Episode 146 – Cabin in the Woods
This week on MYTH, it’s once again time for the annual Halloween special. You’ll discover why you should never trust wandering strangers, why you should always handle eggs with care, and why you should be suspicious of unusual waterfowl. Then, in Gods and Monsters, we’ll travel to the city of Ansbach for a very real and very macabre story of magic and murder.
Source: German Folklore
2 Responses
What a fun spooky episode.
You said the Fitcher’s Bird story was similar to Beauty and the Beast because of Stockholm syndrome vibes. I can understand Fitcher’s Bird having that, but I’d like to point out that the story of Beauty and the Beast is NOT Stockholm syndrome. Nor is any of the animal spouse folktales; I have read those stories and have not seen any hint of Stockholm syndrome in all of them. If anything those stories showed mutual respect between the couples if not the captor falling for their captive. I believe the comparison you’re looking for in terms of comparing Fitcher’s Bird is to Charles Perrault’s Bluebeard because
1) both involve a dangerous man
2) A forbidden room that one must not enter under pain of death
And 3) both dangerous men die at the hands of the younger sister’s help (brothers or otherwise)
In other words, having all the treasures of the world, except for freedom, under pain of death is the key plot thread of Fitcher’s bird and Bluebeard not Beauty and the Beast.
I was probably being too glib, but I was more referring to the animated version of Beauty and the Beast. You are absolutely right about the original version of Beauty and the Beast (and most of the animal spouse stories with the possible exception on the selkies). In the episode we did on the original Beauty and the Beast, I talked about how Belle has a lot more agency and choice and it was definitely not a Stockholm Syndrome situation. I should have been clearer, so thanks for pointing that out. And yes, Bluebeard has been on my long list of stories I want to get to at some point.