Old Age laid hold of him in front, and Death laid hold of him behind.

The old man took and buried him decently, and planted the cross near him. And the old man took the money and also the horse.

In these days, when one is called upon to admire Maeterlinck and not for the world to admire Scott’s Marmion, it is hard to know what is really good and what bad. Else this story of ‘The Red King and the Witch’ to me seems the finest folk-tale that we have. It is like Albert Dürer’s ‘Knight,’ it is like the csárdás of some great Gypsy maestro. But is it original? Well, that’s the question. There are several non-Gypsy stories that offer most striking analogies. There is Ralston’s ‘The Witch and the Sun’s Sister’ (pp. 170–175, from the Ukraine), and there is Ralston’s ‘The Norka’ (pp. 73–80 from the Chernigof government). Then there is Wratislaw’s ‘Transmigration of the Soul’ (pp. 161–162, Little Russian), of a baby that gobbles up victuals. And there are Grimm’s No. 57 and Hahn’s No. 65. From these it would not be difficult to patch together a story that should almost exactly parallel our Gypsy one; but not one of them, I feel certain, can rightly be deemed its original.

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No. 15.—The Prince and the Wizard

There was a king, and he had an only son. Now, that lad was heroic, nought-heeding. And he set out in quest of heroic achievements. And he went a long time nought-heeding. And he came to a forest, and lay down to sleep in the shadow of a tree, and slept. Then he saw a dream, that he arises and goes to the hill where the dragon’s horses are, and that if you[23] keep straight on you will come to the man with no kidneys, screaming and roaring. So he arose and departed, and came to the man with no kidneys. And when he came there, he asked him, ‘Mercy! what are you screaming for?’ [[63]]

He said, ‘Why, a wizard has taken my kidneys, and has left me here in the road as you see me.’

Then the lad said to him, ‘Wait a bit longer till I return from somewhere.’

And he left him, and journeyed three more days and three nights. And he came to that hill, and sat down, and ate, and rested. And he arose and went to the hill. And the horses, when they saw him, ran to eat him. And the lad said, ‘Do not eat me, for I will give you pearly hay[24] and fresh water.’

Then the horses said, ‘Be our master. But see you do as you’ve promised.’