Is brought up by a (childless couple), or shepherd, or widow.
VIII.
Is of passionate and violent disposition.
IX.
Seeks service in foreign lands.
IXA.
Attacks and slays monsters.
IXB.
Acquires supernatural knowledge through eating a fish, or other magic animal.
X.
Returns to his own country, retreats, and again returns.
XI.
Overcomes his enemies, frees his mother, seats himself on the throne.
I must refer to my article for a full discussion of the various Celtic forms of this widely-spread tale, and for a tabular comparison with the remaining Indo-European forms analysed by J. G. von Hahn. Suffice to say here that the fullest Celtic presentment of the motif is to be found in the Ossianic Heldensage, the expelled prince being no other than Fionn himself. The Celtic form most closely related to it is that of the Great Fool summarised above, the relationship of Peredur-Perceval with which is evident. In both, the father being slain, the mother withdraws or sends her son into the wilderness; in both he grows up strong, hardy, ignorant of the world. Almost the same instances of his surpassing strength and swiftness are given; in the Mabinogi by celerity and swiftness of foot he drives the goats and hinds into the goat-house; in the Highland folk-tale he catches the wild deer, and seeing a horse, and learning it is a beast upon which sport is done, stretches out after it, catches and mounts it; in Sir Perceval he sees—
. . . A fulle faire stode
Offe coltes and meres gude,
Bot never one was tame (v. xxi.).
