Page:Grimm's Household Tales, vol.1.djvu/498

in most of the incidents and in other respects. This saga was, however, known in the north at an early period, and doubtless in other parts of Europe also. La Petite Grenouille Verte, the first story in a French collection written in the beginning of the 18th century, and reprinted in the Cabinet des Fées, vol. 31 (see further on), is manifestly related to it. In Slavonian, see the Witch Corva, No. 1, in Vogl, with which Troldhelene, Molbech, No. 72, should be compared. In Wallachian, see Schott, No. 26. From the Bukowina, by Staufe, in Wolf's Zeitschrift, 2. 389. It appears to be also told in Poland (see further on). Perinskjöld, in his catalogue made for Hickes, p. 315, mentions the saga "af Artus fagra," and describes its contents thus: "Hist. de tribus fratribus Carolo, Vilhialmo atque Arturo, cogn. fagra, regis Anglian filiis, qui ad inquirendum Phönicem, ut ea curaretur morbus immedicabilis patris illorum, in ultimas usque Indiæ oras missi sunt." Perhaps some allusion is also made to it in an Anglo-Saxon Codex, of which Manley gives a sketch, p. 281, book vi. "Septem constans capitulis, descriptionem tractat felicissimæ cujusdam regionis orientalis et de Phönice quæ ibi invenitur." A later Danish treatment in strophes of six lines has become a popular book, but has no poetical value. Nyerup treats of it (Morkabsläsning, pp. 226–230). An edition is lying before us bearing the same title given there: it varies a little, and nothing is said of its being a translation from the Dutch, which is, indeed, only an assertion. "En meget märkvärdig Historic om Kong Edvard af Engelland, der faldt i en svär Sygdom, men helbrededes ved en viis Qvindes Raad, og det ene ved bans yngste Söns Prins Atti (Arti) Oemhed og Mod, der havde sin Fader saa kjer, at han foretog en Reise til Dronningen af Arabien, tilvendte sig ved List hendes Klenodier, bortförde Dronningens dyrebare Fugl Phönix, og sik til Slutning. … Dronningen selv tilägte." Here too the sons are called Carl, Wilhelm and Arthur; nothing is said about the helpful fox, and in almost every respect the German popular story is much superior. There is a Danish story from oral tradition in Etlar, p. 1. We have likewise heard the beginning in the following form as a part of the story of Dummling. In front of a King's palace stood a very large pear-tree, which every year bore the most beautiful fruit; but as soon as it ripened it was always carried away in one night, and no one knew who had done it. The King had three sons, and the youngest was called Dummling (Simpleton). The eldest was to watch the tree for one year, which he did most diligently, and the boughs were laden with fruit ; but during the last night, and just as they were going to be gathered next day; he was surprised by sleep, and when he awoke every pear was gone, and nothing left but leaves. The second son also watched for a year, but he had no better success than the eldest; during the last night all the pears disappeared. At length it was Dummling's