1.1

Dr. Boas gives the bibliography of “Dr. Know-All” in America in JAFL 25 : 151.

A Sinhalese variant may be found in Parker, 1 : 179–185 (No. 23).

2.

Page 11 (footnote). Dr. Boas informs me that petate is a Mexican-Spanish word borrowed from the Nahuatl.

Full bibliography of Grimm, No. 122 (“Donkey Cabbages”) is given in Bolte-PolÍvka, 3 : 3–9.

In JAFL 28 : 56 is a Penobscot story containing the loss of three magic objects, transportation to a distant place, escape of princess by means of transportation-cap, discovery by hero of magic apples, punishment of princess, and the recovery of the magic objects (see Thompson, 401).

3.

Page 25 (A). For a list of Hindoo stories in which the hero is only a span high, see Parker, 2 : 256.

Page 25–26 (B¹). In a Biloxi tale not belonging in other respects to our group, the hero’s uncle puts the hero to some hard tests, hoping to make away with him (see Thompson, 376).Page 26 (B²). The attempts to kill the hero in a well by throwing huge rocks on him are found in some of the American variants of the “Strong John” cycle. (See Thompson, 435–436, for French-Canadian and Maliseet versions.)

Page 26 (D.) In a Maliseet tale (Thompson, 340) the strong hero sets out on his travels with a giant cane that will hold fifty salted cattle.

Page 27 (E). In ten of the American Indian versions of “John the Bear” are found the extraordinary companions (see Thompson, 336–344).

Page 29. With Kakarangkang’s adventure inside the crocodile, compare an Araucano story (SauniÈre, No. 3), in which the heroine with a knife is swallowed by the big king of fishes. She cuts her way out, saving her brother and others imprisoned.

4.

Interrupted-cooking episode. For a Negro version from Bahamas, see MAFLS 13, No. 93; also bibliography on p. 142 (footnote). In his analysis of “John the Bear “ stories among the American Indians, Thompson (336–342) notes this episode in Assiniboin, Tehuano, Shoshone, Thompson River, Maliseet, Loucheux, and Micmac versions.

Bee-hive hoax. Three Mexican variants on this idea may be noted. In one (JAFL 25 : 237), rabbit pretends that the bee-hive is a school, which he permits coyote to keep. In another (ibid., 206) rabbit pretends that a wasp-nest is a cradle, and gets coyote to rock it. The third is a Cora story given in abstract by Dr. Boas (ibid., 260), which is nearest the form of the incident as found in our tales. Opossum pretends that the bee-hive is a bell which coyote is to ring when he hears the sky-rockets. In a New-Mexican Spanish story (JAFL 27 : 134–135) fox tells coyote that the bee-hive is his school humming.

5.

Parker’s Sinhalese story “The Elephant-Fool” (3 : 100–111, No. 203) tells of a man who borrowed another’s elephant; but the beast died before it could be returned. The borrower offers payment or another animal, but the owner will accept nothing but his own elephant alive. Through the cleverness of his wife, the borrower is able to make the obdurate man break a water-pot, and in turn demands his very water-pot back unbroken. Unable to do anything else, the owner of the elephant says that the two debts cancel each other, and goes away. Parker notes that in another Sinhalese form of this story both persons institute law-suits. He also cites a Chinese variant (p. 111).

6.

Page 51, line 41. For bibliography of Grimm, No. 183, see Bolte-PolÍvka, 3 : 333–335.

Parker (2 : 247–268, No. 137) gives a Sinhalese story, with three variants, which is definitely connected with our tales, and confirms my belief that the “False-Proofs” cycle is native to southern India. In Parker’s main story the false proofs are five,—ass (voice), two winnowing-trays (ears), two bundles of creepers (testicles?), a tom-tom (eye), and two elephant tusks (teeth). In variant b the false proofs are drum (roar), deer-hide rope (hair), pair of elephant tusks (teeth).

