Remarks.–One of the class of Accumulative stories, which are well represented in England. ( Cf. infra, Nos. xvi., xx., xxxiv.)
V. HOW JACK SOUGHT HIS FORTUNE.
Source.– American Folk-Lore Journal I, 227-8. I have eliminated a malodorous and un-English skunk.
Parallels.–Two other versions are given in the Journal l.c. One of these, however, was probably derived from Grimm’s "Town Musicians of Bremen” (No. 27). That the others came from across the Atlantic is shown by the fact that it occurs in Ireland (Kennedy, Fictions, pp. 5-10) and Scotland (Campbell, No. 11). For other variants, see R. Köhler in Gonzenbach, Sicil. Märchen, ii. 245.
VI. MR. VINEGAR.
Source.–Halliwell, p. 149.
Parallels.–This is the Hans im Glück of Grimm (No. 83). Cf. too, “Lazy Jack,” infra, No. xxvii. Other variants are given by M. Cosquin, Contes pop. de Lorraine, i. 241. On surprising robbers, see preceding tale.
Remarks.–In some of the variants the door is carried, because Mr. Vinegar, or his equivalent, has been told to “mind the door,” or he acts on the principle “he that is master of the door is master of the house.” In other stories he makes the foolish exchanges to the entire satisfaction of his wife. ( Cf. Cosquin, i. 156-7.)
VII. NIX NOUGHT NOTHING.
Source.–From a Scotch tale, “Nicht Nought Nothing,” collected by Mr. Andrew Lang in Morayshire, published by him first in Revue Celtique, t. iii; then in his Custom and Myth, p. 89; and again in Folk-Lore, Sept. 1890. I have changed the name so as to retain the équivoque of the giant’s reply to the King. I have also inserted the incidents of the flight, the usual ones in tales of this type, and expanded the conclusion, which is very curtailed and confused in the original. The usual ending of tales of this class contains the “sale of bed” incident, for which see Child, i. 391.