Oppisitions In Fairy Tales

4 Pages 907 Words

The contrast and resolution of oppositions can be found throughout fairy tales. In “The Three Little Birds”, a clear conflict between good and evil is formed. Good is composed of the one older sister, while evil is displayed by the two younger sisters. The fairytale then continues to pit good against evil through the actions of the sisters. In this case, like so many other fairy tales, evil has a temporary victory while good triumphs in the end.
In the beginning of the story, a king traveling with his ministers through the countryside crossed the paths of three sisters. After two encounters, the king proposed to the eldest sister and he further suggested that the two younger sisters marry the two ministers, which they did. After a little while, the eldest sister became pregnant with the king’s child. However, the king needed to leave his land, so he asked his wife’s two younger sisters to come and stay in the castle to comfort his wife. The queen gave birth while the king was away but since the two sisters were jealous of their oldest sister, they threw the baby in a river. While they did this, a bird appeared and sang, “Get ready for your death. I’ll see what I can do. Get ready for the wreath. Brave boy, can that be you.” When the king returned, they told him that his wife gave birth to a dog. The king replied that “Whatever God does is always for the best.” Shortly after, the wife gave birth to another son and again the king was away. The cruel sisters once again took the helpless child, through him in the river, heard the same song from a little bird, and told the king that his queen gave birth to yet another dog. Again, he took faith in G-d and assumed that He must have a reason. Finally, after the queen “gave birth” to yet another animal (a cat), the king did not have the same reaction. He grew furious and threw his innocent wife in jail for disgracing him. Luckily for the king’s children, e...