For another Sinhalese story of how a man and his wife “bluffed” a terrible Yakā hiding under the bed to kill him, see Parker, 1 : 148–149 (No. 17).

7.

Page 62. Analogous to the task cited from Jātaka, No. 546, is one of the problems in the Liberian story “Impossible vs. Impossible” (JAFL 32 : 413). Problem: Make a mat from rice-grains. Solution: Old rice-mat demanded as pattern.—For making rope out of husks, and analogous tasks, see Bolte-PolÍvka, 2 : 513.

Page 62 (3). In Parker, No. 79, a king requires a man to put a hundred gourd-fruits in a hundred small-mouthed vessels. His clever daughter grows them there. Parker cites a story from Swynnerton’s Indian Night’s Entertainment, in which a clever girl sends melons in jars to a prince and requires him to remove the melons without injuring them or the jars. This problem is identical with one on our p. 58 (16–17).

In still another Sinhalese story a foolish king requires a Paṇḍitayā, under penalty of death, to teach the royal white horse to speak. The wise man’s daughter saves her father’s life by telling him what to reply to the king (Parker, 1 : 199–200, No. 27).—In Parker, 3 : 112–113 (No. 204), a country-girl meets a prince, to whose questions she gives enigmatical replies. He is clever enough to interpret them correctly.

Page 63 (4). In Parker, 2 : 7–9 (No. 78), a king requires milk from oxen. The clever village girl’s answer is of a kind with Marcela’s (our collection, p. 55): she sets out for the washerman’s with a bundle of cloths, is met by the king, and tells him her father has come of age in the same manner as women (i.e., he has menstruated).

8.

For stealing eggs from under bird, see Bolte-PolÍvka, 3 : 57–58. Bolte-PolÍvka’s notes on Grimm, No. 192, include a discussion of both the “Master Thief” cycle (3 : 379–395) and the Rhampsinitus “Treasure-House” saga (3 : 395–406). Two Sinhalese variants of the latter cycle, lacking in Bolte-PolÍvka’s bibliography, are Parker’s No. 189 and variant (3 : 41–46). Here the thieves are father and son; son cuts off father’s head to prevent identification. The stories end with the exposure of the body and the escape of the son, who falls from a tree when his mother bursts into laments at the sight of her husband’s corpse.

Four American Indian versions of the “Master Thief” are analyzed by Thompson (427–429),—Maliseet, Dakota, Thompson River, Wyandot.

A Oaxaca version of the “Master Thief” is given in Radin-Espinosa, 226–227 (No. 116): it preserves a number of features of the Rhampsinitus story. Likewise a New-Mexican Spanish tale (JAFL 24 : 423–424), in which, after preliminary skill-tests, the two thieves rob the king. The Mexican thief is caught; the Spanish thief cuts off his head. The corpse, by order of the king, is carried through town, and the house of the mourner is marked with blood. The Spanish thief escapes by marking all the houses with blood. (For the bibliography of marking all the house-doors with chalk to prevent discovery, see Bolte-PolÍvka, 3 : 145, note.)

9.

Page 78. Not counting self. This incident occurs in a Sinhalese story (Parker, 1 : 258, No. 44). (See ibid., 259, for three variants from India and one from China.) Comparative bibliography of this motif is given in Bolte-PolÍvka, 3 : 149 (note 1).

Page 78. Killing fly on face. Sinhalese (Parker, 1 : 319–321, No. 58): The stupid hero strikes with a rice-pestle at a fly on his mother’s head, and kills her. Wyandot (Thompson, 423): The numskull hero hits the head of a sleeping child to kill mosquito, and kills child. Ojibwa (Laidlaw, 63): Flies on baby’s head “killed” with rubber boot.

10.

Page 87. Add to the bibliography of the “Magic Ring” cycle three American forms of the story,—French-Canadian, Micmac, and Maliseet (analyzed by Thompson, 398–399).

