L is for Lap Pillow (Romance Tropes in Folklore)

This year, my A to Z Blogging Challenge theme is Romance Tropes in Folklore! For each letter, I will pick a popular trope from romcom movies and romance novels, and see if I can find the same trope in folktales and legends. Because it's fun. Here we go.

THE TROPE

"Lap pillow" is the term used for a moment where one person lays down, resting their head on the other person's lap. It usually means a soft, intimate moment of care and proximity. Often used as a "ship tease", a scene foretelling the future romantic entanglement of the two people.

THE FOLKLORE

Okay, I picked this one because it is actually a lot more prominent in folklore than popular romance. The reason being - according to folklorists - that in traditional tales it is a metaphor for actual sex. Often described as "de-lousing" or "looking into one's head", it is a symbol of intimacy that could not always be outright stated in stories. It is also often used as a ploy to lull a monster to sleep, but I am skipping those for the purposes of this post. (Hungarian article on this motif here.)

THE STORIES

The enchanted forest (Slovakian folktale)

This one is a version of the very common tale type ATU 303 (The Twins). It has two identical heroes who separate when they go out to seek their fortune. They are accompanied by wild animals they have tamed - a bear, a lion, and a wolf each. One hero kills a dragon and saves a princess, but after the fight he falls asleep with his head on the princess' lap after they exchange rings. While he sleeps, an evil man kills him and threatens the princess to pretend he was the hero who killed the dragon. The real hero is revived by his faithful animals, unmasks the pretender, and wins the princess. Later on, he wanders into an enchanted forest and is turned to stone by a witch. Luckily, his twin shows up and breaks the enchantment. (I like the Slovakian version because the animals have their own personalities, and are revealed to be cursed princes at the end.)

There is also a Newfoundland version where the hero is Jack, and he falls asleep on the princess' lap even as the dragon is approaching.

The golden-haired gardener (Hungarian folktale)

This is a long and elaborate version of the tale type ATU 314 (Goldener). The hero has golden hair and unearthly beauty, but he hides it and disguises himself as a poor gardener in the king's palace. However, the king's youngest daughter notices his golden hair peeking out, and starts visiting him in secret. They fall in love. One day she spies him combing his hair, and she approaches, taking the comb from his hand. He lays his head on her lap and she combs him - after which they confess their love and decide to be married. It is a surprisingly delicate and lovely scene.

The fisherman's son (Hungarian folktale)

A fisherman's son is unwittingly promised to a river demon at birth, but manages to escape. He encounters an enchanted princess and saves her, after which they get married. When the husband is summoned by a kind, she warns him not to brag about her - which he obviously does, summoning her to show her off at court. She leaves him for his indiscretion, but before she goes, he asks to lay his head on her lap one last time. When he falls asleep, she leaves - and he has to go on a long and epic journey to win her back.

This scene is very similar to that in the Norwegian tale of the Soria Moria Castle.

Do you have favorite romance stories that feature this trope?

Do you like the folktale versions?

Don't forget to leave a link in the comments so I can visit you back!