busy
janetmiles. Notes regarding motifs from European folklore appear after the poem.Jack and the White Cow
The white cow listened
to all of Jack's troubles
because he never forgot
to measure her grain or
to fill her trough with fresh water or
to warm his hands before milking her.
When farm ran out of money,
the white cow said to Jack,
"Soon your mother will tell you
to sell me, and you must do so."
Jack cried on her creamy shoulder
one last time, and led her to market.
He took the magic beans
from the gnarled hand of the old woman
and then trudged home.
"What do you think will become of him?"
the witch said to the white cow.
The white cow flicked her red ears
and replied, "Why, he will become a hero.
He'll save the land from the ravaging giant,
come home with armloads of gold,
and doubtless marry a pretty girl."
The witch laughed.
"You find heroes in the strangest places!"
"It is no stranger to find a hero on a farm,"
said the white cow, "than to find a faery cow
or a handful of magic beans."
"I suppose so," said the witch.
"Now come with me: I know of
a peasant girl about to begin her journey,
and you can be one of the tasks along her way."
* * *
This poem combines many motifs from traditional European folklore. It begins with a riff off of "Jack and the Beanstalk." The white red-eared cow is a creature of Faery, and like the cat of "Puss in Boots" she gives good advice to a kind master. Previously we discussed the idea of the hag or witch as a challenger and maker of heroes, and how fairytales 'reset' similar to video games, in the poem "Hag-Ridden." Various fairytales reference milking a cow as a task, and set girls on quests; "Frau Holle" is one such, and the tasks can vary from one telling to another.
September 8 2011, 20:29:33 UTC 9 years ago
Thank you!
September 8 2011, 21:10:30 UTC 9 years ago
Re: Thank you!
September 9 2011, 03:56:18 UTC 9 years ago
This one is particularly nice, I enjoyed Jack's connection to his cow.
Re: Thank you!
September 9 2011, 04:19:54 UTC 9 years ago
Connections are important in fairytales. You never know who or what will turn out to be powerful and essential. So a good rule of thumb is to be polite and make sure all chores get done properly.
It can be really interesting to dissect fairytales and look at what messages they send. Some are positive, others not so much. Wheat and chaff. It's a key reason why I enjoy retellings so much, because you can fix the stupid stuff.
Some of my favorite feminist fairytales appear here:
http://www.rosemarylake.com/