What important life lessons can Hungarian folk stories teach us? – VIDEOS

When we were young, we would listen in awe to the incredible adventures the protagonist had to go through to gain the hand of the youngest but most beautiful daughter of the country lord. In one minute we would roll in laughter while in the next we would be crippled with fear for what would happen next in the story. Nearly every nation, including Hungarian, carries a treasure bag of folk stories. Unfortunately, in recent times we seem to let these valuable pieces fade into oblivion. However, traditional fables should not be taken only as remaining fragments of a distant withered era, but instead valuables pieces of wisdom we inherited from our ancestors. Let’s look at some important lessons we can learn from Hungarian folk stories. 

Be helpful and considerate to others, kindness pays off at the end

In the story of The little swineherd, the protagonist sets on a mission to marry the youngest daughter of the old king. He keeps walking for several long days on the dry lawlands to reach the castle until he runs out of all his food and water. He is desperate to quench his thirst and luckily finds a well with two doves resting on it. He turns to the birds with the determination to eat them, however, the doves beg him to spare their lives. They promise to help him in return for his good deed. He continues his journey until he encounters a limping fox that cannot run away. The fox begs him to spare his life and, in return, he will owe the little swineherd a big favour. The little swineherd has a soft heart so he lets the fox go. At this point, he is starving so much that he nearly faints from hunger. At the next stop, he spots a small fish in the lake that convinces the young man that he will be forever grateful for his decision if he has mercy on the fish and will not eat it. The little swineherde finally makes it to the castle where the king challenges him that the only way to win his daughter’s hand is by finding the ultimate hideaway where she cannot spot him. The animals, as promised, all volunteer to help the young man. The fox takes him beneath the deepest layers of the Earth, the little fish tucks him at the deepest corner of the lake but all efforts are in vain, the princess can still find him. Finally, the doves turn the young man into a rosebud, and thus he succeeds in passing the test and marries the gorgeous princess. 

Listening and retelling folk stories are not just entertaining but can be also beneficial in other surprising ways, even if we have long passed the years of believing in fairy tales. Hungarian folk stories often teach us valuable lessons on how to treat people we encounter in, perhaps, challenging stages of our lives. Many of these traditional fables convey the common message that on the journey to reach our ultimate goal we should remember to be helpful and considerate towards other living beings as well, no matter in what form or shape they appear.

Being compassionate or giving a helping hand to someone in need can be very powerful, and it is also backed by science. Kindness is a key to how the human species evolved and survived over 300,000 years. Studies demonstrate that even a small act of kindness can improve our health. Neuroscientists found that in people doing more acts of kindness, the genes that trigger inflammation were turned down more than in people who do not. Participants also reported feeling emotionally better and happier, in general. Many of us spend hours worrying about our jobs, family, or physical appearance but when we direct our attention to someone else’s problems we forget our own for a while. Our act of kindness will always pay off at the end, although perhaps in unusual ways we did not anticipate. 

Give everyone at least a chance, you may be in for a positive surprise

In the tale of Pussycat (Macskacicó), the old king throws three wands in the air and the places each falls point to the directions the three princes have to take to find a bride. The two older princes confidently head to the nearby castles of two famously beautiful baronesses, however, luck does not seem to favour the youngest son. He ends up in a deep dark forest where he even gets lost in the dense vegetation. To his surprise, suddenly a pussycat crawls out under the bushes and quizzes the prince why he looks so gloomy. He explains to her what weights on his heart for which the pussycat proposes to become his bride. First, the prince has a good laugh but in the end he gives in. The pussycat passes all the tests of the old king, such as sewing an embroidered handkerchief or presenting a flower bouquet, with flying colours. Finally, the day comes when the sons have to present their brides in front of the king. The young prince is terrified for embarrassment and ridicule what he would face, but the pussycat reassures him not to worry a bit and instead take a short nap. By the time he wakes up, the feline has magically transformed into the most gorgeous princess the young man has ever laid an eye on. It turns out that all this time she was living under the spell of a curse which rendered her to remain a pussycat until a prince comes along and agrees to marry her.