An interesting Sinhalese version is Parker’s No. 208 (3 : 127–131). Here a lazy prince buys a cobra, parrot, and cat. From the snake-king he receives a ring by means of which he can create anything he wants. He creates a palace and a princess. The princess and ring are stolen by an old woman acting as agent for a king who came to know of the beautiful princess (hair floating down-stream). Through the aid of his faithful animals, especially the cat, which coerces the king of the rats, the hero recovers his wife and magic object. (See also Parker’s extensive notes [131–135] for other Oriental versions.)

11.

Page 114. See Bolte-PolÍvka, 3 : 483–486, for notes on Grimm’s fragment “The Louse.” Bolte and PolÍvka (3 : 84–85) give brief notes on Grimm, No. 134, mostly in the nature of addenda to their notes on Grimm, No. 71, with which this story is closely related.

Three American Indian variants of Grimm, No. 71, are analyzed by Thompson (346–347).

For a Negro version from the Bahamas, see MAFLS 13, No. 20.

12.

Page 125, line 21. For “Diego and Juan” read “Diego and Pedro.”

Page 128, note 3. Dr. Farnham presents a fuller and more recent study of the cycle of the “Contending Lovers” in Publications of the Modern Language Association, 28 (1920): 247–323.

Page 128. Full bibliographical treatment of our Type I, the “Creation of Woman,” may be found in Bolte-PolÍvka, 3 : 53–57.

Page 133. Bibliography of Grimm, No. 124, will be found in Bolte-PolÍvka, 3 : 10–12; of Grimm, No. 129, ibid., 45–58. Bolte and PolÍvka are of the opinion that Grimm, Nos. 71, 124, and 129, are all related (3 : 45).

A New-Mexican Spanish variant of Grimm, No. 129 (JAFL 24 : 411–414), tells of three brothers sent out to learn trades. One becomes a carpenter; another, a silversmith; and the third, a thief. They are tested by the king, who is satisfied that they have learned their trades well. A Negro version from the Bahamas (MAFLS 13 : 43–44, No. 23) tells of four brothers who went out and became skilled (tailor, robber, thief, archer). Skill-test with egg (stealing from nest, shooting it into four parts, stitching egg together, replacing under bird). Rescue of princess stolen by dragon (stitching planks of shattered ship together).

Very close to the Bahamas tale, except in the dÉnouement, is a Sinhalese story (Parker, 2 : 33 ff., No. 82). Four princes set out to learn sciences: the first learns sooth; the second, theft; the third, archery; the fourth, carpentry. They are tested by their father the king (stealing egg from crow, cutting it with arrow, repairing it, and restoring it to nest). They then search for and bring back the queen, who had been stolen by a Rākshasa. They then quarrel as to who should have the sovereignty. In variant a (ibid., 36–39) a nobleman’s five sons learn sciences (soothsayer, marksman, thief, runner, physician) and jointly restore a dead princess to life. In variant b (39–42) seven princes become skilled. In variant c four Brahmans learn sciences to win the hand of a princess, and afterwards restore her to life. As they cannot settle their quarrel, they all give her up. (For other versions, see Parker, 2 : 43–45, 157–159 [No. 109]).

Page 136, line 31. For “Tagić” read “Jagić.”

13.

In a Oaxaca story (Radin-Espinosa, 249–250, No. 137) a rich compadre tries with no success to advance the fortunes of his poor compadre, and comes to the conclusion that he who is born to be poor will always be poor.

14 b.

A Oaxaca version of “The Thief and his Master,” with the transformation-combat detail, is given in Radin-Espinosa, 240 (No. 131). An analogous story has also been recorded by F. Boas at ZuÑi.

Three Sinhalese versions of “The Magician and his Pupil” may be found in Parker, 3 : 400–407 (No. 266). Many other Oriental variants are given in abstract in the notes to these stories (ibid., 408–410).

15.

In JAFL 31 : 480–481 is given a Guatemala droll which is clearly derived from the Arabian Nights form of our story.

