Behind his back people called him misfortunate but the king didn’t mind because his seven daughters filled his heart with joy. In all other matters he was bold, rational and determined, but with his seven daughters he took his time to guide them gently. He had found suitable husbands for them and saw them married off one by one.
But when the time came for his youngest daughter to find a husband he was in trouble. Suitors arrived to the castle gates, banners waiving, horns blaring, only to be turned away by the princess. The king was beside himself with worry.
She had seen her sisters married off to princes that appeared beautiful, wealthy or kind only to find out that the men they married had serious flaws,
One sister married a beautiful prince who turned out to be insufferably vain.
Another married an honest prince who over time gave away his land and titles.
The next sister married awealthy prince, cruel to his subjects.
A kind prince, with an empty head.
A wise prince who spends no time in the bedroom.
A sensual prince with countless mistresses
And a devoted prince who made her sister stand up on a column to be admired by him alone. Day in day out.
All had qualities that were charming from a certain distance, but up close seemed more a burden than anything.
She could not fall in love for fear that her love would transform into someone beastly or mewing and weak.
She would wait for a prince who was as he seemed.
Tonight I’ve watched
The moon and then the Pleiades go down
The night is now half-gone; youth goes; I am
in bed alone
-Sappho
Midnight Poem (Trans. Mary Barnard)
- In search of perfect love.
- The youngest daughter of a king sees faults in the men her sisters marry
- She sets off to find perfect love
- The mother of the Sun accepts her on one condition: she may not look at the sun’s face
- But she cannot bare never having seeing him
- Mother suggests a trick, see him through the water glass
- The sun sees her looking and throws her out
- She watches him from afar until her feet become rooted in the ground.
- She is a sunflower.