Sun, Moon, and Talia

Sun, Moon, and Talia is an Italian literary fairy tale written by Giambattista Basile in his 1634 work, "The Pentamerone". [Giambattista Basile, The Pentamerone [http://www.public.iastate.edu/~lhagge/sun,moon.htm "Sun, Moon, and Talia"] ] Charles Perrault retold this fairy tale in 1697 as Sleeping Beauty.

ynopsis

After the birth of a great king's daughter, Talia, wise men and astrologers cast the child's horoscope and tell the king that Talia would be later endangered by a splinter of flax. To protect his daughter, the father commands that no flax would ever be brought into his house.

Years later, Talia sees an old woman spinning flax on a spindle. She asks the woman if she can stretch the flax herself, but as soon as she begins to spin, a splinter of flax goes under her fingernail, and she drops to the ground, apparently dead. Unable to stand the thought of burying his child, the king puts Talia in one of his country estates.

Some time later, a different king, hunting in nearby woods, follows his falcon into the house. He finds Talia, tries unsuccessfully to wake her up, and sleeps with her. Afterwards, he leaves the girl on the bed and returns to his own city.

Still deep in sleep, she gives birth to twins (a boy and a girl). One day, the boy cannot find his mother's breast; and instead he begins to suck on Talia's finger and draws the flax splinter out. Talia awakens immediately. She names them "Sun" and "Moon" and lives with them in the house.

The king returns and finds Talia is awake - and a mother of twins. However, he is already married. He calls out the names of Talia, Sun and Moon in his sleep, and the queen hears him. She forces the king's secretary to tell all and, with a forged message, brings the children to court. She orders the cook to kill the children and serve them to the king. The cook hides them and cooks two lambs. The queen taunts the king while he eats.

Then the queen has Talia brought to court. She commands that a huge fire be lit in the courtyard, and that Talia be thrown into the flames.

Talia asks to take off her fine garments first. The queen agrees. Talia undresses and utters screams of grief with each piece of clothing. The king hears Talia's screams. His wife tells him that Talia would be burned and that he had unknowingly eaten his own children.

The king commands that his wife, his secretary, and the cook be thrown into the fire instead. The cook explains how he had saved Sun and Moon. The king and Talia get marry; and the cook is rewarded with the title of royal chamberlain.

The last line of the fairy tale--its moral--is as follows: "Lucky people, so 'tis said, He who has luck may go to bed,And bliss will rain upon his head."

ee also

*Sleeping Beauty

References

External links

[http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/pentamerone/29sunmoontalia1911.html Sun, Moon, and Talia]

[http://www.northern.edu/hastingw/talia.htm Short essay on "Sun, Moon, and Talia"]

[http://www.mouseplanet.com/fairytales/ft011011.htm Analysis of the Sleeping Beauty stories]