Topic: Princess Tuvstarr

[Nichi]

Princess Tuvstar still stares at the water looking for her heart - by John Bauer.

Princess Tuvstarr is one of several illustrations done in 1913 for the book Princess Tuvstarr and the Fishpond. The image is of Princess Tuvstarr sitting by the pool looking for her heart from The Story of Skutt the Moose and Princess Tuvstarr.

Have you ever been in a large forest and seen a strange black tarn hidden deep among the tall trees? It looks bewitched and a little frightening. All is still - fir trees and pines huddle close and silent on all sides. Sometimes the trees bend cautiously and shyly over the water as if they are wondering what may be hidden in the dark depths. There is another forest growing in the water, and it, too, is full of wonder and stillness. Strangest of all, never have the two forests been able to speak to each other....

Princess Tuvstarr (Princess Cottongrass), a girl with long wavy blonde hair, slips away from the Dream Castle to meet Leap the Elk, a strong, loyal, and protective creature who carries the princess into the world on his powerful back after the princess pleads to take her with him:

'How big and stately you are. You have a crown, too. Let me come with you. Let me sit behind your neck, and then carry me out into life.' The elk hesitates. 'The world is big and cold, little child, and you are so small. The world is full of evil and wickedness, and it will hurt you.' 'No, no. I am young and warm. I have warmth enough for everyone. I am small and good, and want to share the good that I have.' 'Princess, the forest is dark and the roads are dangerous.' 'But you are with me. You are great and strong, and can easily defend us both.'"

Thus, the strong and wise elk carries the innocent and vulnerable Princess on his back out into the world. At first, all is well and the princess is delighted with what she sees on her journey. But, the princess is vulnerable and dangers from the dark forest lurk everywhere and, little by little, rob the princess of her innocence. At some point in the journey, she finds herself naked, robbed of her fine white gown. The elk watches over her vulnerable naked body as she sleeps under the stars at night. He becomes anxious, worried that his strength and wisdom will not be sufficient to protect the little princess.

He seems to want to move on, and bends down to let the princess climb on his back. Then they are gone in a rush, galloping east. He hardly hears when she calls to him, and rarely answers. As if in a fever he breaks through the tangled forest at a furious rate. 'Where are we going?' asks Princess Cottongrass. 'To the pool,' is the answer. 'Deep in the forest is a pool, and that is where I go when autumn is coming. No person has ever been there, but you shall see it.'

The elk warns her to be careful of the danger in the water, to watch her golden heart chain around her neck. But, the princess, mesmerized by the dark shining water bends forward for a closer look and the golden heard slips over her head and drops in the pool. 'Oh, my heart, the golden heart that my mother gave me the day I was born. Oh, what shall I do?' She is inconsolable and wanders over the tussocks to look for her heart. The elk warns her 'It is dangerous for you here. Looking for one thing, you will forget everything else.'

But, the princess wants to stay to find her heart. She gently strokes the elk and kisses his bent head. Then, small and slim and undressed, she goes and sits down on a grassy hillock. For a long time the elk stands quite still and looks at the small girl. But when she no longer seems to notice that he is there, he turns and disappears with hesitant steps into the forest.

Many years have passed. Still Princess Cottongrass sits and looks wonderingly into the water for her heart. She is no longer a little girl. Instead, a slender plant, crowned with white cotton, stands leaning over the edge of the pool. Now and then the elk returns, stops, and looks at it tenderly. Only he knows that this is the princess from Dream Castle. Perhaps she nods and smiles, for he is an old friend, but she does not want to follow him back; she cannot follow any more, as long as she is under the spell. The spell lies in the pool. Far, far under the water lies a lost heart.

Still Princess Cottongrass sits and looks wonderingly into the dark depths of the water.

~A Swedish Fairytale

http://www.artsycraftsy.com/bauer/jb_tuvstarr.html

[Nichi]

Also from the story...

Leap the Elk

[Michael]

So let me selectify: while looking into the pool, she lost her golden heart chain into the water. Then she couldn't break free, and sat captivated by the pool, looking in vain for her golden heart chain. And her protecting elk can do nothing.

