MASK STORIES (or TRANSFORMATION)
(excerpts from posts)
(If you want to retell any of the stories listed below, be sure to obtain permission from the copyright holder if the material is not in the public domain)

Query: With Purim, the Jewish equivalent of Carnival, coming up, I am in need of a folktale dealing with the transformative powers of masks and/or costumes. Anybody?

1) Here is a story that I like ,that I have posted to the list before. It could be adapted a bit to more closely fit your needs if necessary. I found it in a book called The Dragon Doesn't live Here Anymore by Alan Cohen, which is a book more about spritual growth than storytelling, but he used stories here andthere to illustrate what he was talking about. I did contact him when I first found it and he said he found it somewhere as a folktale but had no souce and didn't feel it was 'his' so no objection to anyone telling it. I have looked and not found another source.

The MASK
Once there was a king who was so nasty and mean that it showed clearly on his face and in his attitudes. So much so that everyone in his kingdom hated him, but more than that they feared him. Oh they respected him, for he was their king, but when he would ride out among the people with his face all contorted in mean and nasty ugliness, people would scatter and run away> If caught off guard they would bow low averting his eyes in silence, the dislike and fear of him showing on their faces. And the king would mumble, mutter or sputter mean things to them. No one spoke to him not even a 'good day, sire'. After a while the king grew even angrier with his subjects because of how they seemed to hate and fear him. Finally he called his wisest wizard to him and said, " I am tired of how the people treat me, use your magic to make them nicer people, I command it"

The wizard thought a long time and said the king would have to do exactly what he told him to do, with no questions and to the letter. He asked the king if he was willing to do that. "If you will not, it is hopeless" said the wizard. The king agreed. "Fine he said, whatever you say, I will do. Anything that is necessary to get those rotten people to treat their king they way he deserves. He grumbled a bit more under his breath and settled his face into his ugliest meanest grimace. The wizard went into a high cabinet and took down a box which he carefully opened. Inside the box was a mask of the king's own face. It was so like the king that the king's mouth fell open when he saw it! Except for one small or not so small difference. The expression on the mask was smiling and friendly -almost radiant, instead of grouchy and mean and nasty. The king hardly notice the difference of the expression "Where did you get such a mask?' he asked. 'Never mind the where," said the wizard, "it is a magic mask. Here is what you must do, as you agreed with no questions asked: You must put this mask on and not take it off for 100 days." "What..why... ehhhm I ..it isn't my way to grin like that, they will lose respect..grumble..grumble..grumble I can't do that...." never mind the protest, said the wizard you agreed. Put it on. Well the king grumbled but he did put it on. That day as he rode through the kingdom a few appeared to glance up at him in surprise, for never had they seen the king smile before. After a few days a few brave ones smiles a small smile back. And a week later one actually stood and smiled and said, Good day to you , Sire. This surprised the king and he did not know what to say, but he did not grumble mean things at the man.

Word began to spread, the king had had a change of heart. People began to stay where they could see him when he rode by, some bowed and then looked up and smiled at him. Ah, thought the king, this is how a king should be treated. Perhaps my subjects are becoming nicer people, perhaps they are not as rotten as they were a while ago.This continued. Each day more people spoke to the king, smiled and even waved as he rode by. And the king..well he began to wave back and to offer his own 'good days' and 'how fare these2. And the people began to tell him how life was for them. As the king heard sad stories of poverty and illness, he began to order that the people receive more of the bounty of the land, that they have the services of doctors and that disputes were settled fairly. Oh, the people came to think highly of that king. They brought him fruits and vegetables, and flowers from their gardens and the king in turn came to really love these people who had become so lovable. He would stop by a peasant's home and sit on the stoop chat and taste a cake or such that a good wife had baked.

