In another Finnish story, "Oriiksi muutettu poika" (The Enchanted Steed), in Suomalaisia Kansansatuja, i. (Helsingissä, 1881), a fox assists the fugitives to defeat the devil, who pursues them. This tale is very much like the latter part of "[Handsome Paul]," p. [33]. Compare also a variant from near Wiborg in Tidskriften Suomi, ii. 13, p. 120.
In a Lapp story a little bird helps. See "Jætten og Veslegutten," from Hammerfest. Lappiske Eventyr og Folkesagn ved. Prof. Friis, Christiania, 1871,[3] p. 52, &c.
It is a cat in "Jætten, Katten og Gutten," from Alten, Friis, 63; and a fox in "Bondesønnen, Kongesønnen og Solens Søster," from Tanen, Friis, 140.
Mr. Quigstad reports another variant from Lyngen, in which also a cat helps the hero.
See also Steere's Swahili Tales: "Sultan Darai"; Dasent's Tales from the Norse: "Lord Peter," and "Well done, and ill-paid."
Old Deccan Days: "The Brahman." "The Tiger and the Six Judges."
Mitford's Tales of Old Japan: "The Grateful Foxes." "The Adventures of little Peachling"; and a Bohemian story of the Dog and the Yellow-hammer in Vernaleken's In the Land of Marvels.
Ralston's Puss in Boots in XIXth Century, January, 1883. A most interesting and exhaustive article.
Ralston's Russian Folk Tales: "The water King and Vasilissa the Wise." A story which in the beginning is very like "The Keyless Chest."
Benfey's Pantschatantra, i. 208, and passim.