Myth Folktale and Children's Literature

Towards a model of narrative sequence in a group of wonder tales

PHASE                 INSIDE/OUTSIDE RELATION     CALL       RESPONSE           TYPICAL ACTIONS OF SUBJECT ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 I. PRE-CONDITION    -                      "Be true to one who        +                  promising, remembering
                                                                   is a true helper from afar"
Unity/trust between nature and self
Unity/trust between family and self

II. FIRST DISJUNCTION +           "be attentive to what        - ---}       +                       Working, cleaning, sorting
                                                                          is at hand"                                                                    looking down or into,
broken trust/unity dissolved                                                                                                   eavesdropping, descending,
critical parent, dread secret                                                                                                                  lowering
discovery of secret world

III. FIRST RESOLUTION alignment or     "receive gifts or favors"         +                Taking or receiving gifts,
                                                    symmetry                                                                         weeping, magically speaking,
                                                                                                                                            praising, ascending, reaching up
Sender: visible/physical/"out there"
             animal or animal part
             sibling, parent or godparent

Recipient: visible/physical self

Object: something edible or useful,
sometimes pretty, to be used or admired by subject.

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 IV. SECOND DISJUNCTION  +           "pass tests, be brave"        +             discriminating, choosing
                                                                                                                                                  obeying specific instructions,
home 1/home 2                                                                                                              imitating roles, avoiding recognition
question of personal qualifications
 

V. SECOND RESOLUTION alignment or         "reveal your worth" - ---}+           showing, presenting, un-
                                                            symmetry                                                                     veiling, making luminous,
                                                                                                                                                    transparent, clean, pure
Sender: the hidden or secret self
Recipient: the public or the authority figure
                    or the beloved
Object-message: an object of value, beauty
                                luminosity, to be admired by
                                    others as a symbol
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 VI. THIRD DISJUNCTION      +           "integrate roles and self"      +          remembering, keeping pledge,
                                                                                                                                           waiting, dreaming, nurturing or
Too much to say/not enough symbols                                                                                       caring for others, speaking
Too many roles/not enough harmony                                                                              from behind or within something
 
 

VII. THIRD RESOLUTION/POST CONDITION -                                 giving evidence of bliss

Reconciliation of inside/outside