The animal helper in German and Chinese fairy tales

The Kinder- und Hausmarchen of the Brothers Grimm is a German fairy-tale collection well-known throughout the world. In China, however, indigenous fairy tales have not received adequate study and are still largely unknown to Western society. This thesis presents the similarities and differences between the animal helper in German and Chinese fairy tales as well as information about the way German and Chinese people present the animal helper in their fairy tales. Chapter I deals with the animal languages. In both Chinese and German fairy tales, the animal appears as the human being's helper, his friend as well as his adviser. It speaks and gives him advice in human language. In some fairy tales, the animal has its own language. The fairy-tale protagonist then achieves his goal by having the ability to comprehend animal language. Often no explanation for this magic power is given, but sometimes the protagonist gains the power in a specific way, such as consuming snake meat. Chapter II discusses the transformation of the animal helper. It is interesting that most of the animal helpers in German fairy tales are human beings who are transformed by an evil power and are sometimes the hero's dead relatives or an angel in disguise; the Chinese animal helpers, on the other hand, are real animals which transform themselves into human form to help human beings for a certain purpose or are the magic creature, the dragon. Chapter III tells how protagonists obtain the animals' help and what rewards people get from these animals. It is a general assumption in Chinese and German fairy tales that good deeds bring rewards. The rewards people gain from animals are wealth or a royal marriage, which are the common people's wishes that are unfulfilled in daily life.