So first there was Princess Europe… then «Psyche»
and all the fairytale Beauties …
Once upon a time, long ago,there was Zeus,
who became Taurus and … and abducted Europe
became Eagle, Lion, Panther and seduced Semele
became Eros
or the Golden-green Eagle and Mary
the Beauty and the Beast
and all the stories of the world with the enchanted princes.
Starting from the Greek folk tale The golden -green eagle
i found out treasures about the world of Myths and folk tales.
Our tale exists in the popular traditions of many European countries
such as Greece, Italy, France, Germany, England, Spain
«The story comes from the myth of Amor and Psyche which Apuleius recorded,
the Myth goes back to the classic age.
But the story has the same mythological core as those of the transformations of Zeus
in the pre-classical era
such as Zeus and Semele and Zeus and Europe.
The similarities between the variations of this story
- in the great geographical region of Europe and over many centuries -
are revealing.
The conversation of these stories with each other is a testimony in itself
for the common course of human existence
towards adulthood, amor, love, coexistence.
The symbols used by the collective consciousness
to speak of the initiation of man in the adventure of life
are almost identical
from Crete and the Abduction of Europe
to Scotland and the Black Bull of Norroway
from the Thunder of Zeus to Semele
to the Thunder and Lightning
the name of the hero in Basile’s «Lo turzo d’oro» in Italy
from The Singing, Springing Lark of Grimm
to the Golden green eagle of Megas **
from Romario, the Spring of Rose – Mary, in Spain
to the Rose – of Belle et la Bete, from France
and to -Maria of the Golden-Green Eagle .. »
text © Paraskevi-Eva Nedou
This text was written on the occasion of the invitation for a colloquium about
«2018 European Year of Cultural Heritage »*
PRESENTATION COEFFICIENTS: Melpo Vassilikou, Marianna Erkeroglou, Iphigenia Papouli, Stefanomario Gazilas, Panos Chatsatrian, Antonis Anestis, Eva Nedou
Concept, texts, organizer of the presentation: Eva Nedou
Our presentation was held by narration of excerpts of variations of this type of story
in Greece, Italy, France, Germany, England, Spain,
with an excerpt from the theatrical performance of the Greek folk tale «The Golden green Eagle»
- a feature of this family of fairy tales
and an extract from the ancient Greek secretariat.
*colloquium for «2018 European Year of Cultural Heritage »
named «Europe from the Pillars of Hercules to the Rioni River »
our presentation was titled:
«The Metamorphoses of Zeus conquer Psyche …the Belles of Europe are born »
Thessaloniki, Greece 20/10/2018
https://dimitria.thessaloniki.gr/events/europe-from-the-pillars-of-hercules-to-the-rioni-river-2018-european-year-of-cultural-heritage/?lang=en
** George A. Megas (1893–1976) was an academician and professor at the University of Athens, with great contribution to the study of historical folklore, folk literature, and traditional architecture in Greece.
bibliography:
_ Anderson, Graham, fAIRYTALE IN THE ANCIENT WORLD
_-_Γεωργίου Α. Μέγα | Κατάλογος Ελληνικών Παραμυθιών 3
Άννα Αγγελοπούλου – Αίγλη Μπρούσκου
Επεξεργασία παραμυθιακών τύπων και παραλλαγών ΑΤ 300-499
- Ελληνικά Παραμύθια Β′ – Εκλογή Γ.Α. Μέγα