Fair, Brown and Trembling facts for kids

Fair, Brown and Trembling is a classic Irish fairy tale that was written down by Jeremiah Curtin in his book Myths and Folk-lore of Ireland. It was also collected by Joseph Jacobs in his Celtic Fairy Tales.

This story is a type of tale known as Aarne-Thompson type 510A. This means it shares many similarities with other famous stories like Cinderella, Katie Woodencloak, and The Wonderful Birch. These tales often feature a kind, mistreated heroine who finds happiness.

The King's Daughters

King Hugh Cùrucha had three daughters. Their names were Fair, Brown, and Trembling. Trembling was the youngest and the most beautiful of the three sisters. Because she was so lovely, her older sisters, Fair and Brown, were very jealous. They worried that Trembling would get married before them. So, they made her stay at home and do all the chores. They tried to keep her hidden away from everyone.

Trembling's Secret Visits

After seven years, the son of the king of Emania fell in love with Fair. One day, a wise old woman, called a henwife, told Trembling that she should go to church. Trembling felt sad because she had no nice clothes to wear. But the henwife was magical! She gave Trembling a beautiful dress, a wonderful horse, and special honey-food and a honey-bird. The henwife told Trembling to leave church quickly after the service finished.

Trembling followed the henwife's advice. She went to church, looking stunning in her new clothes. Everyone noticed her, especially the king's son. But Trembling left quickly, just as she was told, before anyone could get close to her. This happened two more times. Each time, the king's son was more amazed by her. He completely forgot about Fair. On the third time, as Trembling rode away, the king's son managed to grab one of her shoes.

Finding the True Princess

The king's son now had the shoe and was determined to find the woman it belonged to. He searched everywhere for her. Other princes warned him that he might have to fight them for her, but he didn't care. He just wanted to find the mysterious woman.

Finally, the search led them to King Hugh Cùrucha's house. The king's son insisted that all three sisters try on the shoe, even Trembling, who was usually kept hidden. As soon as Trembling tried on the shoe, it fit perfectly! The king's son knew right away that she was the woman he had seen at church. Trembling then went and changed into the beautiful clothes she had worn to church, and everyone agreed she was the one.

A Royal Wedding and a Cruel Trick

The sons of other kings tried to fight the king's son for Trembling, but he was strong and defeated them all. The Irish kings' sons decided not to fight one of their own. So, the king's son and Trembling were married. They were very happy together.

Later, Trembling had a baby boy. Her husband sent for Fair, Trembling's older sister, to help her. One day, Trembling and Fair were walking by the seashore. Fair, still jealous, did a terrible thing. She pushed Trembling into the sea! A large whale swallowed Trembling. Fair then pretended to be Trembling, hoping to take her place as the prince's wife.

The prince, however, felt something was wrong. He had a special way to tell if the woman sleeping next to him was truly his wife. He placed his sword between them in the bed. He believed that if it was his true wife, the sword would become warm. If it was not, the sword would stay cold. In the morning, the sword was cold. This showed him that the woman was not his beloved Trembling.

Trembling's Rescue

A kind cowherd had seen Fair push Trembling into the sea and watched the whale swallow her. The next day, he saw the whale spit Trembling back onto the beach. Trembling told him that the whale would swallow and spit her out three times. She explained that she could not leave the beach unless her husband rescued her. He would need to shoot the whale in a specific spot on its back.

Fair tried to stop the cowherd from telling the prince. She gave him a special drink that made him forget the first time Trembling was spat out. But the second time, the cowherd remembered and told the prince everything.

The prince quickly went to the seashore and shot the whale in the right spot. Trembling was finally freed! They sent a message to Trembling's father, King Hugh Cùrucha, about what Fair had done. Her father said they could decide what to do with Fair. The prince and Trembling told him he could decide. So, her father put Fair in a barrel with some food and sent her away on the sea.

Trembling and the prince lived happily ever after. They had another child, a daughter. When she grew up, they decided she would marry the kind cowherd who had helped save her mother.

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