Random Thoughts about Hospitality Tradition in Fairytales

[snowynight]

I have recently come across this discussion thread: Fantasy settings and hospitality toward strangers. I feel that they can get a lot of inspiration from fairytales and folklores, which the issue is very real.

Hospitality is essentially a mutual pact between the hosts and the guests, who agree to non-hostility without reservation. It's important for ensued survival of a society as it makes travel and trade possible before the modern hospitality industry.

As travellers are often at disadvantage, powerful beings often disguise themselves as desolate travellers as a test and punish people who violate the hospitality custom. One famous example is the Beast in "Beauty and the Beast"

Rich or powerful people are obliged to play host/patron to others. "Sleeping Beauty" shows us what's happened when a host doesn't think enough about who to invite or not.

Fairytale characters often travel in unfamiliar paths and need to rely on strangers' hospitality, so many of them have to outwit their murderous host, like Hänsel and Grethel.

On the other hand, guests are expected to abide to the host's rules and not overstay their welcome. The hardworking and kind daughter in Frau Holle gets rewarded because of her good service, while her lazy sister suffers because she doesn't fulfill her duty.

This leads to cases that the host is dangerous but sticks to some hospitality custom for now. Baba Yaga is a good example. She's dangerous and eats people, but you can survive her home by being smart, polite and kind like Vasilisa the Beautiful.

Have you thought about hospitality in your setting?

Comments

[nonesensed]

I love playing around with culture clashes when it comes to host/guest rules in my worlds - it makes for fun conflict, large and small 😊 What about you? How does hospitality work in your current writing project(s)?