The legend is given in a curious little tract, entitled "The existing remains of the Ancient Britons within a small district lying between Lincoln and Sleaford, by the Rev. G. Oliver, D.D. London, 1846." The man of the above version is replaced by a knight, who "cast a large stone into the lake, accompanied by a secret petition to the gods, that the chosen steed might raise his head from the water;" Biard rises, and they go to meet the witch, who has her left breast cut off by the first blow of the knight's sword; the second blow she evades by springing on to Biard's flank, where she fixes her talons, so that the horse took a series of prodigious leaps, three of which are at least sixty yards asunder, and are still marked by the impressions of his feet. The witch died from her wound, and was buried under a huge stone at the cross roads, and a stake driven through her body. Gubernatis, i. p. 338. Cf. Notes to [Prince Mirkó].
Page [160]. Obstructions placed in the way of the witch or giant who follows.
Cf. Finnish, "Awaimetoin Wakka" (the Keyless Chest), S. ja T. i. p. 151, and "Oriiksi muutettu poika" (the enchanted horse), ib. p. 142. Lapp. "Jaetten og Veslegutten." Friis, p. 49, and "Jaetten og Drengen hans," ib. p. 58. Rink, Eskimo Tales, "A tale about Two Girls," and "Giviok." Naaké, Slavonic Tales, "The wonderful hair," and "Ivan Kruchina." Legends of the Wigwam, "Exploits of Grasshopper," p. 61. Old Deccan Days, "Truth's Triumph," p. 63. Portuguese Folk Tales, F. L. S. 1882, "The Maid and the Negress," and "St. Peter's Goddaughter." Ralston, Russian Folk-Tales, "Marya Morevna," p. 95: "the Baba Yaga," p. 141, and "the Witch and the Sun's Sister," p. 173. Dasent, Norse Tales, "The Mastermaid," p. 91; "Farmer Weathersky," p. 334, and "The Widow's Son," p. 363. Grimm, vol. i. "The Water Nix." Geldart, Greek Tales, "Starbright and Birdie," "The Golden Casket," p. 123, and "The Scab Pate," p. 164. Vernaleken, "The Two Sisters," p. 157. Pentamerone, "The Flea," and "Petrosinella." Records of the Past, vol. ii. "Tale of the Two Brothers," p. 142. Gubernatis, vol. i. pp. 166, 175. Folk-Lore Journal, 1883, "The Three Sisters and Itrìmobé," p. 235. A Malagasky tale. Ananci Stories, ib. p. 286. Irish Folk-Tales, ib. p. 323. Ibid. 1884. "Prince Unexpected," p. 15, a Polish tale, and "Isìlakòlona," ib. p. 31, a Malagasy tale.
[THE BEGGAR'S PRESENTS. Erdélyi, ii. 12.]
Cf. the wonderful gifts in: "Taiwaasen menijä" (one who goes to heaven) S. ja T. ii. p. 113, and "Ei-niin-mitä" (just nothing) ib. p. 53. "Bondesønnen, Kongesønnem og Solens Søster." Friis, p. 140. Dasent, "The Best Wish," p. 294, and "Katie Woodencloak," ib. p. 412. Old Deccan Days, "The Jackal, the Barber, and the Brahman." Stokes' Indian Fairy Tales, "The Story of Foolish Sachúlí." Sagas from the Far East, "The Avaricious Brother," p. 23. Vernaleken, In the Land of Marvels, "The Wishing Rag," "The Magic Pot." Patránas, "Matanzas." Caballero, Spanish Folk-Tales, "Uncle Curro and his Cudgel." Pentamerone, "The Months." Grimm, vol. i. "The Wishing Table, the Gold Ass, and the Cudgel in the Sack," and notes, p. 387. Also "The Knapsack, the Hat, &c." and notes, p. 409. Crofton Croker, Irish Fairy Legends, "The Legend of Bottle Hill." Payne, Arabian Nights, vol. vi. Jouder and his Brothers. Folk-Lore Record, 1878, "Some Italian Folk-Lore," p. 202. Gubernatis, vol. i. pp. 127, 154, 161; and Nordlander, Sagor, Sägner och Viso No. 4.
[THE WORLD'S BEAUTIFUL WOMAN. Erdélyi, iii. 1.]
Arany gives the following variants of this tale: Mailath 2, Grimm[70] 53, and Schott, Wallachische Märchen 5. See also in Russian poetry by Pushkin, in Bodenstedt's translation i. p. 100. In the German variants, twelve pigmies take the place of the twelve robbers in the Hungarian tale; and the queen thus addresses her mirror: