Tonight, we’ll read a version of the French literary fairy tale called “The White Doe” originally written by Madame d'Aulnoy. This version was found in “My Book of Favourite Fairy Tales” edited by Captain Edric Vredenburg and published in 1921.

Madame d’Aulnoy, writing at the end of the 17th century, is credited with helping to popularize the term “fairy tale” itself—conte de fées—as she brought together aristocratic salon wit and magical storytelling. Her tales were never strictly for children; they were often satirical, romantic, and filled with elaborate detail meant to entertain adult audiences in the court of Louis XIV. They reflected the social norms and expectations of her time, particularly around the roles of women and the idea of destiny.

“The White Doe” is one of her lesser-known but richly imagined stories, blending themes of transformation, betrayal, and enchanted punishment. In this tale, the heroine is bound by a strange prophecy, and a single broken rule sets off a chain of magical consequences. The story’s combination of court intrigue, fairy interventions, and symbolic metamorphosis makes it a quintessential example of d’Aulnoy’s genre-bending flair.

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