Written by you: Fehérlófia (Son of the White Mare)

written by: Bernadett-Katalin Szolosi, Hungarian-English BA, 2nd year, Partium Christian University

Maybe the story of Son of the White Mare is known to everybody. Surely, we all read about it in school or have some knowledge about it from different sources, because this story is such a significant part of Hungarian culture that it is impossible not to know it. It resumes the most important elements of Ancient Hungarian Faith that often occur in tales: dragons, humans with remarkable strength, Taltos, devils, princesses, and the number 3.

The beginning of the tale is already outlandish and magical. A white horse gives birth to a human child. It took two times seven years of nursing for Fehérlófia to be strong enough to peel off the cortex of a tree. What else could this be if not supernatural power? What else could this have been if not his first test?

If one is used to Hungarian folktales, then this is not surprising at all, as it is habitual that the main character has to compete in different tests to develop their character until they can be seen as a hero. Another test is defeating three of those odd creatures (Fanyüv?, Stonecrumbler, Ironrubber), just as the liberation of the three princesses by defeating the three-headed, the six-headed and the twelve-headed dragons. Although the presence of Seven-winged Skull-sized Gnome represents the elements of the Ancient Hungarian Faith from a different perspective, this part of the tale symbolises the relationship with the supernatural, the afterlife, and the rebirth. The fountain is a typical symbol of death and diving into the afterlife. This journey ends in character development: the main character’s old self dies, and he loses his old, childish behaviour and attributes. Then, through the more difficult tests, he will be reborn, which means that he has gained new attributes and has become a greater man with the ability to take more responsibility. This tale is full of wonder, supernatural events, and creatures, which is necessary for those who have socialised with Hungarian folktales. But to show all of this through dance?

?That’s what made the dance theatre performance on the 16th of May 2025 even more special. They told the tale and everything that happens through dance, including its most significant details, representing the elements of the Ancient Hungarian Faith - this makes this performance as magnificent as it truly is. The moves and feats on behalf of the performers required great physical and mental strength, but they did it jaw-droppingly easily, as if this were the most natural and everyday thing. Children’s drawings were projected on the wall at the back of the stage during every scene. The actress playing the narrator raised the level of the performance by singing folksongs with her incredible voice. Similarly to the previous performance (Tündérkert Bartók útjain), Son of the White Mare succeeded in raising the spirit of all those people who love the Hungarian culture.