Folklore and Mythology

• First class, fall semester: September 6, 2011.

• Last class, fall semester: December 6, 2011.

• First class, spring semester: January 10, 2012.

• No class March 13, 2012 (spring break).

• Last class, spring semester: April 10, 2012.

Tentative schedule

Specific assignments will be announced as the semester progresses.

• September 6. Legends and fairy tales: definitions and examples.
  • Hansel and Gretel, a fairy tale, as recorded by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.

  • The Children of Hameln (also known as "The Pied Piper of Hameln"), a legend, as recorded by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.

• September 13. We wish for a child, even if ....
  • Hans-My-Hedgehog by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.

• September 20. Children at risk because of questioned paternity.
  • Multiple births in legend and folklore.

• September 27. More children at risk because of questioned paternity.
  • The Snow Child.

  • Hans Dumb.

• October 4. Changeling legends.
  • Preparatory essay: Changelings.

• October 11. Fables dealing with children and their parents.
  • Aesop's Children. A selection of fables depicting the relationship between children and adults.

  • Every mother thinks her child is the most beautiful.

• October 18. Sibling rivalry.
  • Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper by Charles Perrault.

  • Cinderella by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.

• October 25. Another type of "Cinderella" story.
  • Donkey Skin by Charles Perrault.

  • All-Kinds-of-Fur by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.

• November 1. The girl who went to bed with a wolf.
  • Little Red Riding Hood by Charles Perrault.

  • Little Red Cap by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.

• November 8. The girl who slept through her adolescence.
  • The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood by Charles Perrault.

  • Little Brier-Rose by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.

• November 15. Animal bridegrooms.
  • Beauty and the Beast by Jeanne-Marie LePrince de Beaumont.

  • The Singing, Springing Lark by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.

• November 22. The girl who married a frog.
  • The Frog King by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm. A comparison of the versions of 1812 and 1857.

• November 29. Boys come of age.
  • Little Thumb by Charles Perrault.

  • The Young Giant by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.

• December 6. Summary of the past semester's work, and a preview of 2012.

Happy New Year (2012)!

• January 10. Twins.
  • The Blood Brothers. A tale told throughout Europe.

  • Tatterhood. A tale from Norway about twin girls. The ugly one (our heroine) is spunky and resourceful; the beautiful one is uninteresting.

• January 17. Two more coming-of-age stories: one about a girl and one about a boy. Both tales are from the collection of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.
  • Rapunzel.

  • The Story of a Boy Who Went Forth to Learn Fear.

• January 24. Sibling rivalry (1): Brothers in competition with one another.
  • The Singing Bone from the collection of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.

  • Big Peter and Little Peter from the Norwegian collection of Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe.

• January 31. Sibling rivalry (2): Sisters in competition with one another. Both tales are from the collection of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.
  • Frau Holle.

  • Choosing a Bride.

• February 7. Mother-in-law problems.
  • East of the Sun and West of the Moon from the Norwegian collection of Peter Christen Asbjørnsen and Jørgen Moe.

  • The Twelve Brothers from the collection of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.

• February 14. Marriage by capture. Both tales below are from the collection of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.
  • The Blue Light

  • Fitcher's Bird
• February 21. Domestic violence (1).
  • Blue Beard by Charles Perrault.

  • The Robber Bridegroom from the collection of Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm.

• February 28. Domestic violence (2).
  • The Bull, the Donkey, and the Husbandman from The 1000 Nights.

  • Additional tales, to be announced.

Revised January 23, 2012.