Chapter 12

the Archangel and one of his devotees," of which there is a version in Gonz., No. 76, called, "The Story of Giuseppino." In the first version a child, Pippino, is sold by his parents to the king in order to obtain the means to duly celebrate the feast of St. Michael, to whom they were devoted. The child is brought up in the palace as the princess's playmate; but when he grows up the king is anxious to get rid of him, and so sends him on a voyage in an unseaworthy vessel. St. Michael appears to the lad, and tells him to load the ship with salt. They set sail, and the rotten ship is about to go to pieces, when the saint appears and changes the ship into a vessel all of gold. They sell the cargo to a king who has never tasted salt before, and return to their own country wealthy. The next voyage Pippino, by the saint's advice, takes a cargo of cats, which they sell to the king of a country overrun by mice. Pippino returns and marries the king's daughter. In the version in Gonz., Giuseppino is a king's son, who leaves his home to see the world, and becomes the stable-boy of the king whose daughter he marries. The three cargoes are: salt, cats, and uniforms. On the last voyage, Giuseppino captures a hostile fleet, and makes his prisoners put on the uniforms he has in his ship. With this army he returns, and compels the king to give him his daughter. St. Joseph acts the same part in this version as St. Michael in Pitre's.

The story of "Whittington and his Cat" will at once occur to the reader. See Pitre's notes to No. 116, and vol. IV. p. 395, and Koehler to Gonz., No. 76.

[15] Koehler has no note on this legend, and I have been unable to find in the list of saints any name of which Oniria or Neria may be a corruption.

[16] The references to this story will best be found in Pauli's _Schimpf und Ernst_, ed. Oesterley, No. 682, and in the same editor's notes to the _Gesta Romanorum_, cap. 80. To these may be added a story by De Trueba in his _Narraciones populares_, p. 65, entitled, "_Las Dudas de San Pedro_;" Luzel, _Legendes Chretiennes_, I. 282, II. 4; _Fiore di Virtu_, Naples, 1870, p. 68; Etienne de Bourbon, No. 396 (_Anecdotes historiques, legendes et apologues tires du Receuil inedit d'Etienne de Bourbon_), pub. pour la Societe de l'Hist. de France par A. Lecoy de la Marche, Paris, 1877.

Since the above was written, several important contributions to the literature of this story have been made. The first in point of time and importance is a paper by Gaston Paris in the _Comptes Rendus_ of the Academie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres, vol. VIII. pp. 427-449 (reprinted in _La Poesie du Moyen Age_, Lecons et Lectures par Gaston Paris, Paris, 1885). Next may be mentioned "_The Literary History of Parnell's Hermit_," by W. E. A. Axon, London, 1881 (reprinted from the Seventh Volume of the Third Series of _Memoirs of the Manchester Literary and Philosophical Society, Session 1879-80_). An Icelandic version is in _Islendzk Aeventyri, Islaendische Legenden, Novellen und Maerchen_, herausgegeben von Hugo Gering, Halle, 1884, vol. II. p. 247. The legend is clearly shown by Gaston Paris to be of Jewish origin.

[17] There is another version of this story in Gonz., No. 86, "_Von dem frommen Kinde_" ("The Pious Child"), Koehler in his notes cites Grimm's _Children's Legends_, No. 9, and Schneller, No. 1. In this last story a pious child is cruelly treated by his step-mother, and leaves his home to live in a convent. One day he notices in a corner a neglected crucifix covered with dust and cobwebs. He sees how thin the figure is, and at meal-time brings his food where the crucifix is and begins to feed the image, which opens its mouth and eats with appetite. As the image grows stouter the pious child grows thinner. The Superior learns one day the fact, and tells the child to ask the Lord to invite him and the Superior to his table. The next day both die suddenly after mass.

In a story in Gonz., No. 47, "Of the pious youth who went to Rome," the youth talks to the image on the crucifix in a familiar way, and receives information about questions put to him by various persons. The youth also dies suddenly at the end of the story.