What is the golden heart chain? Where is the pool? Where the elk? And just where is the princess?

[Nichi]

Alas, I haven't read this volume of fairy tales, so I'm without the information of what happens next.  The princess has become a plant - cottongrass - as a result of her transfixation.

The information available in the story is that the pool is of a different world, a different level, than the rest of the forest. I thought it was a poignant, and probably apropos, parable of staring too long into the abyss. Or of becoming obsessed with the astral. Or of not heeding wise advice.

[Michael]

It's speculation of course, but I sense it goes something like this:

Forest is usually the subconscious. Pool in the depth of the forest then is a gateway into the other side.

The chain is difficult. Could be her heart - lost her heart - but it's a chain and a gift from her mother at birth. Obviously she didn't head the advice to watch it carefully. And then the Elk, who I see as her double (at home in the forest), told her it wasn't everything. So its some kind of longing, but not her real heart. Precious nonetheless.

Some kind of talisman from her 'mother' at her 'birth', which could equate to her soul. It had such a hold on her though, that she couldn't leave. And yet it appears it was something in the pool which had the hold, more than the heart chain.

You'd have to think the heart chain was some kind of emotional love. Not within her, but a kind of attachment she valued, and quite likely, if she had of cared for it carefully, may have protected her from the power of the pool.

I also feel the pool is not evil in itself, but that it has a natural power which has to be resisted, or what lies within the pool.

In the end, I'd have to say the princess lost her soul to the astral world, through not being prudent and listening to her double's warnings. It seems much like the warning DJ gave about the dangers for dreamers.

But then, the Elk seemed to feel that the pool could save her from the dangers of the forest, including 'loss of innocence'. Thus it was a kind of gamble on the Elk's part, which alas...

[Nichi]

In the end, I'd have to say the princess lost her soul to the astral world, through not being prudent and listening to her double's warnings. It seems much like the warning DJ gave about the dangers for dreamers.

But then, the Elk seemed to feel that the pool could save her from the dangers of the forest, including 'loss of innocence'. Thus it was a kind of gamble on the Elk's part, which alas...

This is it!
(A perfect parable for all you've been saying.)

[Jahn]

Still Princess Cottongrass sits and looks wonderingly into the dark depths of the water.

~A Swedish Fairytale[/i]

http://www.artsycraftsy.com/bauer/jb_tuvstarr.html

Nice!
John Bauer is a very famous Swedish artist and illustrator that unfortunately died along with his family in a shipwreck, only 36 years old. He was born, and lived, in a town close to where we live.

[Nichi]

Nice!
John Bauer is a very famous Swedish artist and illustrator that unfortunately died along with his family in a shipwreck, only 36 years old. He was born, and lived, in a town close to where we live.

I love his illustrations!

Here's another from the "Princess Tuvstarr" series ... I think.

She offers her nightgown to the Eagle...



(She does flirt with danger, gasp!)

[Nichi]

Jahn, did you grow up reading these tales?

[Jahn]

Jahn, did you grow up reading these tales?

Nope!
I am sorry, but I have never heard about it.

I have seen some of the particular illustrations. They were popular on postacards and posters back in the 1970's, and one still see his paintings here and there. Like on the back of playcards and such places. The pic that you posted is very known.

Though in the same area.
Some of the H.C Andersen tales I know about (but he was Danish). I sold five books with H C Andersen tales from 1925 on Swedish e-Bay. Gold edged paper, lots of nice illustrations and really fine books for 10 USD

[Nichi]

Nope!
I am sorry, but I have never heard about it.

No sorries! I was momentarily trying to tune into your culture-of-origin. 

Though in the same area.
Some of the H.C Andersen tales I know about (but he was Danish). I sold five books with H C Andersen tales from 1925 on Swedish e-Bay. Gold edged paper, lots of nice illustrations and really fine books for 10 USD

Ah! Bibliophile time! I had a great edition of his tales too, with beautiful illustrations. Might still have it, but it didn't have gold embossing!

Here in the US, my generation was raised on Grimm's Fairy Tales, Alice in Wonderland, and Mother Goose - Hans Christian Andersen was less well known.