In appearance, Hengist was an exceedingly unattractive youth. With his squat body, short bandy legs, his extra-long arms and his crumped face, he looked almost as though there might be a touch of the ape or the gorilla about him.
Although labeled fables, both the stories in this slim volume really have more about them that recalls fairy tales. What with featuring princesses in the titles and all. In addition, neither story serves the direct purpose of leading to the teaching of a particularly useful moral lesson, which is what really separates the fable from the fairy tale. Rather these stories both share a sense of an enchanted faraway place where stuff happens that basically is there to instruct a character rather than the reader. That said, this excerpt from the second paragraph into the tale serves to underscore that these are fairy tales or fables which are specific to the imagination of Roald Dahl. The introduction of a protagonist who looks like a monkey and who—as the third paragraph makes clear—carries no interest other than finding success with fair maidens immediately situates this as typical Dahl fare even if it is directed toward a more mature readership.
“Much more difficult for a ravishing beauty to remain modest and gentle than it is for a plain girl.”
The second story is equally concerned with physical appearance. At first, Princess Mammalia is not much better off than Hengist. But on the occasion of turn seventeen-years-old, she suddenly become the ravishing beauty of which she speaks. Having experienced both sides of the coin, she speaks from experience. The story follows how the newly hot Princess as she discovers something along the lines of what Hengist discovers in the other story: nothing repels quite like attraction. Intrusive interference from wisdom steeped in great experience saves the day and teaches the lesson, but alas it seems mostly confused to usefulness in and around the Princess herself. It is far from universally applicable.
“I have decided that the greatest reward I can bestow upon this valiant and gallant youth is as follows. By Royal Decree, he shall also be granted…He shall be granted the absolute right to ravish any maiden, wench, lady, dame, countess, duchess or other female in the Kingdom whenever he so desires.”
In case anyone is wondering why the two stories in this book failed to achieve the immediate recognition and popularity of Willy Wonka or The Witches or any number of stories by Dahl, this plot twist may hold your answer. That ugly guy—that monkey-like Hengist—you may remember having little more ambition than to hit on pretty maidens. Well, through the sort of twist and turn that only happens in fairy tales, things turn out even better than he could possibly imagine. Think of it: an ugly guy being given license to rape by the king who even includes his own daughter in the deal. It’s kind of like every misogynist’s dirty fantasy come true. Have you ever seen a photo of Roald Dahl from around the 1960’s onward? The man who in the 1940’s and 1950’s had been rather strikingly handsome gradually took on a more simian appearance. Probably just coincidence, though.