[18] Pitre, No. 111. Another Sicilian version is in Gonz., No. 88, "The Story of Spadonia." Spadonia is the son of a king, who every day has bread baked and sent to the souls in purgatory by means of an ass sent for that purpose by the Lord. Spadonia becomes king, and sends one of his servants, Peppe, to see where the ass goes. Peppe crosses a river of clear water, one of milk, and one of blood. Then he sees the thin oxen in a rich pasture, and the reverse; in addition he beholds a forest with small and large trees together, and a handsome youth cutting down now a large tree, now a small one, with a single stroke of a bright axe. Then he passed through a door with the ass, and sees St. Joseph, and St. Peter, and all the saints, and among them God the Father. Farther on Peppe sees many saints, and among them the parents of Spadonia. Finally Peppe comes where the Saviour and his Mother are on a throne. The Lord says to him that Spadonia must marry a maiden named Secula, and open an inn, in which any one may eat and lodge without cost. The Lord then explains what Peppe has seen. The river of water is the good deeds of men which aid and refresh the poor souls in purgatory; the river of milk is that with which Christ was nourished; and the river of blood that shed for sinners. The thin cattle are the usurers, the fat, the poor who trust in God, the youth felling the trees is Death.

Peppe returns and tells his master all he had seen, and Spadonia wanders forth in search of a maiden called Secula. He finds at last a poor girl so called, and marries her, and opens an inn as he had been directed. After a time the Lord and his Apostles visit the inn, and the king and his wife wait on them, and treat them with the utmost consideration. The next day after they had departed Spadonia and his wife find out who their guests were, and hasten after them in spite of a heavy storm. When they overtake the Lord they ask pardon for their sins, and eternal happiness for all belonging to them. The Lord grants their request, and tells them to be prepared at Christmas, when he will come for them. They return home, give all their property to the poor, and at Christmas they confess, take communion, and die peacefully near each other, together with Secula's old parents.

This curious legend has no parallels in Italy out of Sicily. It is, however, found in the rest of Europe, the best parallel being _L'Homme aux dents rouges_, in Blade, _Agenais_, p. 52. Koehler cites Blade, _Contes et proverbes pop. rec. en Armagnac_, p. 59, and Asbjornsen, No. 62 [Dasent, _Tales from the Fjeld_, p. 160, "Friends in Life and Death"]. To these may be added the story in Schneller, p. 215, and the references given by Koehler in his notes to Gonz., No. 88.

[19] See Champfleury, _De la litterature populaire en France. Recherches sur les origines et les variations de la legende du bonhomme Misere_, Paris, 1861. It contains a reprint of the oldest yet known edition of the chap-book, that of 1719. The most valuable references to the legend in general will be found (besides the above work, and Grimm's notes to Nos. 81, 82) in the _Jahrb._ V. pp. 4, 23; VII. 128, 268; and in Pitre's notes, vol. III. p. 63, and IV. pp. 398, 439. All the Italian versions are mentioned in the text or following notes. To the stories from the various parts of Europe mentioned in the articles above cited, may be added Webster, _Basque Legends_, pp. 195, 199. Since this note was written another Tuscan version has been published by Pitre in his _Nov. tosc._ No. 28, who cites in his notes: Ortoli, p. 1, Sec. 1, No. XXII. (Corsica); and two literary versions in Cintio de' Fabritii, Venice, 1726, _Origine de' volgari proverbi_, and Domenico Batacchi in his _Novelle galanti: La Vita e la Morte di Prete Ulivo_.

[20] See Pitre, No. 125.

[21] See Busk, p. 178.

[22] See Busk, p. 183.

[23] _Novelline di Sto. Stefano_, No. XXXII. A version from Monferrato is found in Comparetti, No. 34, entitled, "_La Morte Burlata_" ("Death Mocked"), in which a schoolmaster, who is a magician, tells one of his scholars that he will grant him every day any favor he may ask. The first day the scholar asks that any one who climbs his pear-tree must remain there; the second day he asks that whoever approaches his fireplace to warm himself must stay there; and finally he asks to win always with a pack of cards that he has. When the possessor of these favors has lived a hundred years Death comes for him, but is made to climb the tree, and is forced to grant the owner another hundred years of life. The fireplace procures another respite, and then the man dies and goes to paradise; but the Lord will not admit him, for he had not asked for mercy. Hell will not receive him, for he had been a good man; so he goes to the gate of purgatory and begins playing cards, with souls for stakes, and wins enough to form a regiment. Then he goes to paradise, and the Lord tells him he can enter alone. But he persists in going in with all those who are attached to him; so all the souls enter too.

