As pointed by Lad. Arany, the plot of this tale is, with the exception of the happy ending, essentially the same as in Bürger's beautiful poem, "Leonore," in which the bridegroom's ghost repeats three times the question—
"Graut Liebchen auch? Der Mond scheint hell!
Hurrah! Die Todten reiten schnell!
Graut Liebchen auch vor Todten?"
to which the girl each time replies—
"Ach! lass sie ruh'n, die Todten."
Arany mentions a Dutch and a Norwegian version of the same tale. Cf. Grimm, vol. iii. p. 75.
It cannot be supposed that the good Palócz folk have read Bürger, either in the original or in translation. They only read two kinds of literature, the prayer-book and politics. Pap relates an incident that is characteristic. He had to superintend some farm-work; and, in order to while away the time, was reading a book, which made an old Palócz remark that he would go straight to heaven if he read his prayer-book all day, as he did.
Cf. The old ballad quoted in Old Ballad Lore. Folk-Lore Record, 1879, pp. 111, 112.
Page [279]. The charm given by the witch is one of the innumerable superstitions of a like class. Vide Magyar Folk-Tales. Notes and Queries, 6th s. ix. pp. 501 and 502.
Finska Fornminnesforëningens Tidskrift v. p. 106, "Folkströ och plägseder i Mellersta Österbotten," and Notes and Queries, 6th s. x. p. 404, and ib. 6th s. xi. p. 22.
Cf. "The churchyard mould," in McGregor, Folk-Lore of the North-East of Scotland, p. 216.