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It’s ironic to me that the Brothers Grimm were so named, since so very many of the tales they put to paper have very grim elements. Recent programs, Once Upon A Time and Grimm are attempting to recapture that original spirit. It hasn’t been apparent from the whitewashed versions that American entertainment and children’s books have been espousing for decades, since so often, the grimmest parts have been removed.
For a story like the Goose Girl, removing those parts would leave little to tell and that may be why this story hasn’t gained popularity.
My earliest remembrance of this tale was as a young girl. I was horrified by the manner of execution of the false maid, down-right scared that a person who lived duplicitously could be tricked into crafting such an evil method for their own demise, and, I could completely relate to the Goose Girl.
I think we’ve all experienced that feeling of suddenly finding oneself alone and vulnerable with a person or situation that can, suddenly, not be trusted. It’s not often as severe as having one’s identity stolen and being threatened under pain of death to not tell. Still, life can change – just that fast – leaving us without all the warmth, richness and loving protection we’d come to rely on.
When I flip this story and look for the gold in the darkness I see that once again getting into trouble can be the best way to become more of oneself. The story doesn’t really tell us of any transformation of the character of the Goose Girl throughout her distress.
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| Courtesy of Nasa |
However, when I look at her utter reliance on the “great spirit” or “chi” or “universal life force”, as when she speaks to her horse’s head, and when she speaks to the wind, I can see the power in that connection.
Her kind, loving, and, undefeated heart enable her to commune with forces greater than herself, greater than the ordinary reality. In this way, she realizes her original destiny and becomes the queen she was meant to be.
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