Part 3/10:
The Tests of Virtue: Encounters with Beasts and Bargains
The narrative unfolds through a series of encounters with fantastical beasts—bears, eagles, whales—each demanding a princess in marriage in exchange for treasures. The king’s willingness to sacrifice his daughters highlights perilous priorities: valuing wealth over human life and integrity.
- The Bear: The king offers his eldest daughter to a bear demanding her (or her life) in exchange for gold, which underscores a society that prizes status and wealth over loyalty and family bonds. The young princess, grateful yet resigned, is a mirror for women's historical roles—content with modesty and duty rather than rebellion.