Belgian Fairy Tales — Background and Themes

A Preface That Maps the Land

The opening chapter does not merely introduce stories; it situates them in a real country. Griffis draws a line across Belgium from east to west through Brussels, dividing the kingdom into two cultural regions. North of the line are Flemings, who speak old Dutch and work as fishermen, farmers, and traders. South are Walloons, whose name derives from "Gaul-loons," who speak French and labor in mines, factories, and flax fields. This geographical framing is unusual for a fairy tale collection and suggests that the stories will reflect regional identities.

Griffis also invokes Julius Caesar, who called the Belgii "the bravest of all." This historical reference adds weight to the tales, implying that the folklore carries the spirit of an ancient people. The preface thus functions as a mini-ethnography, preparing readers to encounter tales rooted in specific landscapes and occupations.

The Fairy Court and Its Strict Laws

In the tale of Flax-Flower, the fairy court operates with bureaucratic formality. The Queen consults "the wisest counsellors" and issues a decree: Flax-Flower may transform into the Egyptian creature, but if she dislikes it, she cannot revert to fairy form. She must remain a four-footed creature for a year, then become something bearing the creature's name but not its body—a burden-bearer forever. The Queen frowns "terribly" to dissuade her, but Flax-Flower agrees with a "sort of gasp."

This scene reveals a rigid legal system in fairyland. The Queen's sternness and the council's deliberation suggest that consequences are absolute. When the creature turns out to be a donkey, Flax-Flower's horror is palpable: she faints and throws herself at the Queen's feet. Yet the Queen is unmoved, declaring, "You must obey the law of fairy land." The moral is explicit: envy of other creatures leads to permanent loss of fairy status.

The Donkey as Anti-Climax and Lesson

The buildup to the Oriental Wonder is deliberately exaggerated. Fairies talk "like young ladies over their ice cream sodas" and are "crazy to meet" the creature. Flax-Flower dreams of pyramids, sphinxes, and Cleopatra. When the donkey finally arrives, it is described with comic deflation: "long ears, shaggy hair, short mane, and bare tail, with only a tuft, like a long-handled paint brush." Flax-Flower cries out, "Is this the creature of our dreams? ... It is the disgrace of creation."

The Queen's punishment transforms Flax-Flower into a wooden donkey in an artist's studio, a burden-bearer forever. This ending is both humorous and harsh. The tale warns against frivolous wishes and the danger of idealizing the exotic. Griffis uses the donkey to ground fantasy in mundane reality, a recurring technique in the collection.

Voice and Narrative Style

Griffis's narrator addresses readers directly with a conversational, sometimes wry tone. When describing the long wait for the Oriental Wonder, he says, "If we should even attempt to do so, we are sure the children would fall asleep, before we were more than half through." This self-aware aside breaks the fourth wall and acknowledges the audience's potential boredom. Similarly, he compares fairies' excitement to that of "college girls, that say 'lovely' every few minutes." These modern references (ice cream sodas, college slang) date the text to 1919 but also create a playful, informal voice.

The narrator also inserts moral commentary. After Flax-Flower's transformation, the Queen declares, "It is so silly of you, or them, to envy other creatures." The lesson is explicit, but the tone remains light. This blend of instruction and entertainment characterizes the collection as a whole, aiming to delight while teaching.

Readers approaching Belgian Fairy Tales should expect a mix of regional geography, moral fables, and playful narration. The preface establishes a real-world foundation, while tales like Flax-Flower's demonstrate the author's tendency to undercut fantasy with mundane reality. Pay attention to how Griffis uses historical and cultural details to anchor his stories, and note the recurring theme of consequences for frivolous wishes. The collection rewards those who enjoy folklore with a pedagogical edge.

I kept thinking about the fairy court’s strict rules while reading the preface on Flemings and Walloons, how boundaries shape stories. That same quiet sense of hidden rules lingered in Ali Baba, or the Forty Thieves — Reading Companion, where a cave’s password holds a whole world’s order. Both remind me of childhood evenings, listening for what words unlock.