Black Horse

The Enchanted Pig

In short: A book opened in a forbidden room foretells that the youngest princess will marry a pig. She later sets out in iron shoes to find her missing husband.

The Enchanted Pig · The spell in a pig’s guise FAIRY TALE ATLAS · № 59 The Enchanted Pig A book opened in a forbidden room foretells that the youngest princess will marry a pig. Origin Romania · storytelling tradition Atlas record 1882 First appearance Exact date unknown SIGNATURE MOTIF The spell in a pig’s guise Reach¹ 1/10 Suggested age² 8+ Member rating No votes yet 2 records · 1 countries or regions blackhorsestories.com

¹ Based on the number of Atlas countries, capped at 10. ² Editorial suggestion for reading this page. Discover Black Horse’s question

Origin and tradition

Romania · storytelling tradition

In Lang’s 1890 version, the princess sees her husband take human form at night. On an old woman’s advice she ties a thread around his foot. The thread snaps and their separation begins. Three pairs of iron shoes and a steel staff wear down, giving the reader a more tangible measure of the journey than a count of days. In Ispirescu’s Romanian text, too, the steps the princess takes carry the story beyond the fate she reads about at court.

Dated records and sources

  1. 1882 · Romania · storytelling tradition
    Petre Ispirescu · Legende sau basmele românilor · Porcul cel fermecat · Published collection
  2. 1890 · Romania · storytelling tradition
    Andrew Lang · The Red Fairy Book · The Enchanted Pig · Public retelling

Country pages

Origin
Black Horse. The Enchanted Pig. https://blackhorsestories.com/en/atlas-tale-enchanted-pig/