The king and his people loved one another. And the King began to feel guilty. He cared so much about these people now and he knew he was deceiving them with the mask. They liked him better, he thought because of the beauty of the mask, but it is not me and I can not longer deceive them. Although the 100 days were not quite up, he knew he had to remove the mask and be honest with his people and if they would no longer love him, he would have at least have had these past days. So, he went into a large hall, and looked closely into a large mirror at his face. The mask was smiling as it had on the first day he put it on. he regretted having to take it off, but he could no longer fool the people he had come to love. He reached up and pulled at the mask and it peeled off in his hand. When finally he got his courage up to look again at his mean contorted face, he saw..a miracle. For in the days he had come to love his people, his face had changed and now it matched the mask in every respect. It was beautiful, and smiling and looked as he felt at that moment. He wept and touched his laughing face. When next he went out among the people his heart was light for he knew he was himself, true and true enough. And that king and all the people of his kingdom lived a long and contented life.
Kathy P.

2) Would Cinderella and Hans My Hedgehog suit? (Ooh, a pun!)

3) The Emperor's New Clothes
The story variously known as Six White Swans / Seven Ravens / Twelve Wild Swans
The Frog Prince

4) Just wanted to share with you: Today a colleague and I led a movement workshop called "Persona: The Masks We Wear". Through a series of movement and drawing exercises, we enabled the participants to explore the parts of themselves that they show to the world and the parts that they choose, for one reason or another, not to show. Then, through guided imagery, we connected them with a part of themselves that might be less familiar to them--a figure that supports, honors and loves them. They designed masks to reflect that "persona" (in Greek, it means "character", as in a play--or a story), and they danced with the masks and the costumes that they chose. It was a powerful experience for many of the participants, who shared some significant moments in the closing circle. THEN...I capped it all off with a story that Judy Schmidt sent me as part of a compilation on masks and facial hair: "The Thief and the Mask", a story of the transformative powers of masks (very close to the story Karen and Kathy sent me, which I have saved for another occasion). They loved the story, and it put the whole workshop into perspective. I LOVE telling stories in context--it enriches both the story and the experience preceding or following it.

5) Here's a story similar to The Mask in a post from Rocci in 1999. He tells it as a story from China, and it's a thief who is transformed by the mask. Interesting version.
Ina V.D 4/16/06
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Sent: Monday, November 01, 1999 9:28 AM
I just told this story in my Church yesterday and it was a great success. We were doing a service on just this topic, the masks that we wear to disguise or protect our true selves.

I had found the story via this list, and then made it more my own.
This is the story as I now have it. Enjoy.
The Thief and the Mask
Anonymous
Source: Robert Schneider

It is said that by a particular age, people have the face that they deserve and this is just such a story.

The Emperor of China's daughter was one of the wisest and most beautiful women in all of the land. But, she was not married. The Emperor's daughter had decided that she, being an Emperor's daughter, should only marry the most handsome, honest, generous and honest man in all the land. Many men came to ask for her hand but she found fault with every one. Some were not too gentle and others not kind or generous and some were not honest enough. Some were handsome and gentle and kind and honest, but none was the most handsome and gentle and kind and honest in the land and the Princess knew it.

The Emperor, wishing that his daughter would be happy and wishing for grandchildren, decided that he would announce a great festival to be held at the palace. Every person in the kingdom would be invited and the Princess would meet each man. Surely, , if everyone came to the ball, and who wouldn't come to a festival at the palace, the Princess would find the man with the most handsome, gentle, kind and honest face in all the land.

Now, living in the land at that time, was a master thief. He was a particularly evil, despicable, sneaky, clever, dishonest man and he had the face that he deserved. He was well known and despised throughout all the land for his skill at stealing. He had become so famous, or perhaps it is best to say infamous, that he was recognized everywhere that he went and he couldn't steal anything anymore ~ which is not a good thing for a thief. It was getting so bad for him that he was thinking the most awful thoughts possible for him, he was thinking that he might actually have to get a job ~ which is not a good thing for a thief!

When the thief heard about the festival he thought to himself that this would be a wonderful career opportunity for him. How many chances would he have to visit the palace and what wonderful things must be in there!!! This was his great chance. If he steal just one precious thing from the palace he would be wealthy beyond his wildest dreams and he would never have to steal again and he also would not have to find a job!

