The article examines the Druze feminine oral versions of “The Maiden without Hands” (ATU 706), focusing on the incest theme. Comparing these versions to Palestinian and Israeli-Arab versions, the article examines the relations between metaphoric expressions and realistic aspects, suggesting viewing the maiden’s mutilation as being associated with women’s status in Druze society. Whereas incest is a taboo in most cultures, in Druze society, women who are victims of incest are religiously forbidden to marry and pay heavy social prices. Three kinds of sources are used: (1) oral Arabic versions of ATU 706, (2) printed Arabic versions of the persecuted heroine genre, and (3) oral Palestinian personal narratives about family honor murders.
Raufman, Ravit. "The Affinity between Incest and Women’s Mutilation in the Feminine Druze Versions of “The Maiden without Hands”: An International Motif in a Local Context." Marvels & Tales 32.2 (2019). Web. <https://digitalcommons.wayne.edu/marvels/vol32/iss2/5>.