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Monday, May 18, 2015

Blood, Boobs and Carnage Blogfest: Hungarian folktale edition

Today I'm participating in the Blood, Boobs and Carnage Blogfest! It is a blog hop hosted by Ninja Captain Alex J. Cavanaugh and Heather M. Gardner. Participating blogs are supposed to post today about books, movies, shows etc. within the topic of... well, Blood, Boobs, and Carnage (or any combination of the three).
If you want to visit the other participants, you can find the Linky list HERE.

Since my other blog, the MopDog, is covering the Blood and Carnage parts through a selection of Hungarian children's songs, I decided to focus on the Boobs on this one.
WARNING: Nudity. Duh.

There is a folktale type numbered ATU 875, called "The clever peasant girl solves the king's riddles." It exists in many shapes and forms in world folklore. Most often it includes a final scene where the famously smart girl is ordered by the king/prince to appear before him, and he sets some criteria: She has to be dressed but not dressed, bring a present but not bring a present, arrive mounted but walking, etc. I am particularly interested in the "dressed but not dressed" part, since it is solved in various ways in different tellings - and each one says a lot about the particular culture's (and storyteller's) ideas of decency.
For example, in one variation of the folktale, the girl undresses and then lets down her hair that covers her from head to toe, Lady Godiva style, protecting her decency. In another, she puts on a fishing net as a dress, which probably doesn't leave a lot to the imagination (and hence invents a whole new kink).

And then there is the Hungarian version.

In the video below (NSFW) you can see a children's cartoon (!) version of the folktale, titled "The Judge's Clever Daughter." In this version, after solving several long-distance puzzles and annoying the king, the girl is invited with the usual criteria. She shows up with one leg on a goat (mounted but walking), carrying a pigeon that flies away (gift but no gift), and wearing nothing but a bra and an angelic smile. When the king asks her why she decided to cover her boobs but not her "shame," this is the explanation she gives:

"That was given to me by God, hence it is nothing to be ashamed of. These I grew myself."

You really can't argue with that.

15 comments:

  1. She grew herself? Or did she get surgical enhancement?

    Strange story nevertheless.

    Arlee Bird
    A to Z Challenge Co-host
    Road trippin' with A to Z
    Tossing It Out

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  2. My thoughts exactly Arlee..

    I was gonna say...she was blessed to grow them herself, I had to pay for mine.

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  3. An aside. The whole "Science" (I use quotes since it is also an art and a lot of detective work) of uncovering and analyzing these folk tales is fascinating. I really have learned so much from your blog.

    This is also a great story.

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  4. These I grew myself - hilarious!
    Thanks for participating in our blogfest.

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  5. I don't know if it's a blessing or curse to be well endowed. After having children I would like a little lift, though. Is that too much to ask? Great take on the Boob aspect of the challenge. lol Thanks for visiting.

    Enter mature audience only #bloodboobscarnage

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  6. Bizarre. I like the character's solution to "mounted but walking". That one had me worried for a moment.

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  7. Like Susan, I like "I grew them myself." Fascinating, fun post. :-)

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  8. Delightful! This put a huge smile on my face - I love folklore and the Hungarian cartoon version is an interesting interpretation :-D

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  9. Oh my god that last sentence killed me - I laughed out loud. Very clever.

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  10. Might also be that her boobs are uncomfortable if she just leaves them hanging out.

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    Replies
    1. ... that is also a really good explanation :D "Have you ever tried limping along on a goat with your boobs bouncing up and down?..."

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  11. OMG! Love the sass! It really does say something about each storyteller's POV.
    THANK YOU for joining Alex and me in this EPIC blogfest!
    Heather M. Gardner

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