Have you ever read a fairy tale, and wanted to better understand what it really meant? Get ready to dive into the dark and captivating world of Hans Christian Andersen's "The Girl Who Trod on a Loaf" in Episode 10 of Fairy Tale Flip! Join us, Donna Fields and Vanessa Rogers as we unravel the complex symbolism of bread, sin, and redemption in this lesser-known tale. Discover how Andersen's character-driven narratives differ from the Grimm brothers' traditional fairy tales, and explore the story's curious ending where the selfish Inger is transformed into a bird and is thought to fly towards heaven. This episode is packed with rich discussions on Andersen's literary influence, moral lessons, and why his tales continue to resonate today. Don't miss it!
Links:
The Girl Who Trod on a Loaf Full Story
The Girl Who Trod on a Loaf by Kathryn Davis
Notes:
- 🧚 Introduction and Background (00:09 - 11:06)
- Donna Fields and Vanessa Rogers discussing Hans Christian Andersen's 'The Girl Who Trod on a Loaf'
- Story summary: Inger, a selfish girl, uses bread meant for her poor mother as stepping stones
- Inger sinks into hell/marsh for her actions
- Andersen's stories differ from Grimm fairy tales in themes and archetypes
- Andersen's biography: Danish author, shoemaker's son, possible bisexual orientation
- Andersen's stories often feature social climbing, rich vs. poor themes
- 🍞 Symbolism and Themes (11:06 - 22:24)
- Bread symbolism: sustenance, covenant with God, important in religion and society
- Inger's disrespect of bread leads to divine punishment
- Devil's grandmother character introduced
- Christian themes of sin, repentance, and divine punishment in Andersen's stories
- Ambiguous ending: Inger redeemed as a bird, not restored to human form
- 👹 Character Analysis and Comparisons (22:24 - 32:55)
- Inger not a likable protagonist, unlike typical fairy tale heroines
- Empathetic girl who saves Inger through prayer and tears
- Comparison to Grimm tales: Andersen's characters often not redeemed on Earth
- Discussion of modern adaptations of the story (opera, novel)
- 📚 Literary Context and Influence (32:55 - 43:19)
- Timeline of fairy tale authors: Perrault, Grimm brothers, Andersen, Jacobs
- Andersen influenced by Grimm and Danish folk tales
- 20 out of 48 of Andersen's best-known fairy tales end in death
- Andersen's tendency to make characters suffer more than in other fairy tales
- 🖨️ Publishing Culture and Impact (43:19 - 54:02)
- 18th-19th century: fairy tales disapproved, focus on moral lessons for children
- Andersen's imaginative stories were groundbreaking in their time
- Andersen's writing style and use of language influential in children's literature
Follow us:
Fabric of Folklore website
Popular Podcasts
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
24/7 News: The Latest
The latest news in 4 minutes updated every hour, every day.
Therapy Gecko
An unlicensed lizard psychologist travels the universe talking to strangers about absolutely nothing. TO CALL THE GECKO: follow me on https://www.twitch.tv/lyleforever to get a notification for when I am taking calls. I am usually live Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays but lately a lot of other times too. I am a gecko.