http://ficticiousamo.wordpress.com/

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