And the other day, out of the blue, killing time between hangovers, when what should hit me but a trifling epiphany.
That of Jack and the Beanstalk. That Jack makes a bad deal, turns it into an adventure, along the way steals a treasured golden harp in the shape of a woman and barely escapes with his life by chopping down the beanstalk and killing the evil giant.
The Giant, of course, is Jack's father, the beautiful harp is both the muse and libido, and his cutting down the beanstalk is symbolic of him castrating (or chopping down the giant's giant manhood) and his death is taken as the natural succession. Jack has transitioned from childhood or adolescence into manhood, with all the riches required to fulfill his dreams.
This was ridiculously easy, and I wonder for what reason I thought of it, and - for what reason my mind thought to solve it.
Therein lies the real question...
(**Note: I mean, I've never thought about this consciously, and so I would quite probably have figured it out. But why I would think about this unconsciously, and solve it....???)