[24] _Novelline di Sto. Stefano_, No. 33. A similar story, told in greater detail, is in Schneller, No. 17, "_Der Stoepselwirth_" ("The Tapster"). A generous host ruins himself by his hospitality, and borrows money of the Devil for seven years; if he cannot repay it his soul is to belong to the lender. The host continues his liberality, and at the end of seven years is poorer than before. The Lord, St. Peter, and St. John come to the tavern and tell the landlord to ask three favors. He asks that whoever climbs his fig-tree may remain there; whoever sits on his sofa must stay there; and finally, whoever puts his hands in a certain chest must keep them there. The Devil first sends his eldest son after the money. The host sends him up the fig-tree, and then gives him a sound beating. Then the Devil sends his second son, whom the landlord invites to sit on his sofa, and gives him a sound thrashing too. Finally the Devil himself comes, and the host tells him to get his money himself out of the chest. The Devil sticks fast, and is set free only on condition of renouncing all claims to the landlord's soul.

The conclusion of the story is like that of "Beppo Pipetta."

There is another story about a bargain with the Devil in the _Novelline di Sto. Stefano_, No. 35, "_Le Donne ne sanno un punto piu del diavolo_" ("Women know a point more than the Devil"). A fowler sells his soul to the Devil for twelve years of life and plenty of birds. When the time is nearly up the fowler's wife persuades him to alter his bargain with the Devil a little. The latter is to give up his claim if the former can find a bird unknown to the Devil. The Devil consents, and comes the last day and recognizes easily every bird, until finally the fowler's wife, disguised with tar and feathers, comes out of a case and frightens the fowler and the Devil so that he runs away.

The mysterious bird recalls the one in Grimm, No. 46, "Fitcher's Bird."

[25] _Jahrbuch_, VII. 121. The wonderful sack occurs in another Venetian story, Widter-Wolf, No. 14, "_Der Hoellenpfoertner_" ("The Porter of Hell"). The gifts are: a gun that never misses, a violin that makes every one dance, and a sack into which every one must spring when commanded by the owner. See Koehler's notes to this story, _Jahrb_. VII. 268. A Corsican version is in Ortoli, p. 155. The episode of the Devil beaten in the sack is also found in Comparetti, No. 49, "_Il Ramaio_." A wandering smith gives alms to St. Peter and the Lord, and receives in return a pouch like the above. When the Devil comes to fetch him he wishes him in his sack, and gives him a good pounding. When the smith dies he gets into paradise by throwing his bag inside and wishing himself in it.

There are two other stories in which the Devil gets worsted: they are Gianandrea, No. VI, "_Quattordici_" ("Fourteen"), and _Fiabe Mantovane_, No. II, "_Pacchione_" In these stories a cunning person is sent to the Devil to bring back a load of gold. The cunning person takes a long pair of tongs, catches the Devil by the nose, loads his horse, and returns in safety.

The first part of the story of "_Quattordici_" is found in the Basque Legend of "Fourteen:" see Webster, p. 195.

[26] Another Venetian version is in Widter-Wolf, No. 3, "_Der Gevatter Tod_" ("Godfather Death"). There are also two Sicilian versions: Pitre, No. 109, "_La Morti e so figghiozzu_" ("Death and her Godson"); and Gonz., No. 19, "_Gevatter Tod_," which do not differ materially from the version given in our text. References to European parallels may be found in Koehler's notes to Widter-Wolf, No. 3, _Jahrb._ VII. p. 19; to Gonz., No. 19, and in Grimm's notes to No. 44.

[27] Widter-Wolf, No. 16, "_Der standhafter Buesser_" ("The Constant Penitent"), _Jahrb._ VII. p. 273. For parallels, see Koehler's article, _Die Legende von dem Ritter in der Capelle_, _Jahrb._ VI. p. 326.

