Fatal immortality. The blacksmith motif in Polish folktales

Abstract

Numerous texts of Slavic folklore, including the folk fairy tale, reflect ideas concerning the demonic properties of non-agricultural professions. These include, in particular, the hero of this analysis, namely the blacksmith.The primary research objective involves illustrating the specificity of the fairy tale image of a blacksmith. The peculiarities of his behaviour, forms of interaction with other characters, the attributes of the craft he mastered, the functions he performs, as well as his posthumous status will be taken into account.The fairy tale image of the blacksmith largely corresponds to his reception in traditional culture, in which he was classified as “stranger among his own” due to his specialized knowledge and skills. Therefore, the protagonist of these considerations practises magic, parleys with impure forces, abuses alcohol, and also excessively strives for material goods. Moreover, he shows a disrespectful attitude towards death, preventing it from fulfilling its duty. Because death is seen as a guarantee of harmony and balance, the blacksmith’s behaviour should be considered particularly dangerous, disruptive to the divine order of the world. A fairy tale blacksmith is characterized by the features of a mythological trickster who uses deception to defeat his opponent or gain access to certain goods. As a fraudster and devilish collaborator gaining earthly wealth through the aid of forces from the beyond, the craftsman fits into the rural image of a condemned sinner, which affects his posthumous status. Variants of the T 330A “Kowal i diabli (Śmierć na gruszy)” («Кузнец и черти (Смерть на груше)»; ATU 330 “The Smith and the Devil”) fairy tale plot were used as the source for the analysis.