The Small-tooth Dog is an English
fairy tale
A fairy tale (alternative names include fairytale, fairy story, magic tale, or wonder tale) is a short story that belongs to the folklore genre. Such stories typically feature magic (paranormal), magic, incantation, enchantments, and mythical ...
collected by Sidney Oldall Addy in ''Household Tales and Other Traditional Remains''.
It is
Aarne-Thompson type 425C. Others of this type include ''
Beauty and the Beast
''Beauty and the Beast'' (french: La Belle et la Bête) is a fairy tale written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villeneuve, Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in ''La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins'' ( ...
'' and ''
The Singing, Springing Lark
"The Singing, Springing Lark", "The Singing, Soaring Lark", "The Lady and the Lion" or "Lily and the Lion" (german: Das singende springende Löweneckerchen) is a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm, appearing as tale no. 88.
It i ...
''.
Ruth Manning-Sanders
Ruth Manning-Sanders (21 August 1886 – 12 October 1988) was an English poet and author born in Wales, known for a series of children's books for which she collected and related fairy tales worldwide. She published over 90 books in her lifetime ...
included it in ''
A Book of Magic Animals
Ruth Manning-Sanders (21 August 1886 – 12 October 1988) was an English poet and author born in Wales, known for a series of children's books for which she collected and related fairy tales worldwide. She published over 90 books in her lifetime ...
''.
Synopsis
A
merchant
A merchant is a person who trades in commodities produced by other people, especially one who trades with foreign countries. Historically, a merchant is anyone who is involved in business or trade. Merchants have operated for as long as indust ...
was attacked by
robbers
Robbery is the crime of taking or attempting to take anything of value by force, threat of force, or by use of fear. According to common law, robbery is defined as taking the property of another, with the intent to permanently deprive the perso ...
. A
dog
The dog (''Canis familiaris'' or ''Canis lupus familiaris'') is a domesticated descendant of the wolf. Also called the domestic dog, it is derived from the extinct Pleistocene wolf, and the modern wolf is the dog's nearest living relative. Do ...
came to his aid and then brought him to his home until he recovered. The merchant offered to give him many marvels, such as a goose that laid golden eggs, but the dog said that he wanted only the merchant's daughter. The merchant grieved, but he had agreed. He went home, and when a week had gone by, the dog came for the daughter. He told her to get on his back, she did, and he carried her to his home.
After a month, she wept because she wanted to visit her father. The dog said that she could, if she stayed no more than three days, but asked what she would call him there. She said, "A great, foul, small-tooth dog," and he refused to take her. She begged and said she would call him "Sweet-as-a-Honeycomb," and they set out, but on the way, when they came to a stile, he asked what she would call him, and she said "A great, foul, small-tooth dog," and he carried her back. A week later, they went again, and she called him "Sweet-as-a-Honeycomb," at the first stile, but "A great, foul, small-tooth dog," at the second, and he carried her back. A week after that, they set out again, and she called him "Sweet-as-a-Honeycomb" at the stiles. When they reached the merchant's home, he asked again, and she started to say "A great -- " but thought on how kind he had been to her and said, "Sweeter-than-a-Honeycomb". He got up on his hind legs, shed his coat, and
became a handsome young man, and they married.
Commentary
The urging of her father to marry the beast because he had promised her represents a factor clearly present in arranged marriages. This tale has been interpreted as symbolically representing an arranged marriage; the bride's revulsion to marrying a stranger being symbolized by his bestial form.
[ Maria Tatar, ''Off with Their Heads!'' p. 140 ]
See also
*
Bearskin
A bearskin is a tall fur cap, usually worn as part of a ceremonial military uniform. Traditionally, the bearskin was the headgear of grenadiers, and remains in use by grenadier and guards regiments in various armies.
Bearskins should not be c ...
*
Beauty and the Beast
''Beauty and the Beast'' (french: La Belle et la Bête) is a fairy tale written by French novelist Gabrielle-Suzanne de Villeneuve, Gabrielle-Suzanne Barbot de Villeneuve and published in 1740 in ''La Jeune Américaine et les contes marins'' ( ...
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Small-tooth Dog
English fairy tales
Books about dogs
Fiction about shapeshifting
ATU 400-459