It is within the world’s myths, folklore, and fairytales, nursery rhymes, riddles and art where we find a host of symbols and often their duality. What may hold a positive meaning to one culture may mean something negative or entirely different to another.

The dragon for example, exemplifies happiness and longevity in the Far East. It is used as an icon to ward off evil and had been used to represent the geographical location of “The East.” The dragon is especially revered in China because it is believed to bring on the spring rains whenever it plays with its thunderball. Despite the Far Easterners admiration for the dragon itself, the dissimilar white dragon signifies death and is an indicator of western locale. For the Occidentals, the dragon is not a peaceful symbol like its Far Eastern counterpart, but is just the opposite in nature. The dragon, within the Christian religion, is representative of evil. The Christians attach the symbolic dragon to Lucifer, and it was the archangel Michael who defeated this beast by plunging it into the pit of Hell. Within Western myths, legends and fairytales, the dragon is a designated foe of the people and must be slain by a “hero.” (The conqueror is duly rewarded with a princess or a kingdom should he slay the dragon, or in a deeper symbolic characterization-defeat his inner beast.)

Color, when used as a signifier, often represent different moods, or correspond closely with nature. The interpretation of color however is not uniform and may be opposing depending on the individual or culture. The color red is a paradoxical color that is often associated with aggression, vitality and strength and commonly connected with the element of fire, as well as, life’s liquid ingredient: blood. In its duality red symbolizes both combat and love. In the West, the rose, when paired with the color red is suggestive of eternal devotion or of love that transcends even death. Numerous Western fairytales, such as Beauty and the Beast, Sleeping Beauty, Snow White and Little Red Riding Hood make use of this color by name and meaning and often pair the two together to transmit further the wisdom of the tale. Beauty, of Beauty and the Beast, is gifted with a red rose by her father to communicate his eternal love for his sacrificial daughter.
The heart became associated with romantic love from the time of the Middle Ages.

The color blue is a prominent color in Western and European symbolism, yet is not held in high regard at all in the Far East. Blue was typically used to shade the skin of demons or ghosts in ancient Chinese art, and there was a time when they had no word to represent the color. (Blue was commonly deemed as ugly and unlucky.) Blue is perhaps the most otherworldly color, as it has been adopted to represent truth and the eternity of God. Blue is associated with fidelity, but also with mystery and deception. Perrault’s Bluebeard is a deceitful character, feared not only for his vicious character, but simply because he adorned a bluebeard. On the other hand, the tale of The Little Mermaid is surrounded by the ethereal manner of the color as its deeper meaning is reflected throughout the story.

Numbers are important symbols and are considered absolute. One of the most prominent numbers used within the fairytale genre is the number three. This number is considered a perfect number in that it represents the Trinity, as well as, and the triad of mother, father and child. It is three wishes that are granted, three feats by which a hero must prove himself and quite commonly a family of three siblings that feature in a story.

Animals were often used as symbols and the frog, though an amphibian is no exception. The meaning behind the symbol of the frog runs far and wide. The most ancient meaning begins with the Egyptian’s alliance of the frog with genesis and reproduction. The frog symbol runs the gambit not only through religious representation, but Far Eastern thought, ritual magic and psychoanalytic interpretation. A prime example of psychoanalytic interpretation in a fairy tale is when a frog tries to make his way into the Princess’ bed in The Frog Prince. The goose is frequently used in fairy tales and when dressed as “Mother Goose” is symbolic in its connection with the telling of nursery rhymes. The goose is allied with women since both species have the “gift of gab.” Whether there ever actually was a Mother Goose is hotly debated, yet many link her with various women of the ages. She is thought to be perhaps none other than the Queen of Sheba, or King Charlemagne’s mother (whose feet resembled the neck of a goose.) Americans believe she was none other than Elizabeth Fleet, formerly Elizabeth Goose of Boston, who used to sing nursery rhymes to her many children and grandchildren.

I have merely scratched ever so slightly the surface upon the many symbols that are found in fairytales, but even riddles and charms are rich with symbolic imagery. The meaning of some symbols within riddles and charms have been lost, such as the unknown ancient admiration for the ladybug; but it is also believed that some of the counting rhymes have roots in the ancient Druids system of counting. There are countless other symbols used in nursery rhymes, riddles and charms and far too many to mention here.

Put simply symbols allow the “looker” to become a “seer” and the “hearer” to become a “listener.” Hans Biedermann, the author of the Dictionary of Symbolism, put it best when he wrote that symbols are “the most valuable possessions of the human race.”

Biedermann, Hans. "Dictionary of Symbolism." Dictionary of Symbolism. New York Penguin Books, l994