F is for Friends to Lovers (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

Following up on yesterday's trope, here is another all-time favorite: long time friendship turning into love. Also a slow burn, very often, given that the participants either don't recognize their love, or they are too afraid to ruin their friendship.

THE FOLKLORE

This one is less common in folktales, but by no means nonexistent. And I have to admit, I love finding stories where there is a relationship between a couple before they are married - it goes against the common stereotype that in folktales, wives are just handed out as prizes.

THE STORIES

The wooing of Pumei (Oroqen folktale)

I have mentioned this one before, but I'm gonna do it again, because it's awesome. A young hunter tries to impress a girl by showing off his archery skills, but she challenges him instead to go on a quest and woo the most beautiful maiden in the world. She accompanies him "as his sister", and they fight demons and defeat dragons together. Obviously at the end it turns out she is the maiden herself - and by that time, they have already fallen in love.

Is it a girl? Is it a boy? (Greek folktale)

Two kings are neighbors, and one has nine daughters and the other nine sons. The king with the sons mocks his friend, claiming girls are useless, and his sons could bring him the Water of Life. The youngest princess, hearing this, dresses as a man, and sets out to fecth the Water of Life, competing with one of the princes. She meets a cursed prince named Sir Northwind, who guards the Water of Life, and befriends him. Northwind suspects that she is a girl, and devises various tests, but she passes all of them. He eventually gives her the Water of Life and she leaves, leaving a note behind to let him know the truth. He finds a way to reach out to her and call her back, and eventually they marry, her love breaking the curse.

Lame and One-hand (Hungarian Roma folktale)

Two princes are crippled by a witch, and they have to live as beggars in the woods. A kind-hearted princess befriends them and comes to take care of them. Eventually, when the witch tries to hurt her, the princes defend her, and manage to break their own curse in the process. After that, one of them marries the girl.

Snow Bella (Cajun folktale)

This one is a Cajun Snow White variant, where the Dwarves the princess moves in with have an adopted brother. They care for the girl and defend her from the wicked witch's assassination attempts; they even hunt the queen down after the poison apple incident. In the end, Snow Bella marries the youngest brother, because they had fallen in love during her time in the Dwarves' house.

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!