Individuation in Fairy Tales

Book excerpt: With a text revised and corrected by the author, this definitive edition of Individuation in Fairy Tales is rich with insights from religion, literature, and myth. Dr. von Franz focuses on the symbolism of the bird motif in six fairy tales of Europe and Asia: "The White Parrot" (Spain), "The Bath Bagerd" (Persia), "Princess Hassan Pasha" (Turkestan), "The Bid Flower Triller" (Iran), "The Nightingale Giser" (Balkans), and "The Bird Wehmus" (Austria). She explores the themes of psychological and spiritual transformation in the varied images of birds, such as the phoenix, the parrot, and the griffin. Special attention is given to the connection between fairy tales and alchemy and to the guidance that fairy tales give to therapeutic work.