Peau d'Ane & La Belle au Bois Dormant (Donkey Skin & The Sleeping Beauty in the Woods) is today almost forgotten book illustrated by Malo-Renault and published by Larousse, Paris in 1922. It's one of rare examples of the book with Donkey Skin which is today totally out of fashion and Perrault's version of The Sleeping Beauty, where the wicked mother of the prince tries to eat hr daughter in law, her two grandchildren (most readers don't even know The Sleeping Beauty became a wife and a mother of two). Even more - it's the only version with the illustration of the punishment of the evil mother of the prince I am familiar with. And I have seen a lot! This book features only two stories, so it's hard to be called a collection. The first one is Donkey Skin, one of Perrault's almost forgotten fairy tales. Donkey Skin The girl on the so-called frontispiece above is a princess. She is in big trouble. She lost her mother when she was still a little kid and her father promised his wife he'll remarry only if he finds a women of the same qualities. Well, he couldn't find one. Until his own daughter grown up... A donkey in this story carries several symbolic meanings. It's stubborn, as the king. It's hard working, as the princess. Ad it's loyal, like a prince who will eventually marry her. When the king decided to take his own daughter for wife, she tried to delay the event by demanding ridiculously expensive gifts. Bu for the man in true love nothing is too much. So she had to run away. While her wedding gown was almost ready, she disguised herself, and, covered by a donkey skin, found a job in another castle - as a kitchen helper. Her beauty couldn't stay hidden for long. The prince became interested in her and discovered her secret. She was a princess! The prince proposed her and her father was invited too. For a true happy ending her father finally found a match for himself too. The Sleeping Beauty in the Woods Another frontispiece to the story portraying the title character. Seven fairies brought great gift to the newborn, yet there was also the eighth fairy, the wicked one, who cursed the little girl. She pricked her finger and felt asleep. Everybody in the castle felt asleep. And they sleep for a hundred years. Then a prince came to the rescue. She heard about the castle and a beautiful princess inside, so he wanted to help. Nobody tried to stop him. The guards were sleeping too, after all. There the part most of people today is not aware of, comes. The prince marries the girl but his mother is not happy with that. She is a cannibal and she plans to eat her and her kids (yes, after the marriage two kids were born). Her plan is broken just in time. She is punished ruthlessly but right righteously.
If you are surpriesd by the presence of the cannibalistic theme, you should maybe check this article about cannibalism in fairy tales. It's not so rare as you might belive.
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