Part III. is an anonymous collection, entitled Gruzinskiya Narodnyya

Skazki. Sobr. Bebur B.* S. Pbg., 1884.

It will be found that, besides the differences due to geographical position, the three groups of stories are not of the same character. Part II. is more naïve and popular than Part I., and Part III. exhibits more appreciation of the ridiculous than the rest of the book, and is of a more didactic nature.

The points of resemblance between the following stories and those quoted by the late Mr. Ralston, in his well-known Russian Folk Tales, are so numerous, and so apparent, that I have not thought it necessary to refer to them in the notes.

In conclusion, I must express my thanks to Prince Ivané Machabeli, of Tiflis, the Georgian translator of Shakespeare, for his kindness in reading my proofs, and to my brother, who did the Russian part of the work for me.

M. W.

Chislehurst, April 1894.

CONTENTS

GEORGIAN TALES

PAGE I. Master and Pupil, 1 II. The Three Sisters and their Stepmother, 5 III. The Good-for-Nothing, 11 IV. The Frog's Skin, 15 V. Fate, 22 VI. Ghvthisavari, 25 VII. The Serpent and the Peasant, 39 VIII. Gulambara and Sulambara, 42 IX. The Two Brothers, 49 X. The Prince, 52 XI. Conkiajgharuna, 63 XII. Asphurtzela, 68 XIII. The Shepherd and the Child of Fortune, 83 XIV. The Two Thieves, 88 XV. The Fox and the King's Son, 97 XVI. The King's Son and the Apple, 104

MINGRELIAN TALES

I. The Three Precepts, 109 II. Kazha-ndii, 112 III. The Story of Geria, the Poor Man's Son, 118 IV. The Prince who befriended the Beasts, 124 V. The Cunning Old Man and the 'Demi,' 129 VI. Sanartia, 132 VII. The Shepherd Judge, 138 VIII. The Priest's Youngest Son, 140 Mingrelian Proverbs, 142

GURIAN TALES

I. The Strong Man and the Dwarf, 147 II. The Grasshopper and the Ant, 150 III. The Countryman and the Merchant, 153 IV. The King and the Sage, 160 V. The King's Son, 162 VI. Teeth and No-Teeth, 163 VII. The Queen's Whim, 164 VIII. The Fool's Good Fortune, 165 IX. Two Losses, 167 X. The Story of Dervish, 168 XI. The Father's Prophecy, 171 XII. The Hermit Philosopher, 172 XIII. The King's Counsellor, 173 XIV. A Witty Answer, 174