"Bearskin", The Brothers Grimm (German)

From The Complete Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm (Translated by Jack

Zipes), Tale Number 101

Motifs:

Soldier makes a deal with the devil (M211 )

For seven years he must not wash or comb himself (C721. 1 & C723.1)

The soldier is given a jacket with pockets always full of money

He marries the youngest of three sisters (L54.1)

The elder two made sport of him (Q2)

The elder sisters kill themselves

The devil "You got one, I got two" (K217)

Proppean analysis:

a - (Initial Situation): A soldier is discharged from the military

a⁵ - (lack) The soldier has no money and lacks means to earn a living

D^l - (donor tests the hero) The devil tests the soldier's courage by having

E¹ - (Hero withstands the test) The soldier shoots and kills the bear

M - (a difficult task is proposed) The hero must not wash for 7 years

F^l - (A magical agent is directly transferred) The devil gives the soldier

T - (transfiguration) The soldier gradually becomes hideous in appearance

a⁵ - (lack) an old man in the inn has no money for his family

B - (lack made known) soldier hears the old man's plight

K - (lack liquidated) soldier pays the old mans debts and gives him gold

* - Bearskin promises to return to his betrothed

N - (task resolved) Seven years expire

T - (transformation) Devil must clean and groom the soldier

o - (unrecognized arrival) The soldier returns unrecognized to the family

Q - (hero recognized) she soldier's ring matches the half given to his bride

* - Sisters die (commit suicide)

W^* - (wedding, not to a princess) Soldier marries

Total: aa⁵D^lE¹MF^lTa⁵BKNToQW^*