Amazona
The beautiful princess Ed-Detmá (or Addathmaa) is unparalleled in combat, and vows that she will only marry the man who can best her. Many princes strive for her hand, but they all are defeated, with Ed-Detmá claiming their possessions and branding their foreheads with her mark to show her victory. A prince of Persia, Bahram, comes to try to win her hand, and is stricken by her beauty. They fight nearly to a draw, but Ed-Detmá, fearing to lose, lifts her veil and exposes her face, and distracted by her beauty, Bahram is defeated. Undeterred, he returns to the palace gardens, disguised as an old man. He sits on the path, and visibly displaces some rich trinkets and jewels. When the princess and her maidens approach, he plays the fool, and exclaims that he would like to give his jewel to a beautiful maiden, whom he shall 'marry', kiss, and immediately divorce. Laughing, one of the attendants volunteers, and receives a proposal, a kiss, a pronouncement of divorce, and an immensely valuable jewel from the 'old man'. The next day is the same, until on the third day, Ed-Detmá herself - desiring one of the jewels - disguises herself as one of her maids, and approaches the (also disguised) prince. When she asks if he will have her as his wife in exchange for one of the jewels, he seizes her, kisses her, forces himself upon her, then reveals his identity and the fact that he, Bahram, has bested her. Fearing disgrace, Ed-Detmá sees no alternative but to marry him.
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The parallels of this story to the Greek myth of Atalanta are clear; the parallels to Creditor are also noteworthy. Nishimura notes some relevant motifs and analogues: Motifs: TMI H331.6.1.1: Princess wins wrestling match with suitor by revealing her breast; he looks and is beaten. H345 Suitor test: overcoming princess in strength. T58: Wooing the strong and beautiful bride. Cf. H331.5.1.1: Apple thrown in race with bride. R231: Obstacle flight -- Atalanta type. ATU519: The Strong Woman as Bride (Brunhilde). TU405: Atalanta, and golden balls. Analogues: Der persische Dekameron, 11 ‘Die unbesiegbaren Prinzessin‘. Reference stories, etc.: Apollodoros, Bibliotheke, 3.9.2, and Ovidius, Metamorphoses, 10.560-680, for stories concerning Atalanta and Hippometes or Melanion. Other stories with female protagonists include Nibelungenlied (Chapter VII. Prünhild); Gesta Romanorum, 60 ‘Der Wettlauf mit der Königstochter’ (Roschimunda); Travels of Marco Polo, 7.217, ‘The Princess of King Caidu and her bravery’ (Princess Aijaluk. A hundred horses when defeated); Pentamerone, 3.8, ‘Birikkas’ (Ciannetella. She is saved by five friends of unusual ability. He doesn’t marry her, and receives money) = Grimm’s Fairy Tales, KHM 71 ‘Sechs kommen durch die ganze Welt’. The story of Khan Ma Khan’s battle with Kahardash’, in Arabian Nights, Night 142 (A woman who vows not to marry or surrender herself to any lord who does not defeat her by force). Ibn Battuta, Travels, Chapter 24 (Princess Urdujar). Ailianos, Varia Historia, 12.38, ‘On the Horses and Other Customs of the Sakaeans’. Kathasaritsagara, 106 (VIII, pp. 28-29. Princess Gandharvadattā who decides to take as her husband one who is better than her at playing the Vina/lyre). Pauli, Schimpf und Ernst, 526 ‘Triphon seyet Gelt uß’ (motif of fleeing from enemies by sprinkling money). Bibliography: Chauvin VIII22. Landau 34. |
| Critical Literature |
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| Nishimura (2001), Clouston (1884), Basset (1903) |
| Amazona appears in the following versions and secondary versions |
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| This inset story appears in no versions of the database |
| Amazona is narrated in the following occurrences | ||||
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| Amazona appears in the following manuscripts |
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