Grimm’s “The Youth Who Went Forth to Learn What Fear Was”

Who Do You Think You Are? Anyone interested in the education of the individual might enjoy a few minutes with this light, yet important tale. There is a folktale trope of the dummling who, useless at home, ventures forth to find his fate. This story’s idiot seems to lack something fundamental–the ability to shudder at ghost stories or at fearful experiences–but he knows this, and reminds himself continually that he wants to learn.

A waggoner who was striding behind him heard this and asked, “Who are you?”

“I don’t know,” answered the youth.

Then the waggoner asked, “From whence do you come?”

“I know not.”

The anonymous protagonist is contrasted with established figures all around him that act and react normally. And yet it is his lack–a kind of ignorance–that is the key to his journey through many frightening experiences, and when he overcomes those, he is able to rid his country of the multifarious evils that are barely contained in its castle.

Enjoy the story summary and discussion with us of this surprising tale!

Chapters:

00:00 Introduction

00:31 Story Summary

18:48 The Stubborn Idiot Becomes King

26:34 Hamlet and the Boy Who Could Not Shudder

30:24 The Older, Mature Self and the Younger

38:16 The Boy Knows He’s Incomplete

44:08 The Boy’s Mysterious Fault is His Gift

50:40 Every Gift Needs its Inhibiting Energy

52:56 Hair of the Dog that Bit You

58:04 The Sibling Split

1:00:17 Authentic but Incomplete

1:06:02 Now He Has Beautiful Eyes

1:09:54 The Anonymous Hero Become King

1:15:44 The Lost Psyche in Modern Times

1:23:55 The Prestige of Neuroticism

1:33:01 Illusions: The Adventures of a Reluctant Messiah

Thank you for watching! Please see below for more:

If you’re interested, please enjoy–by yourself or with your children–this comedic story with a powerful, yet light ending.

Full Texts of the Story:

https://sites.pitt.edu/~dash/grimm004.html

https://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/2591/pg2591-images.html#link2H_4_0060

Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Story_of_the_Youth_Who_Went_Forth_to_Learn_What_Fear_Was

The Podcast Playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLMIlJwXEK2vqfEOVgfclRgZNXO4boyP3T

The Episode Playlist:

https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLIzpG3to882A

For more in this podcast, please go to:

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Facebook:

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About our guest:

Ian Reclusado offers guidance services for those interested in facing and befriending their inner monsters:

https://thekindknife.substack.com/p/guidance-services

Image Source:

Internet Archive Book Images, No restrictions, via Wikimedia Commons

Originally from Grimm’s Household Tales (1910)

I plan to conduct more interviews with various guests, so please check back later for those.

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