the Lord gives back his sight to the blind man, and the blood of innocent children or virgins whereby persons afflicted with leprosy are cured, compare Altd. Wälder, 2. 208, and Der arme Heinrich, p. 175, and following. The story is to be found in the Brunswick Collection, pp. 168-180; in the Büchlein für die Jugend, p. 252, 263; in Pröhle's Märchen für die Jugend, No, 1; in Danish, with some special and good variations, see Molbech, No. 6; in Norwegian, see Asbjörnsen, vol. 2; in Bohemian, see Gerle, vol. 1, No. 7, A St. Walpurgis' Nights Dream, or The Three Apprentices; in Hungarian, see The Grateful Animals, Gaal, No. 8; in Mailáth, The Brothers, No. 8; in Stier, The Three Animals, p. 65; in Servian, see Wuk, No. 16, for a story with a characteristic beginning, A story which is clearly allied to ours is to be found in the Persian poet Nisami's Heft Baiker, which Hammer has given us from the MS. in his Geschichte der schönen Bedekilnste Persiens (Vienna, 1818, p. 116, 117). Chair is first robbed of his store of water, and then blinded and otherwise ill-treated by Scheer, a false travelling companion whom he had regarded as his friend. He is left lying on the ground, until a beautiful Kurdish maiden finds him, nurses, and cures him. The youth cures the Vizier's daughter and the Sultan's, and lives in luxury, until he one day meets his former comrade, whom he forgives, but who is killed by a Kurd.
108.—Hans The Hedgehog.
From Zwehrn. An exactly corresponding story has been heard in that part of German Hungary which borders on Steiermark. Another story, Der Zaunigel, is to be found in Pröhle's Märchen für Kinder, No. 13. In Straparola, see (2. 1) King Porc; but this is better and more whimsical and original, only Hans, who rides like the Finkenritter,[1] is said to have shown the way to one more King, and to have been betrayed by him, in order that he should only, as in Straparola, be set free the third time. Le Prince Marassin, No. 24, in D'Aulnoy, is after Straparola, Hedgehog, porcupine, and pig, are here synonymous, like Pore and Porcaril. In the neighbourhood of Presburg, a child that does not grow is called "Igel" (hedgehog), "Nigel" (Presb. Idiotikon im ungar Magaz. vol. iv.). In another simple but good story (No. 144), we have the ass instead of the hedgehog. These two stories, together with Nos. 1, 88, 127, constitute a series closely allied to each other, with which again others are more remotely connected. Compare the notes to each of these. For the idea which lies at the root of them, see a note to the Altdän: Lieder, p. 528, 529, People who pray to God too vehemently for the blessing of children are, in these stories, often punished with such monsters, which after-
- ↑ Le Chevalier du Pinson, is the title of an old knightly romance,—Tr.