For additional bibliography of the tricky thief who pretends he had been transformed into the ass which he has just stolen from the simple peasant, see Bolte-PolÍvka, 3 : 9. Related to this motif are two Oriental tales given in abstract by Parker (3 : 205–206).

17.

Page 161. Identical with our first task is one found in a Oaxaca version (Radin-Espinosa, 223, No. 112). No. 109 in this same collection is a variant of “John the Bear.” An excellent New-Mexican Spanish version of “John the Bear” is given by Espinosa (JAFL 24 : 437–444). (For American Indian versions of this cycle, see Thompson, 336–344.)

Page 165. For comparative bibliography of the “Forgotten Betrothed” cycle, see Bolte-PolÍvka, 2 : 516–527 (on Grimm, No. 113) ; for American versions of the tasks and magic flight, MAFLS 13 : 54 n²; and for American Indian versions of this cycle as a whole. Thompson, 370–381. In only four of the twenty Indian stories analyzed, however, does the incident of the forgetting of his fiancÉe by the hero occur.

The first part of the “Forgotten Betrothed” cycle is found in an Araucano story (SauniÈre, No. 9), in which the hero takes service with a supernatural being, falls in love with his daughter, performs two difficult tasks and answers three questions, and flees with her in a transformation-flight that ends with the death of the pursuer.

In a Negro story from Bahamas (MAFLS 13 : No. 27) are found the tasks, magic-flight, and forgotten-betrothed elements.

18.

Our story is closely related to Grimm, No. 82 a (see Bolte-PolÍvka, 2 : 190–196, for text), a story derived from MusÄus. Grimm, No. 197 (Bolte-PolÍvka, 3 : 424–443), is also related. Thompson (410) cites a Micmac version that agrees with ours in its main outlines,—a version which he believes goes back to a French original. A very brief Kutenai version is given in Boas, “Kutenai Tales” (Bulletin 59, Bureau of American Ethnology), p. 34.

19.

See Bolte-PolÍvka’s notes on Grimm, No. 108 (2 : 234 ff.).

20.

Page 196. The following American Indian variants of motifs found in our stories are analyzed by Thompson (419–426):—

Fatal imitation (G¹): Maliseet (wife), Ojibwa, Dakota, ZuÑi.

Substitute for execution (H): Maliseet, Ojibwa, Wyandot, Thompson River, Dakota, Tepecano, Creek, Yuchi, Jicarilla Apache, Pochulta, Chalina, Aztec, Tuxtepec.

Marine cattle (J): Micmac, Maliseet, Ojibwa, Thompson River, Dakota, Tepecano.

Frightening robbers under tree (F): Micmac, Maliseet, Wyandot, Ojibwa (for Ojibwa see also Laidlaw, 196).

For a Negro (Bahamas) variant of G¹, see MAFLS 13, No. 41; of F, ibid., No. 46. In a Oaxaca story, “Los Dos Compadres” (Radin-Espinosa, 198–199, No. 101), one compadre frightens a band of robbers unwittingly and acquires treasure (sale-of-ashes incident). Then follows the incident of the borrowed measure returned with coins adhering, whereupon the rich compadre tries to “sell ashes,” and is killed by the robbers. For bibliography of the motif coins sticking to borrowed measure, see Bolte-PolÍvka, 1 : 520; 2 : 6; 3 : 143 n.

The incident of frightening robbers under tree appears to be characteristic of the Pedro di Urdemales group (see JAFL 27 : 119–134, especially 125, 133). For the sack-by-sea episode in the same story, see ibid., 134.

To Bolte-PolÍvka’s bibliography of Grimm, No. 61, should be added a Sinhalese version (Parker, 2 : 116–119, No. 101), which contains the rejuvenating-cudgel, sack-by-sea, and marine-cattle motifs.

21.

Page 206. In a Oaxaca story (Radin-Espinosa, 246, No. 134) closely related to our No. 21, a king sentences a gentleman to death for having said, “El que tiene dinero hace lo que quiere.” This sentiment is almost identical with that found in the Sicilian story by PitrÈ. In both, too, the device by means of which the hero discovers the hidden princess is a golden eagle which gives forth beautiful music.

