Pintosmalto facts for kids
Pintosmalto (also called Pinto Smauto) is an old Italian fairy tale. It was written by Giambattista Basile in 1634. This story is part of his famous book, Pentamerone.
Later, Italo Calvino found other versions of this tale. He called one version "The Handmade King." These stories came from people telling them aloud, especially in places like Calabria, Naples, Abruzzo, and Sicily.
Pintosmalto is a type of story known as Aarne-Thompson type 425. This type is about "the search for a lost husband." It's special because it's like the Greek myths of Pygmalion and Galatea. In those myths, a statue comes to life.
Contents
What the Title Means
Nancy Canepa translated the tale's title in a few ways. She used "Splendid Shine" and "Pretty as a Picture." However, she said the real meaning of "Pintosmalto" is "painted enamel."
The Story of Pintosmalto
There once was a merchant's daughter named Betta. She always said no when people asked her to marry. One day, her father was going on a trip. He asked Betta what she wanted him to bring back.
Betta asked for many strange things. She wanted lots of sugar and sweet almonds. She also asked for scented water, musk, and amber. Jewels, gold thread, a special trough, and a silver trowel were also on her list. Even though it was a very unusual request, her father brought everything.
Betta used these items to make a statue. She prayed to the Goddess of Love. Then, something amazing happened: the statue became a living man! Betta took him to her father and said she wanted to marry him.
At their wedding party, a queen saw Pintosmalto. She fell in love with him. Pintosmalto was still very innocent. The queen tricked him into leaving with her. When Betta couldn't find him, she set out to search.
An old woman helped Betta for one night. She taught Betta three special sayings to use. Betta continued her journey. She found the city of Round Mount. This was where the queen was keeping Pintosmalto.
Betta used her first saying. It magically created a fancy jeweled coach. She used the coach to bribe the queen. The queen let Betta spend the night outside Pintosmalto's door. But the queen gave Pintosmalto a sleeping potion that night. Betta cried and pleaded, but he didn't hear her.
Betta used her second saying. This brought forth a golden cage with a singing bird made of jewels and gold. She used it to bribe the queen again, just like with the coach. Still, Pintosmalto slept.
The next day, Pintosmalto went to the garden. A cobbler lived nearby and had heard Betta's cries. He told Pintosmalto about the sad woman. Betta used her third saying. This created wonderful clothes. She won a third night near Pintosmalto.
This time, Pintosmalto woke up. He heard Betta tell him how she had made him. He took back everything the queen had taken from Betta. He also took some jewels and money as payment for Betta's troubles. They quickly left and went back to Betta's father's home.
Other Versions of the Story
Many fairy tales have different versions. Here are some other ways the Pintosmalto story is told:
Italian Versions
In Italo Calvino's version, the main character is a princess, not a merchant's daughter. Her father gives her flour and sugar. She says she will make her own husband if she wants to marry. She brings her hero, King Pepper, to life by singing a special song. The song tells how she worked for six months to create him.
On her journey, three hermits help her. They give her nuts to crack. Inside the nuts are golden objects. She uses these objects to bribe the queen, just like Betta did.
Another version from Abruzzi is called La favele de Niccasbarre. In this tale, the man is made from flour and sugar. The princess still has to find her husband. On her way, she gets special fruits: a chestnut, a walnut, an orange, and a lemon.
Giuseppe Bonaviri wrote a tale called L'innamorato di miele, which means The Lover Made of Honey. In this story, a cobbler's daughter named Granata asks her father for sugar, honey, and flour. She locks herself away for a year, a month, and a day. She makes a puppet and then breathes life into it. It becomes a human prince named Sion.
A gypsy woman sees Sion and curses Granata. The curse says Granata won't find her lover for seven years. She will also wear out seven pairs of iron shoes. Granata gets the special shoes and travels far. She crosses the Dead Sea and meets three monks. They each give her a hazelnut, an almond, and a walnut.
She reaches a big city. She cracks the walnut, and a gold loom appears. The local queen wants the loom. Granata trades the loom for a night with Sion. The queen gives Sion a sleeping potion. Granata tries to wake him but can't. She then cracks the almond (a golden spindle appears) and the hazelnut (a golden shuttle appears). She trades these for two more nights. On the third night, Sion wakes up. He recognizes Granata and chooses to go with her.
American Versions
Folklorist Ruth Ann Musick found a version in West Virginia. It was told by Jon De Luca, who learned it from his mother. This story is called The Dough Prince.
In this tale, a princess can't find a good husband. She decides to make her own. She mixes dough and shapes it like a man. She gives him life with a kiss. Like in other stories, a foreign queen captures the prince. His princess goes to find him. She meets an old man who gives her three valuable stones. She trades these stones with the queen for three nights with the prince.
See also
