Rev., XLI. They add that the Golden Goose, buried at the root of an oak, and fated to be the reward of virtue, and to bring blessing on its owner, seems only one of the various types by which, in these tales, happiness, wealth, and power are conferred on the favourites of fortune. The prize is here poetically described as so attractive that whatever approaches clings to it as to a magnet.
The Dummling is drawn with his usual characteristics; he is sometimes inferior in stature, sometimes in intellect, and at other times in both; his resemblance to the Däumling or Thumbling is obvious; and though his name has now an independent meaning, perhaps we should suspect it to have been originally the same; unless the appearance of the character in the Pentamerone, iii. 8, by the unambiguous name of "Lo Gnorante," be against our theory. We leave this singular personage in the hands of MM. Grimm, referring also to the Altdeutsche Wälder, where our hero is pointed out as appearing under the appellation of "Dummeklare" in the romance of Parcifal.
Mrs. Fox, p. 119.—"Von der Frau Füchsin." A popular fable in several places, clearly belonging to the class of which Reynard the Fox is the chief.
Hansel and Grettel, p. 123.—The first part of "Brüderchen und Schwesterchen;" the remainder we omitted as branching into a new series of distinct adventures. The story is very common in Germany, and is also known in Sweden. Prætorius, vol. ii., p. 255, will give the curious the whole art, mystery, and history of transformation of men into animals. This story is one of a most numerous class, in which a stepmother unsuccessfully exerts a malicious influence over her charge.
The Giant with the three Golden Hairs, p. 128.—"Der Teufel mit den drei Goldnen Haaren;" from Zwehrn, the Main, and Hesse. We have taken the appellation "Giant" to avoid offence, and felt less reluctance in the alteration when we found that some other versions of the same story (as the Popanz in Büsching's Volkssagen) omit the diabolic agency. For similar reasons we have not called the cave by its proper name of "Hölle," the Scandinavian Hell. The old lady called in the German the "Ellermutter," we suspect has some connection with the Scandinavian deity "Hela," or "Hella," whom Odin (when he "saddled straight his coal-black steed"), Hermod Huat, and Brynhilda, after crossing the water as here, severally found in the same position, at the entrance of the infernal regions.
The child is described in our translation as owing its reputation to being born under a lucky star. In the original it is born with a Glückshaut (caul). The tradition in Iceland is that a good genius dwells in this envelope, who accompanies and blesses the child through life. The giant's powers of scent will of course remind the curious reader of the
Snouk but, Snouk ben,
I find the smell of earthly men,
in Jack and the Beanstalk.
So in Mad Tom's ballad in Shakespeare,
Child Rowland to the dark tower came—
His word was still—"Fie, Foh, Fum,
I smell the blood of a British man," &c.
Is Child Rowland the "Liebste Roland" of the German popular story, No. 56 of MM. Grimm's collection? The similarity of the "Child's" adventures with those of Danish ballads in the Kämpe Viser has been pointed out by Jamieson in his Popular Ballads, and in the Illustrations of Northern Antiquities, p. 397.
The Frog-prince, p. 134. — "Der Froschkönig, oder der Eiserne Heinrich." This story is from Hesse, but is also told in other parts with variations. It is one of the oldest German tales, as well as of extensive currency elsewhere. Dr. Leyden gives a story of the "Frog-lover" as popular in Scotland. A lady is sent by her stepmother to draw water from the Well of the World's End. She arrives at the well after encountering many dangers, but soon perceives that her adventures have not reached a conclusion; a frog emerges from the well, and before it suffers her to draw water obliges her to betroth herself to him under penalty of being torn to pieces. The lady returns safe; but at midnight the frog-lover appears at the door and demands entrance, according to promise, to the great consternation of the lady and her nurse.
Open the door my hinny, my heart,
Open the door, mine ain wee thing;
And mind the words that you and I spak
Down in the meadow by the well-spring.
The frog is admitted, and addresses her,
Take me upon your knee, my dearie,
Take me upon your knee, my dearie.
And mind the words that you and I spak
At the cauld well sae weary.
The frog is finally disenchanted, and appears as a prince in his original form. (See Complaint of Scotland, Edin. 1801.) "These enchanted frogs," says the Quarterly Reviewer, "have migrated from afar, and we suspect that they were originally crocodiles: we trace them in The Relations of Ssidi Kur." The name "Iron Henry" in the German title alludes to an incident which we have omitted, though it is one of considerable antiquity. The story proceeds to tell how Henry, from grief at his master's misfortune, had bound his heart with iron bands to prevent its bursting; and a doggrel is added in which the prince on his journey, hearing the cracking of the bands which his servant is now rending asunder as useless, inquires if the carriage is breaking, and receives an explanation of the cause of the disturbance.
"Heinrich, der Wagen bricht!"
"Nein, Herr, der Wagen nicht:
Es ist ein Band von meinem Herzen,
Das da lag in grossen Schmerzen.
Als ihr in dem Brunnen sast
Als ihr eine Fretsche (Frosh) wast."
In several of the poets of the age of the Minnesingers the suffering heart is described as confined in bands; "stahelhart," according to Heinrich von Sax.
The Fox and the Horse, p. 137.—"Der Fuchs und das Pferd;" from Munster. See the story of "Old Sultan."
Rumpel-stilts-kin, p. 139.—"Rumpelstilzchen." A story of considerable currency, told with several variations. We remember to have heard a similar story from Ireland in which the song ran,
Little does my Lady wot
That my name is Trit-a-Trot.
In the "Tour tenebreuse et les jours lumineux, Contes Anglois tirez d'une ancienne chronique composée par Richard surnommé Cœur de Lion, Roy d'Angleterre" (Amst. 1708), the story of "Ricdin-Ricdon" contains the same incident. The song of the dwarf is as follows:
