Das Schneekind A (>1200)
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Maere and Novellas
Das Schneekind A (>1200)
von der Hagen, H.H.: Gesammtabenteuer. Hundert altdeutsche Erzählungen, 3 vols. Stuttgart/Tübingen 1850. Reprint Darmstadt 1961. Vol 2, Nr. 47, p. 383–385
SchKA-1:
A merchant departs on a long distance sales trip. When he returns at the end of the fourth year, his wife welcomes him with a child at her hand. She says that, out of desire for him, she has eaten snow in the garden and has received a child. Her husband pretends to believe the story and has the boy well educated. One day he takes him on a sales trip. In a far country, he sells the bastard for 300 marks, more than double his expenses. Back home, he explains that the snow child has melted due to getting wet on the sea. As water comes back every year, the snow child will come back, if she told the truth of his origin. Epimythion: A man who repartees women’s cunning and repairs the damage proves he is wise.
Motif References:
R 61 Person sold into slavery
J 146.2 (Li) The educated youth
S 210.1 Child sold into slavery
J 1532 Adulteress’s absurdity rebuked
J 1532.1 The snow-child: A sailor’s wife bears a son in his absence and says that it came from eating snow. Later the husband makes away with the boy and says he melted in the sun
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