The Green Serpent facts for kids

The Green Serpent is a classic French fairy tale written by Marie Catherine d'Aulnoy. It was published in her book New Tales, or Fairies in Fashion in 1698. This story was very popular when it came out and is a good example of European fairy tales. The "Green Serpent" in the story is actually a type of European dragon. He is described as having "green wings, a many-coloured body, ivory jaws, fiery eyes, and long, bristling hair."

The Green Serpent is not really a monster. He is a handsome king who was put under a magic spell for seven years by a mean fairy named Magotine. This fairy tale is similar in many ways to the ancient Greek story of Eros and Psyche. The story even mentions this connection when it talks about how the Green Dragon is discovered.

The Story of the Green Serpent

A Royal Celebration and a Nasty Spell

The story begins with a big party to celebrate the birth of two twin princesses, Laidronette and Bellotte. The King and Queen invited many good fairies to the feast. However, they forgot to invite Magotine, who was the oldest and most wicked fairy around.

When Magotine found out she wasn't invited, she became extremely angry. To get back at the King and Queen, she cast a terrible spell on Princess Laidronette. The spell turned Laidronette into the ugliest woman in the world. Luckily, the other good fairies stepped in and convinced Magotine to stop before she could cast a similar spell on Bellotte.

Laidronette's Lonely Life

As years passed, Laidronette grew up to be very smart, but she was also very lonely because of her appearance. She asked to live in a tall tower so she wouldn't have to see anyone or be seen.

One day, Laidronette decided to explore outside the tower. That's when the Green Serpent saw her and became interested. Laidronette was terrified of him at first sight and tried to run away. In her haste, she accidentally fell into the sea and was swept away. The Green Serpent appeared, swimming beside her boat, offering help. But she was too scared to accept his offer and nearly drowned in the ocean.

A Mysterious King and a Hidden Secret

When Laidronette woke up, she found herself safe in a faraway kingdom. She had been rescued and was now a guest of an unknown king. The readers learn that this unseen king is actually the Green Serpent, who is under a spell. However, Laidronette doesn't meet the king and doesn't know his secret. All she knows is that someone powerful is taking very good care of her.

Soon, the Green Serpent started talking to her at night. He was such a kind and interesting companion that, over the years, Laidronette fell in love with his conversations, even though she had never seen him. Eventually, they got married.

The Broken Promise and Its Consequences

The Green Serpent king asked his wife to wait until the seven-year spell was over before she saw what he looked like. He warned her that if she looked before then, his wicked enchantment would start all over again. Laidronette thought about the story of Eros and Psyche from Greek Mythology, where Psyche also couldn't look at her husband. Laidronette tried to be patient and wait the full seven years.

However, just like Psyche, Laidronette was convinced by her family to take a peek at her husband. When she finally saw him, she discovered he was the same Green Serpent she had once been so afraid of. This broke the spell's condition, and immediately, a war broke out in the kingdom. Magotine, the wicked fairy, ruined the kingdom. The Green Serpent was sent to a dark place called Hades, and Laidronette was taken prisoner by Magotine and forced to be her servant.

Laidronette's Difficult Challenges

A good fairy came to help Laidronette during the very difficult tasks that Magotine made her do. In one of her errands as a servant, Laidronette found the "waters of discernment." When she drank this water, she became much wiser. When she splashed it on her face, her ugliness disappeared, and she became beautiful again.

Hiding in the Enchanted Forest

After this, the good fairy sent Laidronette to hide in an enchanted forest for several years. Finally, when the Green Serpent's time of imprisonment was ending, Laidronette returned to Magotine. Magotine then told her to go into Hades and bring back the "water of life." Laidronette bravely went.

Journey to Hades and a Happy Ending

The personification of "Love" itself came to help Laidronette go down into Hades. Love reminded Prosperina, the queen of Hades, that Laidronette's husband was held captive there. Once Laidronette was in Hades, "Love" changed the dragon back into his original human form.

After Laidronette and her husband were reunited in Hades, "Love" brought the couple back to Magotine. Love then forced Magotine to break all her spells. Finally, Love sent the happy couple back to Laidronette's homeland. The story ends with a message: Love is said to be stronger than even the wicked Magotine.

Legacy of the Tale

The story of the Green Serpent was sometimes translated as The Green Dragon, named after its main character.

This tale was one of many by Madame d'Aulnoy that was turned into a play by James Planché. He created a series of plays called Fairy Extravaganza. He also translated the story as Green-Serpent and renamed it The Island of Jewels for his stage adaptation.

The story was also included in Fairy Tales of the Allied Nations, a collection of fairy tales illustrated by the famous artist Edmund Dulac.