Feeling small and vulnerable?
Not so the tiny virus that is changing the way we live.
Not so the tiny mosses of the world who hang on and adapt in diversity… and thrive.
Not so the tiny characters of our folk and fairy tales who can show us how to live in the world and who, though small, can change the course of a story.
I have been reading Gathering Moss by Robin Wall Kimmerer. The book is a mix of science and personal reflection. Kimmerer explains the biology of these tiniest of plants and at the same time considers what they might teach us. It is a beautifully written book and it has prompted me to carry my magnifying glass on daily walks around the neighborhood to explore tree trunks and rock walls. Kimmerer examines mosses in our environment, how they grow, reproduce, adapt, compete, soak up water and the myriad of ways they help keep the climate healthy. As I learned the attributes and characteristics of these amazing plants I began to think about stories. I couldn’t find any stories of moss but started mulling over all the small characters in folk literature. What can we learn from them? Paula has been thinking and writing about metaphor and as I began connecting stories to qualities of mosses, I realized that this is yet another example of metaphor.
There are many small characters found in stories throughout the world. Think of the Tom Thumb tales (Tale Type 700 and 327B), the elves, some fairies, pixies, narnucks, and dwarves. There are mice, ants, hummingbirds, frogs, toads and gnats. There are even youngest brothers and sisters. Some are helpful, some mischievous, many need to be appeased in some way.
We all start out tiny and helpless, dependent on adults, and remain so for a long time. As adults we may at times feel small and helpless in the larger world. We may feel small and afraid facing big obstacles, facing death. Let’s look to small things and see how they survive and flourish and come out on top.
One characteristic of mosses is how cleverly they adapt and evolve. The one thing moss needs to survive is water. Another is a bit of light, but water is crucial. Besides helping to make food, water is central in reproduction. Mosses can’t move. They cling to rocks, cliffs, tree bark and sidewalks. “Evolution favors specialization avoiding competition and thus increasing the survival of the species.” (p.34) Mosses are very low to the surface and are not mobile. How can they keep water from evaporating? How can they keep water to live? How can they keep water to help sperm move to the female? In some species the male is shorter, closer to the surface where there is less evaporation which means more water. Mosses always live in colonies, their stems and leaves twisting and growing together to keep water longer and to help it move from one to another. They form a tiny aqueduct.
Our little heroes also have a hard time moving about. But they are clever. Many figure out ways to hitch a ride. Some ride in horse’s ears, or on tails. Look at many versions of Tom Thumb as well as ‘How the Brazilian Beetle Got its Beautiful Colors’ (Brazil). Thumbelina (HCA) is carried on the back of a sparrow and on a net pulled by butterflies. Thumbling (Germany)travels in a cow and in a fox. It’s good to be small and light and clever.
In some of the stories the small may look so much alike that they can trick bigger foes. The family (community) of toads tricks Horse in Horse and Toad. (Haiti) The same trick is played on Bear by Turtle and his clan. (Iroquois) The wicked prince is brought down by a swarm of gnats in Andersen’s The Wicked Prince. And, Thumbelina needs her friends to save her from the dark places and bring her into the light. Being small, it is good to live in a community or family where you can rely on help.
Mosses are patient and they persevere. “They have a covenant with change. When the dew dries, or the rain is infrequent mosses play the waiting game.” (p. 37) Mosses just stop growing. Dried moss can be kept for years and revived by soaking in water and start growing again. Many of our small heroes persevere and are patient, waiting until the right age to set forth on their adventures. Some are mocked and ridiculed for years.
Some are impudent and sassy such as The Valiant Little Tailor (Germany), Hop ‘O My Thumb (England), and Hasan, Heroic Little Mouse Child (Turkey).
And some just never give up. Thumbling, swallowed by a horse and then a cow, “never lost courage.” The Brave Little Parrot (India) puts out a fire drop by drop.
As previously noted, mosses live on the boundary area. They live in cracks of the sidewalk. They fill in the areas between big plants. They thrive on surfaces often overlooked.
Some of our characters live in the boundary areas as well. Think of all the Rumplestiltskins. (Tale Type 500) And the mouse brides (Tale Type 402) even the small dolls such as in Vasalisa (Russia) and The Doll in the Grass. (Norway)
Being small makes it easy to hide, easy to overhear things. Hop ‘o My Thumb hides under the stool and overhears his parents plan to get rid of the children. Thumbling is so small he can hide in a mousehole or in a snail shell to escape danger.
Mosses are so important to our climate and habitats. They help keep the air clean and help cool the earth. When the land is destroyed mosses are the first plants to reappear. Many of our smallest characters show this helpfulness. Here I think of Mouse Woman (Haida) and all the times she comes to the aid of young women by using her wily cleverness. I think of The Elves and the Shoemaker (Germany) and all the ‘mouse brides.’ I think of the many Lille Thumbs who save their siblings and/or bring back treasures to the family.
Cheers to all our clever, persistent, brave and helpful small ones around the world.
For more exploration look at the SurLaLune website (http://www.surlalunefairytales.com) and The Oryx Multicultural Folktale Series, Tom Thumb by Margaret Read MacDonald.
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