[28] Bernoni, _Legg. fant._ p. 3. The translation in text, as well as that of the two following stories, I have taken from _The Cornhill Magazine_, July, 1875, "Venetian Popular Legends," p. 86.

Another story illustrating the same point is found in Pitre, No. 110, _Li Cumpari di S. Giuvanni_, which is translated as follows by Ralston in _Fraser's Magazine_, April, 1876, "Sicilian Fairy Tales," p. 424.

LXXII. THE GOSSIPS OF ST. JOHN.

Once upon a time there lived a husband and wife, and they were both bound in gossipry with a certain man. The husband got arrested, and was taken away to prison. Now the gossip was very fond of his cummer, and used often to go and visit her. One day she said to him: "Gossip, shall we go and see my husband?" "_Gnursi, cummari_" ("Certainly, cummer"), said her gossip; so off they went. On the way they bought a large melon--for it was the melon season--to take to the poor prisoner. We are but flesh and blood! The gossip and his cummer sinned against St. John. In short, they brought things to a pretty pass. St. John wasn't going to let that pass unpunished. When they had come to the prison and had visited the prisoner, before going away they wanted to make a present to the jailer; so they gave him the melon. He cut it open before their eyes. Horror of horrors! When the melon was cut open, there was found in the middle of it a head! Now this was the head of St. John, which had slipped itself in there for the purpose of bringing home their sin to the minds of the gossips. The matter immediately came to the ears of justice, and they were arrested. They confessed the wrong they had done. The husband was set at liberty, and the gossip and his cummer were sent to the gallows.

* * * * *

In regard to Saint John and the relationship of godfather, see Pitre's note in vol. I. p. 73.

[29] Bernoni, p. 7; _Cornhill Magazine_, p. 88.

[30] Bernoni, p. 17; _Cornhill Magazine_, p. 89.

[31] Bernoni, p. 19. There are prose versions of the closely related story of Don Juan in Busk, p. 202, "_Don Giovanni_," and in _Nov. tosc._ No. 21, "_Don Giovanni_." There are poetical versions of this legend in G. Ferraro, _Canti popolari raccolti a Pontelagoscuro_, No. 19; "_La Testa di Morto_," in _Rivista di Filologia Romanza_, vol. II. p. 204; Ive, _Canti pop. istriani_, Turin, 1877, cap. xxv. No. 6, "_Lionzo_;" Salomone-Marino, _Leggende pop. sicil._ XXVII. "_Lionziu_."

[32] Pitre, No. 128. The version in the text is Ralston's condensation, taken from _Fraser's Magazine_, p. 433. As Pitre notes, there is some slight resemblance between this story and that of "_Cattarinetta_" in Schneller, No. 5, which has a close parallel in Bernoni, _Trad. pop. venez. Punt._ III. p. 76, "_Nono Cocon_" and one not so close in Papanti, _Nov. pop. livor_, No. 1, "_La Mencherina_," p. 7. There is a close parallel to the Sicilian story in a Tuscan tale, "_La Gamba_" ("The Leg"), in _Novelline pop. toscane_, pubb. da G. Pitre, p. 12. In a note Pitre mentions a variant from Pratovecchio in which the leg is of gold. He also gives copious references to versions from all parts of Europe. The English reader will recall at once Halliwell's story of "Teeny-Tiny" (_Nursery Tales_, p. 25). To the above references may be added: "_Le Pendu_" in Cosquin, _Contes pop. lorrains_, No. 41, in _Romania_, No. 28, p. 580. Since the above note was written, another Tuscan version has been published by Pitre, _Nov. tosc._ No. 19.

[33] Pitre, No. 203. The parallels to this story may best be found in J. Grimm's _Kleinere Schriften_, III. p. 414, _Der Traum von dem Schatz auf der Bruecke_. To Grimm's references may be added: Graesse, _Sagenschatz Sachsen's_, No. 587; Wolf, _Hesseche Sagen_, No. 47; Kuhn, _Westfalische Sagen_, No. 169; and _Vierzig Veziere_, p. 270.