The Handless Maiden and the Poor Bargain

Here's how we've sacrificed the feminine for the "quick fix"

Have you ever made a choice that you thought would make your life easier, more successful, or more secure, only to realize later that you gave up too much of yourself in the process?

If so, you're not alone. This is an ancient theme that has played out in all of our lives. The only way out of a story is to become aware that you're in one so you can consciously rewrite the ending.

Today, I'm diving into an old myth that mirrors this very experience: The Handless Maiden.

This powerful tale speaks to the "poor bargains" many women make, often without realizing the cost. It reveals the sacrifices we make for approval, convenience, or worldly success—and how we can begin the sacred work of reclaiming what was lost.

When we look at myths and fairy tales from a Jungian perspective, it's important to remember:

We aren't just one of the characters — we’re all of them.

Sometimes we find ourselves living in the story.

Sometimes the story lives within us.

It may sound complicated, but it becomes clearer as we walk through it.

And if you're a paid subscriber, that's exactly what we'll do in our next live Mythic Musings gathering.

Let's dive in.

The Story of The Handless Maiden

Once upon a time, there was a poor miller who, despite his hard work, could barely make ends meet. Desperate, he made a deal with the Devil: he would receive great wealth in exchange for whatever stood behind his old shed.

The miller assumed it was just an old apple tree.

Apples are often associated with the feminine. They're juicy, nourishing, and abundant - just like a woman! (Side note: If you cut an apple vertically, the center looks like a vulva. If you cut an apple horizontally, it looks like a pentagon, symbolizing the divine feminine.) In any event, I digress…

It wasn't just an apple tree that was standing behind the shed. His daughter was also standing there. He unknowingly sacrificed his daughter to the devil for unlimited wealth.

The Devil tried to claim her three times, but the girl's purity always protected her. Furious, the Devil commanded the miller to cut off her hands. Terrified for his own life, the miller obeyed.

The Father, torn apart at what he had done, pleaded with his now handless daughter to stay. He promised her he would care for her, and now that he had wealth, he could keep her in luxury. Alas, the Handless Maiden knew things could never be the same. She refused to stay, and instead, she wandered into the forest, trusting fate.

Despite her suffering, she remained pure of heart. Eventually, she found herself in a royal orchard, where pears miraculously fell into her mouth, offering her nourishment. The king noticed her and fell in love with her (“not despite her wild nature, but because of it,” as Clarissa Pinkola Estés retells in Women Who Run With the Wolves). He married her, gifting her a set of silver hands.

Now, it seems like the story could end here, hadn’t the Handless Maiden gone through enough? But the Devil wasn't done.

While the king was off fighting a war, the devil intercepted messages between the king and his mother, telling the king his new baby was a demon, and telling the mother to kill the queen and child. The king’s mother, of course, would do no such thing. Fearing for their safety, the king's mother helped the queen and child escape into the forest.

Once again, the Handless Maiden finds herself in the forest alone, but with her newborn baby. Fortunately, she comes across some kindly innkeepers who offer her shelter. She remained there for seven years, caring for her child. While there, her hands slowly healed—her ability to create, connect, and care for herself grew back.

At last, the king discovered the deception, found his wife and child, and the family reunited joyfully.

The Poor Bargain

In myths and fairy tales, every character represents an aspect of our own psyche. In this story:

• The Maiden symbolizes our intuitive, creative, feeling feminine nature.

• The Father represents the immature masculine—the drive for quick success without concern for cost.

• The Devil represents the temptation of quick fixes and materialism.

The "poor bargain" happens when the miller trades something precious—the feminine aspect of life represented by his daughter's ability to feel and create—for wealth and security.

Of course, wealth and security only take us so far. Without the feminine, life feels barren and numb. Sound familiar?

How often are women encouraged to sacrifice their creativity, intuition, and feeling selves for success, approval, or comfort? Have you ever…

• Chose a high-paying job that drains your spirit.

• Prioritized appearance over vitality.

• Said yes to everyone but yourself.

• Traded authenticity for approval.

• Made a business deal that seems too good to be true

• Trusted someone else's authority over your own (because it's easier)

And just like the Maiden, we often find ourselves numb, disconnected, and "handless"—unable to create or hold what truly matters.

We know when we've made a poor bargain because something feels missing. And something is missing - your hands! This manifests as symptoms like burnout, anxiety, and numbness. I like to think of our symptoms not as our body malfunctioning, but as messages from your soul, inviting you to return to yourself.

In the story, the Handless Maiden's journey into the forest represents the inner journey each of us must take to heal and remember what’s truly important. She doesn't stay in the comforts offered by her guilty Father. She chooses the uncertainty of the woods—the place of transformation.

The story doesn’t end with her marriage to the king because she hasn't yet proven how strong and resilient she is. She didn't need a silver set of hands (although I'm sure they were pretty); she needed to rely on her own strength, wisdom, and connection to spirit.

Over time, through solitude, perseverance, and faith, her hands grow back.

And so can yours.

A Personal Story

I found myself inside The Handless Maiden story a while back.

Years ago, my Father asked me to help with a piece of farmland that had been in the family for some time. It was not a project I wanted to get involved with, as I had two young children, was working full-time in the corporate world, and my marriage was deteriorating. Nevertheless, against my better judgment, I got involved in an attempt to be the loyal, ever-helpful daughter.

Since I knew little about real estate or development, I brought on a partner to help. I was so confident that everything would go exactly as I had hoped, that I never stopped to consider what could go wrong (naiveté is a quality of the immature feminine).

I made a quick bargain, trusting someone else's expertise over my own, and thinking it would be an easier way through the situation that I didn’t want to be in. Instead of considering all possible outcomes and creating contingencies for each, I only considered one: we would develop the land, which would be highly profitable. I bet you know where this is going…

The partner, who initially seemed like a knight and shining armor offering me promises of wealth and ease, now seems like the Devil from the story, who wrote the contract in a way that completely favored his position. He would receive a substantial portion of the profit even if he did nothing at all (which was the case). Although I had a lawyer review the contract, I didn't do a thorough job vetting the lawyer or attempting to understand the agreement myself.

I made a poor bargain and have dealt with the repercussions, including estrangement from my Father and expensive legal proceedings for years.

I used to get down on myself for trading away my discernment and intuition, but it was a lesson that forced me to grow my hands. Now, I am aware when I’m seeking an easier, more convenient way that will likely cause more harm than good.

I suspect we'll make poor bargains throughout our lives as we constantly encounter new situations, but I believe we'll do them less often and with fewer consequences.

So, if you've ever felt handless—disconnected from your creativity, your intuition, your feeling self—know this:

You can grow your hands back.

Go out in the woods. Trust your intuition. Prioritize your creativity.

The feminine is not lost. She is seeking you, as much as you are seeking her.

Join Us: Mythic Musings on The Handless Maiden

Knowing these stories is critical! Had I known about The Handless Maiden before my failed partnership experience, I would have more quickly recognized which story I was trapped in and could have written a better ending.

If you're interested in learning more about these stories (ancient and modern) and how they impact your life, paid subscribers of This Enchanted Life will gather each month for a live retelling and discussion—I call this event Mythic Musings.

If The Handless Maiden stirred something in you, I invite you to join us for this month's Mythic Musings gathering live via Zoom on Monday, April 28th, at 3 PM EST.

We'll explore The Handless Maiden together, identifying the poor bargains we've made and discovering how to regrow our hands.

This is a paid subscriber-only event, and I would love for you to join us. There will be a recording if you can’t make it.

Your story isn't over —It's just getting good. 🐉⚔️