In a New-Mexican Spanish version (JAFL 27 : 135–137) the hero gains access to the princess by means of a bronze eagle.

23.

Page 213. In a New-Mexican Spanish story (JAFL 27 : 128) one of the adventures of Pedro di Urdemales is to make a pact with the Devil in return for much money. In hell he wins his freedom by sticking the demons to their chairs with varnish and then frightening them with a cross. This version seems nearly related to our story. In a Tepecano tale of the same hero (ibid., 171) Pedro frightens and beats devils with a holy palm-leaf.

24.

Page 221. Add to Benfey’s Oriental versions a Sinhalese story by Parker (2 : 288–291, No. 141). Parker analyzes three other Hindoo variants which should be noted.

Page 222. Parker, No. 252 (3 : 339–341), “How Mārayā was put in the Bottle,” is a close variant of Grimm, No. 44. Death is finally outwitted by the hero, who persuades him to creep into a bottle to demonstrate that he had been able to enter a closed room through a keyhole. Thereafter all the hero has to do to cure a sick person is to place the bottle at his head! This detail of enclosing a demon in a bottle is found in Caballero’s story.

In another Sinhalese story (Parker, 3 : 185–186, No. 222) a water-snake, pleased by a beggar’s actions, promises to make him rich by creeping up the trunk of the king’s tusk elephant and making the animal mad. The beggar “cures” the elephant when he tells the snake to leave, and becomes wealthy.

27.

Thompson (413–414) cites two American Indian stories, Penobscot and Maliseet, which open with the obtaining of a gold-dropping horse from an old man because of kindness, the loss of it at an inn at the bands of a rascally landlord, and the recovery of the animal through the generous use of a magic cudgel. The remainder of the two stories is connected with the last part of the “Golden Goose” cycle (Grimm, No. 64).

Page 237. To the East Indian variants of this story add Parker, No. 97 (2 : 101–104), in which an indigent man who frightens a Yakā obtains from the demon a magic self-filling plate, a ring which when sold will always return to its owner, and a gold-dropping cow. These are stolen from him on successive days by a HettiyÄ, and worthless imitations substituted. Then the Yakā gives the hero a magic cudgel, with which he regains his magic articles. (See Parker, ibid., 104–105, for other Oriental versions.)

29.

Page 247. A Sinhalese story, “The Mouse Maiden” (Parker, 1 : 308 f., No. 54), tells of a princess in the form of a mouse who was married to a prince. Her permanent disenchantment is brought about by the burning of her mouse-jacket. Similarly in No. 223 (Parker, 3 : 187–188) the youngest of seven princes is married to a female hare, which is permanently disenchanted when her husband burns her hare-skin. This story and another cited by Parker, in which the youngest of seven princes married a female monkey who in the end proved to be a fairy and took off her monkey-skin (Chilli: Folk Tales of Hindustan, 54), appear to be related to the Indian MÄrchen cited by Benfey (1 : 251).

For other tales of animal-marriages with transformation, see Parker, Nos. 151, 207 (turtle), No. 163 (snake), No. 164 (lizard), No. 165 (frog); without transformation, No. 158 (bear), No. 159 (leopard).

30.

A Sinhalese variant of the “Chastity-Wager” story is Parker, No. 149 (2 : 334–336).

33.

In a French-Canadian version (JAFL 32 : 161–163), while a jealous hunchback is away from home, three other hunchbacks (unrelated to the husband) apply to the wife for food. While they are eating, she sees her husband returning. She hides her three guests in a chest, where they are smothered. The remainder of the story is regular.

35.

