How we cite our quotes: (Tale.Page)
Quote #1
The king had never seen a flower as beautiful as that. His son then said to him, "Now I'll show her to you in her true form," and he wished the flower to become a maiden. All at once she was there and so beautiful that no painter could ever have made her look more beautiful. (The Pink Flower.264)
It is kind of cool when your boyfriend can transform you into a flower for safekeeping. Oh wait. It's creepy.
Quote #2
Marlene went to her dresser and took out her best silk neckerchief from the bottom drawer, gathered all the bones from beneath the table, tied them up in her silk kerchief, and carried them outside the door. There she wept bitter tears and laid the bones beneath the juniper tree. […] Then a beautiful bird flew out of the fire and began singing magnificently. […] Marlene was very happy and gay. It was as if her brother were still alive. (The Juniper Tree.160-161)
We sure hope someone gathers our bones and puts them under a juniper tree when we die. This tale gives a tantalizing glimpse of life after death, as accomplished through multiple transformations.
Quote #3
When they came to the third spring, the sister heard the babbling of the spring. "Whoever drinks of me will be turned into a deer. Whoever drinks of me will be turned into a deer." "Oh, brother!" the sister exclaimed. "Please don't drink, or else you'll be turned into a deer and run away from me." But the brother, who was already kneeling at the spring, leaned over and drank some of the water. Immediately after a few drops had touched his lips, he lay there in the form of a fawn. (Brother and Sister.39)
Whoops. Curse those tricksy talking transformation springs. Although, this one does show how nature is often helpful when someone enters the wilderness with good intentions. The spring couldn't help being cursed, but it did warn the kids what would happen. The boy just wasn't paying attention. Silly kid.
Quote #4
Once again the king danced with the beautiful maiden and thought that she had never been more beautiful. […] Then All Fur ran into the kitchen and cooked soup for the king. When the cook was away, she put the golden reel into the bowl. So, when the king found the reel at the bottom of the bowl, he summoned All Fur […] Then he seized her hand and held it tight, and when she tried to free herself and run away, the fur cloak opened a bit, and the dress of bright stars was unveiled. The king grabbed the cloak and tore it off her. Suddenly her gold hair toppled down, and she stood there in all her splendor unable to conceal herself any longer. (All Fur, 242)
Though it seems a bit, er, forced, this scene shows the transformation of beautiful mystery woman to kitchen maid and back again. Makeover reality TV shows got nothing on fairy tales (and, in fact, their popularity may be linked; you read fairy tales as a kid, and graduate to reality TV when you're older and presumably have more sophisticated tastes, though still the same hunger for viewing transformations).
Quote #5
This made the princess extremely angry, and after she picked him up, she threw him against the wall with all her might. "Now you can have your rest, you nasty frog!" However, when he fell to the ground, he was no longer a frog but a prince with kind and beautiful eyes. (The Frog King, or Iron Heinrich.4)
Nope, she doesn't have to kiss the frog to turn him back into a prince in every version of this tale. Thank goodness; clammy kisses are disgusting. She'd much rather hurl the poor guy against a stone wall.
Quote #6
In return the little man spun the straw into gold once again. (Rumpelstiltskin.195)
It'd sure be nice to be able to spin straw into gold, though it'd probably wreak havoc on the economy. Given that the Industrial Revolution was one social context for these tales, though, it might make sense that they ponder the effects of the magically enhanced production of goods.
Quote #7
The bridegroom was astonished and thought, She looks just like my Maid Maleen; I'd swear it was really her, but I'm sure she's a prisoner in the tower, or she's dead. (Maiden Maleen.575)
Lovers, longtime friends, and even parents and children don't always recognize each other in fairy tales because of the transformations (both magical ones and natural ones like aging) that occur. It makes for some really awkward encounters.
Quote #8
The fox went with him to a spring, dunked itself in the water, and came out as a market vendor who sold animals. The young man had to dunk himself into the water as well and was transformed into a little hamster. (The Little Hamster From the Water.551)
Some transformations get you more bang for your buck. And, in this tale, the transformations are life-saving (the guy survives courting the princess) as well as spouse-obtaining. Bonus.
Quote #9
"My father's after us, and he'll soon catch up. Wait, I'll turn you into a rosebush and myself into a rose, and I'll protect myself by hiding in the middle of the bush." (The Two Kings' Children.378)
Giving your lover roses is so last century. Turning them into roses, on the other hand….
Quote #10
When the witch was safe from the animals, she jumped down, touched him with a switch, and he was turned to stone. (The Two Brothers.225)
Narnia has nothing on the Grimms.