ABSTRACT
A common example of miraculous conception is through eating, including the consumption of various fruits, flowers, roots, and leaves. One of the best-known miraculous conceptions is that of the Virgin Mary, who gave birth to Christ, son of God. According to Holly Tucker, maternal cravings were deemed dangerous in folk and literary traditions, resulting, it was believed, in miscarriage or birthmarks. Birthmarks or other deformities signal the mother's sin. Although stories about multiple births and women giving birth to animals initially represent the situation as problematic, if not horrifying, their plotlines eventually lead to an unexpectedly happy or heroic resolution. Tales in the tradition of the Swan Knight provide examples of stories in which multiple births are represented in a positive light. Sometimes, however, multiple births are viewed in negative terms. In stories like "Ancilotto" and "Princess Belle-Etoile," the queen is only led to believe that she gave birth to animals.
