[228] Wright, History of Caricature and Grotesque, p. 181.
[229] M. Jos. Bédier in his interesting study, L’Esprit des Fabliaux, though he argues that the fabliaux in general had no social aim (“portée sociale”), has to admit that in the case of the treatment of the priests these “contes à rire en vers” betray a genuine hatred, a hatred which (he adds) runs through other forms of literature of the Middle Ages.
[230] Bédier points out in the work quoted that the writers of the fabliaux, which issue from the burgher class, and are written for this class, take sides with the weak villains rather than with the strong knightly class (see p. 291 ff.). Cf., however, Wright, op. cit., p. 114.
[231] See Maspero, Les Contes populaires de l’Égypte, Introduction (“Conte des deux frères”).
[232] Percy Gardner, Greek Antiquities, p. 353.
[233] Tyrrell, Latin Poetry, p. 220.
[234] Bédier, op. cit., p. 279 ff.
[235] H. Spencer, Principles of Sociology, “Ceremonial Institutions,” pp. 205, 206.
[236] Maspero, Life in Ancient Egypt and Assyria, chap. i.
[237] Wilkinson, Manners and Customs of Ancient Egyptians, iii., pp. 447, 429.