151. A variation of No. 150.—Italian, Corazzini, pp. 91-93, beginning, "Open, open the gates." Gianandrea, No. 3, "Le Porte del Paradiso." The dialogue ends, "Let the King of France with all his soldiers pass."
152. Italian, Bernoni, p. 54.—French, Ch. du Camb. i. 133.—German, Vernaleken, p. 55.
153. German, Meier, p, 117, "Farben aufgeben," etc.—Italian, Bernoni, p. 51, "I colori." This version is identical with the German and our A, as is also the Spanish (or Catalan), Maspons y Labrós, p. 91. The game of "Los Colores" is mentioned by A. de Ledesma, A.D. 1605.—French, Belèze, p. 40 (cited).
Intermediate between this number and the following are games of selling birds, Frischbier, p. 184; of catching birds, Rochholz, p. 449.
Greek game of the shell, Ὀστρακίνδα, Pollux, ix. 111.
154. The following is our classification of the numerous games (not before noticed as connected) belonging to this cycle of childish tradition:
(1.) Versions preserving the original idea of the child-stealing witch (as in our A, B, and C).—Halliwell, Pop. Rh., p. 131 (cited).—German, Meier, p. 117 (cited).—Italian, Corazzini, p. 110, a fragment.
(2.) Versions in which (as in our D) the mother is represented as present, and the game becomes one of begging instead of stealing children. This is the case in most German versions. The tests described in No. 152 are introduced and become the leading feature of the game.—German, Frischbier, p. 183. Rochholz, p. 436, and p. 444, where the mother is called "Maria, mother of God," and the game "Getting Angels." Mullenhoff, p. 486, No. 7.—Swedish, Arwiddson, iii. p. 437 (cited). Mannhardt, Germanische Mythologie, pp. 273-321, gives fourteen versions, with a long discussion of this game, and concludes (p. 297) that the last girl of the row (who in our A is the eldest daughter, but here represents the "Mother Rose") "personates the goddess Freya cherishing in or behind the clouds the souls of the dead, who, renewed through the heavenly waters (the fountain of youth), are destined to return to earth at new birth as the souls of children!"
It is very curious to observe that several Prussian versions contain traits only explained by the American games, the form of which they thus imply as more original. Thus the mother is invited to a meal by the witch, Frischbier, p. 182, and the person invited sends excuses (see our A).