Page 278. Our story appears to be related to some of the variants of Grimm, No. 22, though there is little resemblance between it and the German story itself. Compare, however, an Ojibwa tale (JAFL 29 : 337), in which a princess is offered in marriage to whoever can propose a riddle she cannot solve (in our story it is the hero who must give the answer to the princess’s riddle). On his way to court, the hero receives magic objects. He successfully outriddles his opponent, but is put in prison. He wins release and the princess’s hand by means of the magic objects. (See Thompson, 415–416.)

36.

Page 283. A New-Mexican Spanish variant of “Juan TiÑoso” (JAFL 24 : 403–408) combines features from “John the Bear.”

Page 284. The “Iron Hans” cycle (Grimm, No. 136) Bolte and PolÍvka (3 : 97) outline as follows:—

1. (A¹) A prince sets free a wild man, Iron Hans, whom his father has captured; (A²) the prince flees from the machinations of his hostile or wanton step-mother; (A³) the wild man bestows on a childless couple a son, who, however, after a definite term, must be surrendered to him.
2. (B) While with Iron Hans, whose orders he disobeys, the boy acquires golden halt, and (B¹) is either forgiven and restored to favor, or (B²) escapes on a talking horse.
3. (C) After covering his gold hair with a hat or cloth, he takes service as a gardener at a king’s palace, where the princess falls in love with him.
4. (D) At a tournament he appears three times on a magnificent horse that Iron Hans has furnished him with, and he gains the hand of the king’s daughter.
5. (E) He manifests his nobility as victor in a combat, as a dragon-killer, as a bringer of a cure for the sick king (cf. No. 97), or on a hunt, where he disgraces his mocking brothers-in-law.
6. (F) Iron Hans or the helpful horse is disenchanted.

For American Indian variants of the “Iron Hans” cycle, see Thompson, 350–357.

Page 284, line 3. For throwing of apples to intended husbands, see Bolte-PolÍvka, 2 : 381; 3 : 111.

Line 16. For the branding of the brothers-in-law, see Grimm, Nos. 59, 91, 97; also Bolte-PolÍvka, 3 : 114 (note 1).

Juan TiÑoso means John the Scabby. Two French versions have exactly the same title, “Jean le Teignous” and “Jean le Tigneux” (Bolte-PolÍvka, 3 : 99). A somewhat distant Sinhalese relative of “Juan TiÑoso,” in which the hero is a turtle, is Parker, No. 151 (2 : 345–352).

In an Osage Indian story occurs the release of an imprisoned monster by a boy (Thompson, 331).

38.

Page 288. For bibliography of the question “How much is the king worth?” see Bolte-PolÍvka, 3 : 232. The Negrito’s counter-demand to the king’s third task (i.e., drink all the fresh water) is identical with the counter-demand to the task of counting the drops in the sea (ibid., 3 : 231).

Page 291. Bolte and PolÍvka (3 : 214) emphasize the fact of the mutual borrowing of incidents by this cycle and the “Clever Lass” cycle.

Two Sinhalese stories not unlike our No. 38 are given by Parker,—“The Three Questions” (1 : 150–152), “The Four Difficult Questions” (153–154).

40.

Page 299, “Pitong.” In a Oaxaca story (Radin-Espinosa, 204, No. 104) occur the abandoned-children opening, corn-trail, fruit-trail, ogre’s house, advice of rat, ogre pushed in oven. A Chile version of “Le Petit Poucet” is “PiÑoncito” (SauniÈre, 262). The following American Indian versions are noticed by Thompson (361–365): Thompson River (3), Shuswap (2), Ojibwa, Maliseet, Ponka, Bellacoola, Mewan, Uintah Ute.

45.

For a Negro (Bahamas) version of “Cinderella,” see MAFLS 13, No. 17; for American Indian versions, Thompson, 384–385.

47.

Compare a Negro story from the Bahamas (MAFLS 13, No. 14); also a Sinhalese tale, “The Roll of Cotton” (Parker, 1 : 364–366, No. 69), in which the two women are sisters.

48.