The thief realized; however, that he would be immediately recognized so he went to the most skilled mask maker in the land, a great craftsman. The thief asked the craftsman to make him a mask that would completely conceal his identity, a mask with a face so lifelike, and honest and gentle that no one would suspect the wearer of any evil. The craftsman maker did this. In fact, he fashioned his greatest work, in a lifetime of great works. The mask was beautiful. The face was perfect, it was handsome and gentle and honest.

The day of the festival the thief bathed in his golden tub, which he had stolen. He washed himself with the fragrant soaps and expensive perfumes that he had stolen. He dressed in his finest stolen robes and wore his finest stolen sandals. He put on his new mask and he went to the festival.

At the festival the princess, as had been planned, met every man who attended. Some were already married and some were old men and some were mere boys. Of the rest; however, she found some fault with each one. Some were not gentle enough and some were not kind or generous enough and some were not honest enough. Some were handsome and gentle and kind and honest, but none was the most handsome and gentle and kind and honest in the land and the Princess knew it.

When the thief arrived he was astonished by all the wonderful, beautiful things surrounding him. There were golden lamps and silver platters and jade and ivory statues and intricately carved wooden boxes.The thief, tried not to be obvious, but he could not help himself and he stared in amazement. He could not decide what it was that he should steal.

The minute that the princess saw the thief, she fell in love with him. His face was the most handsome and kind and gentle and loving and generous and honest face she had ever seen. The princess approached the thief and introduced herself. She told him that she had been waiting for him for her entire life. She told him that he had the most handsome, gentle, kind, generous and honest face in the land and that she knew that she must marry him.

The thief was completely surprised. He did not know what to do. He had never considered the possibility that a princess would ever actually want to marry him. The thief was completed flustered and told the princess that he was unworthy of her affection. The princess was very persistent and again asked him to marry her. It is very hard to refuse when a princess asks you to marry her. Finally, The thief convinced the princess that this is something very important and that it needs careful consideration. The thief promised that he would come back in one year with his answer. The princess agrees and told the thief that she knew, just by looking into his face, that he would return in a year they would wed. The thief left the palace, very confused by what just happened. It wasn't until The thief got home that he realized that he hadn't even stolen anything!!!

All of a sudden, The thief thought to himself that, perhaps, this was all a trap. Perhaps the Emperor's men knew who he really was and were secretly watching and following him. Or perhaps they were following him to watch the man that the Princess wanted to marry. The thief stopped stealing and continued wearing his disguise so that he would not be found out.

The thief decided that a man with a handsome, gentle, kind and honest face must also act that way and so The thief started to act in a way that was gentle and kind and honest. The thief started to act kindly towards strangers and travelers and invited them into his home. The thief started to act courteously and respectfully to his elders. The thief started to act generously to poor people and orphans and widows. The thief started to act honestly towards everyone and people began to say of the thief that his word was as good as his face.

What started as a clever plan to fool the Emperor's men became a way of life for the thief and, he gradually discovered, he became more contented and harmonious than he had ever been before. The thief had become as handsome and gentle and kind and honest inside as the mask was outside.

When the year had passed the thief returned, as he had promised, to the Emperor's palace. He was very sad for now he knew that he must tell the Princess the truth about himself. The thief went to the princess and he bowed his head; he knelt down and he softly explained the whole story to her. The thief explained how he was nothing but a common, ugly thief and that he was truly unworthy of her. The thief told the Princes how a great craftsman had made a wonderful mask to disguise him. The thief looked up, with tears in his eyes, and asked the princess to forgive him for his cruel deceit and to spare his poor, miserable life.

The Princess, being a kind and generous Princess, agreed to forgive him and spare his life, but asked that first she see his true face under the mask. The thief, fearfully, took off the mask. The Princess was astonished and became angry. "Why would you have a mask made to look exactly like your face?" she demanded. The thief was confused once more and he asked to look into a mirror. Sure enough his face was exactly the same as the mask. In the year of his pretending to be kind, gentle, generous and honest The thief had changed not just inside but outside as well. The thief had earned the face that he deserved.

Well, you probably guessed, The thief and the princess got married. They hung that mask in a place of honor in the great hall and they had wonderful, gentle, kind, generous and honest children who all had the face that they deserved.
Rocci 11/1/99
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(This web page updated 3/6/04; 4/16/06)