A Star on her Forehead

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.