Two Hindoo (Sinhalese) versions of the “Puss-in-Boots” cycle are Parker, No. 49 (1 : 278–283) and No. 235 (3 : 243–248). These are of extreme importance in trying to establish the provenience of our stories: for in both the helpful animal is a monkey; both contain the incident of the borrowed measure, the incident of the killing of the demon by the monkey (obscure but unmistakable in No. 49) and the claiming of the monster’s palace as his master’s; in both the monkey marries his master to a king’s daughter. These two stories differ from ours in the conclusion: the master proves ungrateful, and the faithful monkey runs off into the forest. Again, too, in the opening, these two Sinhalese stories differ from ours: the monkey’s gratitude is not motivated; the animal is not a thieving animal, hence there is no tar-baby device.

Page 336, Tar-Baby. For the distribution of the “Tar-Baby” story among the American Indians, see Boas (JAFL 25 : 249), supplemented by Thompson (444–446). For Negro versions, see MAFLS 13 : Nos. 10, 11, 12; JAFL 30 : 171, 222; Thompson, 440. Other American versions are Mexico (JAFL 29 : 549); Guatemala (JAFL 31 : 472 f.); Oaxaca (Radin-Espinosa, 120–121, 183, 197; JAFL 25 : 200, 201, 235–236).

49.

In a Sinhalese noodle-story the foolish hero joins a band of thieves and tries to steal a millstone, wakening the owner of the house and asking him for assistance (Parker, 2 : 70–75, No. 90). In another tale in the same collection, No. 57 (1 : 317–318), a gang of robbers steal a devil-dancer’s box. While they are sleeping, one of their number, a fool, puts on the costume. They awake, think he is the Devil, and flee, the fool pursuing and calling, “Stay there! stay there!” This story is like our “Juan and the Robbers” (348–349). Compare also the story cited by Parker on p. 318.

50.

Since writing the notes to No. 50, I have found a Sinhalese version of the “Hat-pays-landlord” story which is essentially the same as ours, only a three-cornered hat, not a painted one, is the hoax. The motive of the hero’s trick is his desire for revenge on three sharpers who have cozened him out of a bull which they pretend is a goat (Parker, 3 : 200–205, No. 226). For this last situation, compare our No. 15 and notes.

53.

In the Sinhalese “Story of the Bitch” (Parker, 3 : 102–104, No. 201) a bitch gives birth to two princesses, who marry princes. Later the elder daughter drives her dog-mother away when it seeks to visit her, but the younger treats it kindly. The elder daughter is killed by a cobra-bite because of her avariciousness. This version is nearly related to Miss Frere’s old Deccan story.

54.

In the latter part of a long Sinhalese story (Parker, No. 145) a king conceives a passion for the hero’s wife, and resorts to the same ruse as the wicked datu in our story,—underground tunnel, and letter to parents in the underworld. The hero escapes by means of a cross-tunnel, returns with marvellous raiment (provided by heroine) and news that the king’s father and mother are happy. The avaricious king makes the same trip, and is destroyed. Parker, No. 146 (2 : 313–314), contains almost the identical situation.

55.

Page 371 (E). Probably the earliest literary version of the drowning-turtle motif (undoubtedly the prototype of the brier-patch punishment) is Buddhistic: Jātaka, No. 543. This motif occurs in a Sinhalese story otherwise wholly unrelated to the cycle of which this punishment is usually a part (Parker, No. 150, 2 : 339–340; see also 343–344).For additional bibliography of the brier-patch punishment, in many of the American Indian versions of which the turtle or tortoise is substituted for the rabbit, see Thompson, 446–447; JAFL 31 : 229 (note). Thompson (440) also lists some American Negro variants.

Page 372. With Jātaka, No. 273, compare a Negro story from the Bahamas (MAFLS 13 : 92, No. 45, II). Skinner (JAFL 32 : 295–297) gives an Ojibwa story in which occurs the “drowning” of the turtle and the biting-off of otter’s testicles by the turtle. This second detail appears reminiscent of the turtle’s revenge discussed on our pp. 372–373.

