We are pleased to participate in the A to Z Blog Challenge (http://www.a-to-zchallenge.com/). The Story Crossroads theme for this year is “Fantastic Females in Folk & Fairy Tales.”
About Pilgrimages:
In this featured story, a childless couple promise to take a pilgrimage to Jerusalem if blessed with children. But what is the history of pilgrimages? Many faiths connect to Jerusalem. The Jews would travel to Jerusalem as early as 1st millennium Before the Common Era (B.C.E.). Christians committed to traveling to Jerusalem around 1st century Common Era (C.E.). Muslims are noted to have started pilgrimages to Jerusalem around the 6th century Common Era (C.E.). Pilgrims have a spiritual focus and usually have questions they want to ponder in the course of the journey. This is not the same as going somewhere as a traveler where it’s about making memories versus a spiritual purpose. Though, as you discover in this story, the childless-then-blessed-with-twins couple may have looked for spiritual guidance though asked for extreme punishment due to the lie from the Canon/His Reverence.
50-word-or-less summary
Promised twins when of age to Canon/His Reverence. Report from Canon that daughter was tramp. Parents asked for daughter’s eyes and little finger. Ruffians took boar eyes but daughter’s finger. Married king. Visited parents. King’s Friend accompanied queen. Rebuffed “Friend.” Dressed as man. Revealed falsehoods of Canon and “Friend.”
Finding the Story:
Book – “The Canon and the King’s False Friend” in Latin American Folktales: Stories from Hispanic and Indian Traditions – here
eBook – Spanish Folk-Tales from New Mexico – here
Book – Spanish Folk-Tales from New Mexico – here
Finding the “Fantastic”:
It would have been nice for this woman to have a name. Thus, it made sense to use “Forsaken Woman” in place of that name. Here, her one-childless parents promised that she and her brother would go to the Canon/His Reverence. This is not the forsaken part. It was when the Canon shares a false report about this young woman because she refused his advances. Rather than hearing the story from their daughter, these parents demanded an extreme punishment of sending along her eyes and little finger.
What is inspiring is that she was able to become a queen. True, there was the literal sense of her becoming a queen within the story. But she became a Queen of Truth. She knew that, as a woman, her voice would not be heeded. Yet, when she traveled to see her parents (most likely a confrontation meeting or to get answers), she had to rebuff the sexual advances from her husband (the king)’s friend who accompanied her on this trip. She dressed as a man to have the ability to have more voice in declaring that both the Canon and this False Friend were to blame. Not her.
The King was able to see the truth. Her parents could see the truth.
Interestingly, she did not demand any type of punishment of her parents or the Canon. She stepped back from that part. Though, the King took care of the justice much like a Judge does in court today with these cases.
She was heard. That is fantastic. Even if it took longer than desired. But she was heard.
We have a professor from East Tennessee State University, Nancy Donoval, who will be talking about sexual violence and storytelling. It’s geared for 9th graders and older. This is a topic that we know is important for all–men and women–to understand. This is one of our academic offerings linked with our annual Summit & Festival on May 13-16, 2024.
Recommended Article:
This woman was able to dress as a man and able to share the details of sexual harassment by both the Canon and the King’s False Friend. See this article entitled “Unfounded Sexual Assault: Women’s Experiences of Not Being Believed by the Police” by Jodie Murphy-Oikonen.
Thoughts?
Please share thoughts in the comments. While you enjoy this blog, Story Crossroads has year-round offerings. See our popular links and upcoming events at our One-Stop.
As for our past A to Z Challenges…
Story Crossroads celebrates the hybrid Summit & Festival on May 13-16, 2024 – yes, in-person and virtual – and would be honored for you to join us. Explore the schedule and register here: http://www.storycrossroads.org/Festival
Thanks to funding from National Endowment for the Arts; National Endowment for the Humanities; Western States Arts Federation; Utah Division of Arts and Museums/Utah Legislature; Utah Humanities; City of Murray; Zoo, Arts & Parks (ZAP) of Salt Lake County; Salt Lake City Arts Council; and people like you.