XXV. SNOWWHITE
Snowwhite is of special interest to the students of the folk-tale as being obviously a late product combining many motifs from different, more primitive, or at least earlier formulæ. E. Boeklen, in his Schneewitchen Studien, I, Leipzig 1910, suggests influence by Hansel and Gretel; The Seven Ravens; The Sleeping Beauty; The Maiden without Hands; One Eye, Two Eyes, Three Eyes; False Bride, etc.; and Bolte, i., 453, appears to agree with him. Certainly almost every one of the incidents can be paralleled in other sets of folk-tales. The combination "white as snow," "red as blood," "black as ebony," has already been given in the present volume (see p. 173). Bringing back an animal's heart instead of the proposed victim's is common form as early as the Book of Genesis; and the trial of the three beds is familiar to English children in Southey's "Three Bears." It would seem that a story something like "Snowwhite" was known in Shakespeare's time, as there appears to be a reference to it in the main plot of "Cymbeline" (see Germania, ix., 458).
The form I have given to the formula follows very closely that of the Grimms' 53. It is one of their best stories and occurs widely spread throughout Germany. Whether that implies original composition in Central Europe cannot at present be determined, but it certainly looks that way. I have, however, omitted Bolte's F referring to the punishment of the Queen, which is wanting in the majority of the variants. No editor of a text would under similar circumstances take account of so rare a variant.
LIST OF INCIDENTS
I give in the following list the chief incidents that occur in the preceding tales, using for the most part the nomenclature used in the notes or in the list of incidents attached to my paper on "The Problem of Diffusion" in the Transactions of the International Folk-Lore Congress, 1892, pp. 87-98.
N. B. Incidents in Drolls are placed in italics. In some few cases, the incidents are referred to only in the notes.
- Acquisition Task, xii.
- Animal Aid, xi., xvii.
- Apple Speaking, xviii.
- Bean Transformation, xxiv.
- Bird Aid, i.
- Bird Election, viii.
- Bird Prophecy, viii., xxi.
- Bird Throwing, x.
- Blood Resuscitation, xvi.
- Bread Crumb Track, xxii.
- Bride Quest, xii.
- Captured Bride, xii., xxi.
- Casting Sheep's Eyes, xv.
- Castle Building Task, xviii.
- Cheese Squeezing, x.
- Children Sacrifice, xvi.
- Cleansing Stable Task, xviii.
- Cow's Stomach Refuge, xxiv.
- Cure by Fruit, ix.
- Descent to Hell, xvii., xviii.
- Dogs in Bag, vi., xx.
- Door Dropping, xix.
- Dragon Slayer, xxi.
- Dress Rhyme, i.
- Enclosure in Bag, vi.
- Envious Sisters, i., vii.
- Exchange Series, ii.
- Exposed Hero, viii., xxii.
- External Soul, iii.
- Fairy Godmother, i.
- False Bathing, xi.
- False Bride, xviii.
- False Sale, xxiv.
- Feather Dress, vii.
- Feet Rhyme, i.
- Finger Ladder Task, xviii.
- Flea Bite Blows, x.
- Flight from Ogre, xviii.
- Forbidden Chamber, xii.
- Fox in Briar Bush, vi.
- Fox in Fish-cart, vi.
- Giants Quarrelling, x.
- Girl in Bag, ii.
- Helpful Animals, i.
- Honey Trap, i.
- Horse from Stable Theft, xvi.
- Horse's Ear Guide, xxiv.
- Iced Bear's Tail, vi.
- Inside Again, xx.
- Jealous Brother-in-law, xvii.
- Jealous Mother-in-law, xvii., xxv.
- Jephtha Vow, xviii.
- Language of Animals, viii.
- Life Token, iii., vii.
- Lollipop House, xxii.
- Lost Shoe, i.
- Love at Distance, xxi.
- Magic Cudgel, ix.
- Magic Dress, i.
- Magic Purse, ix.
- Magical Weapons, xii.
- Menial Hero, xviii.
- Menial Heroine, i.
- Moon on Forehead, vii.
- Mutilated Foot, i.
- Nobility Test, xi.
- Oblivion Kiss, xviii.
- Obstacle Pursuit, xii., xviii., xxii.
- Ogre Transformation, xi.
- Overheard Boasting, vii.
- Paradise Visitor, xix.
- Pebble Track, xxii.
- Planting Pigs' Tails, xv.
- Poisoned Comb, xxv.
- Poisoned Cup, xvi.
- Poisoned Half-apple, xxv.
- Pride before Fall, xiv.
- Priest in Bag Ride, xvi.
- Prince Rescue, xxv.
- Punishment for Curiosity, xvii.
- Purse or Life, xvi.
- Pursuit Rhyme, i.
- Quarrel of Limbs, vi.
- Quest Tasks, vii.
- Rage Wager, xv.
- Recognition Test, xii.
- Rescue from Dragon, iii.
- Sale of Bed, xviii.
- Scissors, iv.
- Seven Bens and Seven Glens, xii.
- Sight Taboo, xvii.
- Sheet off Bed Theft, xvi.
- Shoe Marriage Test, i.
- Snow-white, Blood-red, xxv.
- Speech Taboo, vii.
- Stick Finger, xxii.
- Substituted Children, vii.
- Substituted Heart, vii., xxv.
- Supernatural birth, iii.
- Swan Maidens, xii.
- Thankful Animals, xii., xiii.
- Thief Apprentice, xvi.
- Three Beds Trial, xxv.
- Thumb Bung, xvi.
- Thumbkin, xxiv.
- Top-off, Half-gone, All-gone, vi.
- Transformation by Fruit, ix.
- Tree Rhyme, i.
- Turned to Stone, iii., xxi.
- Ungrateful Animal, xx.
- Unicorn Captured, x.
- Unseen Bridegroom, xvii.
- Visitor from Paradise, xix.
- Washing Horses within, xv.
- Wolf Caught in Hole, xxiv.
- X at a Blow, x.