Celtic Fairy Tales

XIV. JACK AND HIS COMRADES.

Source.–Ke

Parallels.–This is the fullest and most dramatic version I know of the Grimm’s “Town Musicians of Bremen” (No. 27). I have given an English (American) version in my English Fairy Tales, No. 5, in the notes to which would be found references to other versions known in the British Isles (e.g., Campbell, No. 11) and abroad. Cf. remarks on No. vi.

XV. SHEE AN GANNON AND GRUAGACH GAIRE.

Source.–Curtin, Myths and Folk-Lore of Ireland, p. 114 seq. I have shortened the earlier part of the tale, and introduced into the latter a few touches from Campbell’s story of "Fio

Parallels.–The early part is similar to the begi

Remarks.–Here again we meet the question whether the folk-tale precedes the hero-tale about Fi

XVI. THE STORY-TELLER AT FAULT.

Source.–Griffin’s Tales from a Jury-Room, combined with Campbell, No. xvii. c, “The Slim Swarthy Champion.”

Parallels.–Campbell gives another variant, l.c. i. 318. Dr. Hyde has an Irish version of Campbell’s tale written down in 1762, from which he gives the incident of the air-ladder (which I have had to euphemise in my version) in his Beside the Fireside, p. 191, and other passages in his Preface. The most remarkable parallel to this incident, however, is afforded by the feats of Indian jugglers reported briefly by Marco Polo, and illustrated with his usual wealth of learning by the late Sir Henry Yule, in his edition, vol. i. p. 308 seq. The accompanying illustration (reduced from Yule) will tell its own tale: it is taken from the Dutch account of the travels of an English sailor, E. Melton, Zeldzaame Reizen, 1702, p. 468. It tells the tale in five acts, all included in one sketch. Another instance quoted by Yule is still more parallel, so to speak. The twenty-third trick performed by some conjurors before the Emperor Jahangueir (Memoirs, p. 102) is thus described: “They produced a chain of 50 cubits in length, and in my presence threw one end of it towards the sky, where it remained as if fastened to something in the air. A dog was then brought forward, and being placed at the lower end of the chain, immediately ran up, and, reaching the other end, immediately disappeared in the air. In the same ma

Remarks.–Dr. Hyde (l.c. Pref. xxix.) thinks our tale ca

The passages in verse from pp 137, 139, and the description of the Beggarman, pp. 136, 140, are instances of a curious characteristic of Gaelic folk-tales called “runs.” Collections of conventional epithets are used over and over again to describe the same incident, the beaching of a boat, sea-faring, travelling and the like, and are inserted in different tales. These “runs” are often similar in both the Irish and the Scotch form of the same tale or of the same incident. The volumes of Waifs and Strays contain numerous examples of these “runs,” which have been indexed in each volume. These “runs” are another confirmation of my view that the original form of the folk-tale was that of the Cante-fable (see note on “Co

XVII. SEA-MAIDEN.

Source.–Campbell, Pop. Tales, No. 4. I have omitted the births of the animal comrades and transposed the carlin to the middle of the tale. Mr. Batten has considerately idealised the Sea-Maiden in his frontispiece. When she restores the husband to the wife in one of the variants, she brings him out of her mouth! “So the sea-maiden put up his head (Who do you mean? Out of her mouth to be sure. She had swallowed him).”

Parallels.–The early part of the story occurs in No. xv., "Shee an Ga

Remarks.–As both Prof. Rhys (Hibbert Lect., 464) and Mr. Nutt (MacI