Perrault's "The Fairies": Translating Fairytales

I'm fascinated by the art of storytelling and the idea of using stories to teach readers what kind of behaviour is acceptable in a society or the use of oral tradition to pass on knowledge about history, culture, literature and religion.

I recently took up a translation that I'd started a long time ago, before I started my PhD, of a fairytale by Charles Perrault. Fairytales, especially those written in the 17th century, aren't exactly famous for their portrayal of women as anything other than beautiful or ugly, good or bad and above all, passive. This one is no exception. As a historical artefact this story teaches us that women were expected to be kind, honest and obedient or face dire consequences and this in itself is a window into how things were and how things have (slowly) changed but fairytales are not just historical artefacts. All texts are alive, just because the ink on the page is long dry, it doesn't mean they can't be re-used to think about something from a different perspective.

---

But if the prevailing idea of an archetype gives too strong an impression of fixity, the picture-language of fairytale is fluid and shapeshifting: a rose is not a rose, an apple not an apple; a princess or a villain signify far more than what they seem. A dictionary of fairytale would look more like a rebus made up of icons: snow, crystal, apples, dark forests, pinnacled castles, mermaids, toads, giants, dragons, sprites, fair princesses, likely lads and crones.

The symbolism comes alive through strong contrasts and sensations, evoking simple, sensuous phenomena that glint and sparkle, pierce and flow, by these means striking recognition in the reader or listener’s body at a visceral depth (gold and silver; diamonds and rubies, thorns and knives; wells and tunnels). It’s an Esperanto of the imagination, and it’s available for any of us to use – in almost any medium.

Marina Warner, The Guardian.

---

It has become increasingly popular to update fairytales on screen but I've decided to have a go at updating a fairytale through translation. The moral of the story remains that it pays to be kind. In Perrault's time, a commoner would not have married a prince so my ending is not less unlikely, just slightly less passive (plus, it has never been the job of a fairytale to be likely)!

I'm not calling my new ending a translation but a re-imagining inspired by translation.

Charles Perrault, The Fairies

(Find the French text here: Neuf Contes)

My translation

Once upon a time there lived a widow who had two daughters; the elder so resembled her mother in looks and temperament that whoever saw her, saw her mother too. They were both so unpleasant and arrogant that nobody could bear to be around them. The younger daughter was the spitting image of her father with her sweetness and honesty, and was therefore one of the most beautiful girls that had ever been seen. As one naturally loves one’s likeness, this mother was besotted with her eldest daughter, whilst having a terrible hatred of the youngest. She made her dine in the kitchen and work all day long.

Among her other chores, this poor girl had to go twice a day to draw water from a fountain which was a good half a league’s walk from the house, to bring back a pitcher filled to the brim. One day when she had gone to this fountain, a poor woman came to her and begged her for a drink.

“But of course, my good mother,” said the beautiful maiden and rinsing out the pitcher, she drew water from the fountain’s most beautiful spot and offered it to her, keeping hold of the pitcher so that she might drink more easily. The good woman, having drunk, said to her, “you are so beautiful, so kind, and so honest, that I cannot help but give you a gift” (for she was a Fairy who had disguised herself as a poor village woman to test this young girl’s honesty) “with my gift,” continued the Fairy, “every time you speak either a flower or a gemstone will fall from your mouth.”

When the beautiful maiden arrived home, her mother scolded her for returning from the fountain so late. “I beg your forgiveness, my mother, for being gone so long” said the poor girl; and as she said these words, two roses, two pearls and some diamonds fell from her mouth.

“What’s this I see?” cried her mother, astonished, “I do believe diamonds and pearls just came from your mouth! How is this possible, my daughter?” (This was the first time that she had ever called the child her daughter).

The poor child naively told her everything that had happened, launching an infinity of diamonds. “Truly,” said the mother, “I must send my daughter: look Fanchon, look what is coming from your sister’s mouth when she speaks, would you not be pleased with the same gift? You have but to go to the fountain and when a poor woman asks you for a drink, you give her one as you should.”

“You would love to see me go to the fountain,” replied the vicious girl.

“I want you to go,” responded the mother, “straight away.” She went, but still grumbling. She took the most beautiful silver flask from the house. She’d hardly arrived at the fountain when she saw a magnificently dressed lady who asked her for a drink. It was the same fairy who appeared to her sister but she had taken on the airs and graces of a princess, to see just how far the girl’s rudeness would go.

“Have I come here just to get you a drink?” said the arrogant girl. “Clearly I brought this silver flask just so that Madame can have a drink! It must be true, drink away if you like!”

“You are not very kind” said the fairy who was not angry; “Ah well! As you are so disobliging, I will give you a gift: for every word you speak, a snake or toad will fall from your mouth.

As soon as the mother saw here she cried, “Well daughter!”

“Well mother,” the mean girl replied, launching two snakes and two toads.

“Heavens!” cried the mother, “what is this? This is your sister’s fault, she’ll pay for this.” And she immediately ran to beat her. She fled to save herself in a nearby forest.

The son of the king, who was returning from the hunt, found her and seeing how beautiful she was, asked her what she was doing all alone and why she was crying.

“Alas! Sir, it is my mother who chased me from my home.” The king’s son, seeing five or six pearls and as many diamonds fall from her mouth, asked her where they came from. She told him everything. The king’s son fell in love and considering such a gift worth more than any other possible dowry, took her to his father’s palace and married her.

As for her sister, she made herself so hateful that her own mother chased her from her house. The miserable girl, finding no one to take her in, went to a corner of the woods to die.

TWO MORALS

Diamonds and gold

Work wonders on the soul

But kind words are worth

More than all the jewels on earth

Having integrity should never cease

Though it is not easy to be kind

Anyone who is, reward will find

Often when they expect it least

---

My Alternative Ending

[...]

“Heavens!” cried the mother, “what is this? This is your sister’s fault, she will pay for this.” And she immediately ran to beat her.

The kind daughter who was sick of coming second to her sister and living with a mother who was no mother at all ran from the house immediately, she had had enough! She was walking in the forest, crying with joy at her freedom, when a man on a horse came up to her. He told her he was the king’s son and asked her why she was crying – he thought she was upset! She thought for a moment: what could she do in the world now she did not live in her mother’s house – what profession could she undertake as a woman? She knew that the prince could offer her a better life and though she would still be under her husband’s control instead of her mother’s, she would have the upper hand – he would never want to lose her gift. If her mother had thought for two seconds instead of focusing on her sister she could have been showered in diamonds for life! She opened her mouth to speak…

MY MORAL

Kindness and compassion

Are very much in fashion

According to me,

this is how it should be...

But sometimes your own interests come first!

MERRY CHRISTMAS!