As part of my three part series, I’m discussing three iconic feminine archetypes in fairy tales and storytelling, how they relate to each other in relation to the trinity of the female psyche (maiden, mother, crone). Read part one on Evil Stepmothers or part two on Wicked Witches.
Great news! For every Evil Stepmother or Wicked Witch we have chattering away inside of us, we also have a Fairy Godmother.
Gorgeous and round, soothing and pleasant, a Fairy Godmother shows up at precisely the right moment to transform a pumpkin into a carriage. She dries our tears, tells us “miracles take a little time,” and gets us to put on a bibbity boppity beautiful dress.
Cinderella (1950)
You’ve probably been visited by her after crying in bed before having to go out, and she has compelled you to give yourself a pep talk and put on a more fabulous outfit than usual, to which everyone oohs and aahs, and you end up having just the best time!
Unfortunately, the Fairy Godmother does not live in your house like the Evil Stepmother. She only really shows up in times of dire need because we, as a culture, have not placed any emphasis on positive affirmations or kind words about ourselves. The Fairy Godmother is something you have to conjure up by saying cringey things like “I am loving awareness” to yourself in the mirror.
Glinda the Good Witch makes an excellent Fairy Godmother. She withholds information from Dorothy in order for her to learn the lesson for herself. You can lead a horse to water but you can not make them wear sparkly red shoes and click their heels. A good Fairy Godmother knows when to provide a gentle, loving hand and when to butt out.
The Wizard of Oz (1939)
The Fairy Godmother represents the archetype as the Wise Old Woman or Crone. Cinderella is a folk tale with thousands of versions told in many different cultures and can be dated back thousands of years. Unsurprisingly, it contains many shared archetypes.
The Wise Old Woman can also be understood as La Que Sabe; The One Who Knows, The Mother Of Days, Mother Nyx, Durga, Coatlicue, Hekate, La Loba, Baba Yaga, Grandmother Spider. All of these women hold the same meaning: a timeless teacher providing help when called upon.
Moana (2016)
“She is an archivist of feminine intention. She preserves female tradition. Her whiskers sense the future; she has the far-seeing milky eye of the old crone; she lives backward and forward in time simultaneously, correcting one side by dancing with the other.”
Clarissa Pinkola Estes, Women Who Run With Wolves
The most comforting thing in this world is that she is all around. She’ll be in your therapist's chair, sitting in the hospital waiting room, or next to you on the plane. She is also inside of your psyche. If you really want to talk to her, she is there. Grab a pen and paper and ask for her. She will have the most wonderfully transformative things to say if you’re willing to listen.
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Planet Persephone acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. I pay my respects to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.
Wurundjeri Land
Melbourne, Australia
