KidLit Forum

THE SNAKE WHO BECOME THE KING’S SON-IN-LAW – Roumanian – Gypsy stories
Context
Country and language: England, English
Original collector: John Sampson, the librarian of the University College, Liverpool
Title of collection, year, place: Gypsy Folk-Tales, 1899, London
Francis Hinds Groome was one of the 19th century folklorists who was interested in Gypsy’s life. In the ‘’Pazorrhus” he tried to convince the readers that he is not a folklorist, “”But for twenty years I have been trying to interest folklorists in Gypsy folk-tales”. He actually collected and copied the stories from Sampson’s collection, making almost no changes to the original stories. It seems that this collection has 76 tales.
Summary
As in every fairy tale, there once was an old man and woman who did not have any children. The man went in the forest to find a son but after 3 days he found just a little snake. He took the snake home and put it in a jar. When the snake was as big as the jar, it told to the man to go to the king and ask his daughter to marry him. The man went to the king and told him he could give him all that he wanted. So the king asked for 2 things: the first was: “See this great forest. Fell it all, and make it a level field; and plough it for me and break up all the earth; and sow it with millet by tomorrow. And you must bring me cake made with sweet milk”. The second was “make me a golden bridge from my palace to your house and let golden apple-trees and pear-trees grow on the side of the bridge.” The snake managed to fulfil all the requests and the king gave the daughter to be his wife. When the king saw the snake, he began to tremble. The girl trembled too. But the snake told the girl he is not actually a snake, he is a human being. And he transformed in “a somersault, and become a golden youth in armour clad”. When the king was told that the girl was fairer and lovelier than before, he called all the people and held the marriage,
Position in the Aarne-Thomson-Uther Index
Tales of Magic Supernatural or Enchanted Wife (Husband) or Other Relative – Husband
Characters or functions according to Vladimir Propp
Initial situation: two people do not have children
I – One of the members of the family absents himself from home: in this cade, the older generation, the father leave in the forest
VIII – One member of the family desires to have something- the snake wants a wife and he also wants to become a human being
XXV – A difficult task is proposed to the heroe – the king gives the old man two difficult tasks
XXVI – The task is resolved
XXIX – The heroe is given a new appearance – the snake transformes into a human being
XXXI – The heroe is married and ascends the throne
Modern-day editions
There is also an illustrated edition of this collection which has just 36 classic Gypsy tales and story, having the interest in Gypsy people. The first collection was published by Hurst and Blackett in London in 1899. Republished by Abela Publishing, London 2012, illustrated by Maggie Gunzel, a Dutch artist.
Also there is an album called Gypsy Folk Tales by drummer Art Blakey and the Jazz Messengers recorded in 1977.
Similarities
The tale is almost the same with The frog price

A good contextual introduction, a clear summary of a fine tale in the manner of "The Frog Prince" indeed, a precise pigeonholing of the type and functions, and useful further contextualizing. Good.