56.

Page 379. Some American versions of the house-answering-owner episode are the following: Oaxaca (Radin-Espinosa, 184–185; 194, rabbit and coyote; JAFL 25 : 208, rabbit and crocodile); Chile (JAFL 26 : 248, a curious modification of the motif); Mexico (JAFL 29 : 552). In another Mexican story we find the episode of the rabbit crossing the river on the crocodile’s back (JAFL 29 : 551–552).

In a Sinhalese story of “The Crocodile and the Jackal” (Parker, 1 : 380–381, No. 75), the crocodile shams dead. Jackal says, “In our country dead crocodiles wag their tails.” (This appears to me a variant of the house-answering-owner motif.) Later follows the incident of the seizure of the foot of the jackal, who pretends crocodile has hold of a root. (See also Parker, No. 36 [1 : 235 f.] for deceptions turtle practises on jackal.)

57.

Page 381. A Oaxaca story (Radin-Espinosa, 190, No. 94) combines an account of a war between the animals and the winged creatures (animals defeated) with a race between the lion and the cricket.

59.

American versions of the let-me-take-your-place motif are numerous: Oaxaca (Radin-Espinosa, 121, 153, 183, 185, 197; JAFL 25 : 201, 236); Mexico (JAFL 29 : 550); Tepecano (JAFL 27 : 162); Negro (JAFL 32 : 400, 402; MAFLS 13 : Nos. 12, 33, 39).

60.

The following American forms of the accumulative story may be noted: Guatemala (JAFL 31 : 482–483); Mexico (JAFL 25 : 219 f.); Oaxaca (Radin-Espinosa, 195, No. 99); New-Mexican Spanish (JAFL 27 : 138); Tepecano (JAFL 27 : 175). See also Thompson, 453–454. The stories resemble ours only in general method, not at all in detail. For discussion and abstracts of some South American variants that are closer to our form than are those of Central and North America, see Boas (JAFL 25 : 352–353 and notes).

A curious Sinhalese accumulative story, No. 251 in Parker’s collection (3 : 336–338), tells how, when some robbers were apprehended for digging into the king’s palace and were sentenced, they replied that the mason who made the walls was at fault, not they. The mason accused his lime-mixer; the lime-mixer, a beautiful woman for having distracted his attention; the woman, a goldsmith. The goldsmith is condemned, but by a ruse succeeds in getting a wholly innocent fat-bellied Mohammedan trader executed in his place. Parker abstracts a similar story from southern India (p. 338). (See also his No. 28 [1 : 201–205] for another kind of “clock-story” nearer the type of “The Old Woman and her Pig.”)

61.

Page 392. Parker’s No. 107 (2 : 146–149) is an elaboration of Jātaka, No. 374. (For other Oriental variants of this theme, see ibid., 149–150.)

71.

For a Negro version of a flight-contest (not etiological) between a crow and a pigeon, see MAFLS 13 : No. 53.

79.

The Upper Thompson Indians have a story of how the raven and the crow were sent out after the Flood to find land. They did not return, but fed on the corpses of the drowned people. For this reason they were transformed into birds of black color, where formerly they were white-skinned (JAFL 29 : 329).

82.

For bibliography of the relay-race motif among the American Indians see Boas (JAFL 25 : 249; Thompson, 448–449). Thompson cites fourteen American Indian versions, in all but two of which the winner is the turtle. In one, the clever animal is a gopher; in the other, a frog. For American Negro variants, see Thompson, 441; JAFL 31 : 221 (note 2); JAFL 32 : 394. In a Negro version from Bahamas (MAFLS 13 : No. 54), horse and conch race; horse is defeated, and kicks the little conches to death (cf. the ending of our No. 82). For a Mexican version (rabbit and toad) see JAFL 25 : 214–215; for Oaxaca (toad and deer), Radin-Espinosa, 193.

In an Araucano story (SauniÈre, No. XI) the race between the fox and the crawfish does not assume the relay form.