Joyous, he went to feed his flocks, glad from the bed of love.
[44] The Decameron of Giovanni Boccaccio, translated by John Payne, Villon Society, 1884. See Excursus to this story.
[45] Kruptadia: Heilbronn, Henninger Frères, 1884: vol. 2, Breton Folk Lore.
[46] The play on words here is somewhat obscure. Manger un poulet is not a slang term for the sexual act. Interpreting freely, we might read: “Will give thee a chicken to pluck,” i.e.: her virginity. This is borne out by the wife’s subsequent behaviour. On the other hand, the mother may be speaking simply and literally.
[47] We make no apology for the frequent extracts from Kruptadia to be found in this volume and those to follow of Anthologica Rarissima. Kruptadia, perhaps the most remarkable recueil of folk lore stories, songs, sayings and proverbs in the world, is a work far too little known to the student and bibliophile. Its rarity may be explained by the fact that comparatively few copies of each volume were struck off. Of Vol. 2, from which “The Wedding Night of Jean the Fool” is taken, only 135 numbered copies were done. A complete 12-volume set, in the original format (the work was begun in Heilbronn by Henninger Frères and completed in Paris by Welter) is not often seen, and we count ourselves fortunate in having one before us as we write. Havelock Ellis frequently refers to the collection in his Studies in the Psychology of Sex, while Pisanus Fraxi, the great bibliographer of erotic, prohibited and uncommon books, was just able to notice the first two volumes in his Catena Librorum Tacendorum, (London: Privately Printed: 1885). He pays generous tribute to the production. “Students of folk lore,” he writes, “will hail with delight the appearance of this well-printed and carefully got up little volume, to be followed, let us hope, by many others of the same kind, equally remarkable for talented and faithful rendering, and masterly editing.” Dealing with the tales themselves, he goes on to say that “they reveal to us in an interesting and unequivocal manner the feelings, aspirations, modes of thought, manner of living of the people who tell them, and are possibly one of the most valuable contributions to the study of folk lore which has yet appeared.... They are all characteristic—all good.” Fraxi then gives the pith of “The Enchanted Ring,” which we have already printed at length in this volume. In the concluding pages of his Catena Librorum Tacendorum, Fraxi states that vol. 2 of Kruptadia has reached him in time to mention briefly its contents. Since these words were written, ten other volumes have been issued—a veritable mine of entertaining and instructive information. We even go so far as to say that genuine students of folk lore and collectors of curious literature cannot afford to ignore Kruptadia, even as they should have access to Pisanus Fraxi’s 3-volume work, INDEX LIBRORUM PROHIBITORUM, CENTURIA LIBRORUM ABSCONDITORUM, and CATENA LIBRORUM TACENDORUM. Possession of these works by all is impossible owing to their rarity, cost and small imprint. Not every student can afford to pay £20 to £30 for the complete set of Kruptadia, even if he be lucky enough to chance on such a find, while Fraxi’s amazing bibliography, in the sale room alone, commands about £35; and while the price tends steadily to increase, the appearance of the complete 3-volume set as steadily decreases.
[48] Kruptadia: Heilbronn, Henninger Frères, 1884: Breton Folk Lore.
[49] Peloton is the word in the text, signifying, literally, a ball made of things (thread, silk or wool) wound round it. The play on words is remarkably apt in the last few lines of the story, peloton exactly connoting, in the mind of the simple girl, the youth’s testicles and pubic hair.
[50] Fantastic Tales or The Way to Attain: A Book full of Pantagruelism: Now for the first time done into English by Arthur Machen: Privately Printed: Carbonnek, 1890. We shall return to the subject of De Verville’s work in a later page of this volume.
[51] The word is ours. Machen translates “honour.”
[52] Enfiler une aiguille, more usually, enfiler. The expression is common to most erotic writers. Vide various erotic lexicographers quoted ante.