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Overview

Mogarzea says these quarrelsome beings punish anyone entering their domain and stole his soul during his fairy-bride quest. When his shepherd crosses their boundary, three merry maidens dance to his flute. Their meadows increase the flock’s milk, and they demand his return. He feigns breaking the instrument, claiming it must be replaced with the heart of a seven-year-old cherry tree; they provide such a tree.

While they help split the trunk, he withdraws the axe and traps their fingers in the cleft. Under this coercion they identify the bottle containing Mogarzea’s soul and explain its restoration. He leaves them trapped overnight, then returns with the restored prince. Mogarzea carries them, still with the log, to his father’s kingdom. No release, death or later sentence is specified. They are presented as female dancing elves in this English adaptation, without wings, diminutive stature or an identified original Romanian category in the translated passage.

Three dancing maidensSteal and substitute soulsHold soul in bottleTrapped fingers in split treeFate after captivity unstated
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Origins & earliest records

Roumanian Fairy Tales, collected by Mite Kremnitz, adapted and arranged by J. M. Percival (New York: Henry Holt, 1885), Mogarzea and His Son, pp. 62–69.

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Records & interpretation

Complete selected English narrative through annual bathing visits and the kingdom’s division. The preface assigns tale 6 to P. Ispirescu’s collection.

Selected bibliography

Documented works and useful reading. This is not a list of every appearance.

  1. 01

    Roumanian Fairy Tales: Mogarzea and His Son, pp. 62–69

    Mite Kremnitz, collector; J. M. Percival, adapter and arranger · 1885

    Preface assigns tale 6 to P. Ispirescu. Complete English adaptation; Romanian original not collated.

Family & connections

A source-supported family tree or inspiration record has not yet been compiled for this profile. Related reading below indicates a connection in subject matter, not a proven lineage or creative influence.

References

Sources supporting this profile. Linked pages have their own scope and editorial standards.

  1. Primary historical English adaptationKremnitz/Percival 1885: Mogarzea and His SonResearch access: 2026-10-05

Image credits

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