This week is a strange but short fairy tale; and I’m not sure what to make of it. So I will put it here and you can tell me what you think. If anyone has the slightest clue what this is about or what message it sends, I’ll be delighted to hear your thoughts.

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The Elves and the Changeling

The Brother’s Grimm 1812

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The elves once took a child away from its mother, and left in its place a changeling with a big head and staring eyes, who did nothing but eat and drink. The mother in her trouble went to her neighbors and asked their advice. The neighbors told her to take the changeling into the kitchen and put it near the hearth, and then to make up the fire, and boil water in two eggshells; that would make the changeling laugh, and if he laughed, it would be all over with him. So the woman did as her neighbors advised. And when she set the eggshells of water on the fire, the changeling said:

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“Though old I be

As forest and tree,

Cooking in an eggshell never did I see!”

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And began to laugh. And directly there came in a crowd of elves bringing in the right child; and the laid it near the hearth, and carried the changeling away with them.

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Anyone? Any thoughts at all?

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