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A Star on her Forehead

7/10/2017

5 Comments

 
Picture
Princess Belle-Etoile and her siblings, with stars on their foreheads
The person with a star, sun or moon on their face appears in several different tale types. However, depending on the tale, the details are a little baffling. ​What does having a star on your forehead even look like? Is it a literal star? Is it some kind of crown? Is it a birthmark shaped like a star? 

The unusually-decorated girl appears in The Twelve Brothers (Germany), "The unnatural mother and the girl with a star on her forehead" (Mozambique), and  The Maiden with the Rose on her Forehead (Portugual).

In some versions of Aarne-Thompson-Uther type 850, "The Birthmarks of the Princess," she has birthmarks shaped like stars, suns, or moons.

Sometimes, in the tale of "The Kind and Unkind Girls," the star is a reward given to a generous young woman. Her selfish and greedy sister receives horns, a donkey's tail, or some other ugly object on her forehead. I read one where it was a sausage.
Examples of this variation include:
  • The Three Fairies (Italian)
  • Little Gold Star (Spanish-American)
  • The Fairy's Servants (Basque)

The last tale type that is well-known for the forehead-star is ATU type 707: The Three Golden Children. A woman gives birth to marvelous children, who have unusually shiny characteristics.
  • Princess Belle-Etoile (France)
  • "The Boy who had a Moon on his Forehead and a Star on his Chin" (India)
  • The Good Fate (Greece)
  • The Boys with the Golden Stars (Romanian)
  • The Dancing Water, the Singing Apple, and the Speaking Bird (Italian)
  • The Armless Maiden (Russia)
  • "The Three Little Birds" (Germany). One boy is born with a red star. It's unclear whether the star is part of him or just happens to show up at the same time.

The star functions as a tangible sign of royalty and/or virtue. If a color is given, it is usually gold. Golden hair or skin can appear in similar roles, instantly marking someone as beautiful and extraordinary.

FURTHER READING
  • Indian fairy tales, collected and tr. by M. Stokes, page 242
AARNE-THOMPSON MOTIFS
  • F545.2.1: Gold star on forehead.
  • H71.1: Star on forehead as sign of royalty.
Text copyright © Writing in Margins, All Rights Reserved
5 Comments
Rico
1/31/2018 10:24:08 pm

I noticed I can't scroll on your pages... That might be why people aren't commenting

Reply
Writing in Margins
2/1/2018 06:49:38 am

Thanks for the feedback! Can you tell me what browser you're using?

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Doug Lipman link
2/26/2018 03:44:15 pm

I used to tell a story from one of the peoples of Southern Africa, which features a young woman born with a star on her forehead. This tale resembles "Snow White" in several of its episodes. (I can dig up my source for it if you like; let me know.)

Reply
Marlene
2/15/2019 11:19:23 pm

I was born with a red 5 pointed star on my forehead that eventually faded by the time I was 5 years old. I was always curious about this and have scoured the internet for many years but this is the first time I have found anything about it. I am of German descent so I find this fascinating...

Reply
Julian Tr
3/20/2021 11:43:02 am

I born with a white star on my forhead when I was a baby girl but it's i can't see it again god hid it from evil people

Reply



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    Researching folktales and fairies, with a focus on common tale types.

    ​The Thumbling Project is a collection of different versions of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina from around the world.
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  • Home
  • The Thumbling Project
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