THE SECRET-KEEPING LITTLE BOY AND HIS LITTLE SWORD. Erdélyi, iii. 8.
Reading edition
Cf. Grimm, vol. i., "Faithful John" and note. See ante, p. 350.
With regard to the sword growing in the garden, Cf. the Hunnish superstition mentioned by Priscus. "He (Attila) believes also that there will be before long some noteable increase of his power; and that the gods have signified this by revealing to him the sword of Mars, a sacred relic much venerated by the Huns, for many years hidden from their eyes, but quite lately re-discovered by the trail of the blood of an ox which had wounded its hoof against it, as it stuck upright in the long grass." Italy and her defenders, by T. Hodgkin, vol. ii. p. 92. No doubt Priscus makes use of the name of Mars to designate the Hunnish deity in the same way as Tacitus when he speaks of the Teutonic god of war. A naked sabre, fixed hilt downwards in the earth, was worshipped by the Alani. Cf. p. 33 of the above-mentioned work.
Payne, vol. vi. "Jouder and his brothers," pp. 129, 152, 164.
See also, Geldart, Folk-Lore of Modern Greece, "The Scab Pate." Payne, Tales from the Arabic, vol. i., "The story of the King who knew the quintessence of things."
"The Three Dreams," p. 117, in this collection, and notes, p. 375.
Page 236. The execution. The last ceremony with a condemned man when he is pinioned is to read once more his sentence to him. This is done by the sheriff, and concludes with "Hangman, do your duty!" After the execution is over, the military present are commanded to prayer; the helmet is taken off, the musket taken in the left hand and grounded, and every soldier kneels on his left knee, and remains so for a few minutes till order is given "From prayer."
In olden times the sheriff, after he read the sentence, broke his judicial staff in twain, and threw the pieces at the culprit's feet: hence the Hungarian saying, "to break the staff near anyone," is equivalent to pronouncing sentence: e.g., "I have done this, but don't break a staff over my action," i.e., do not condemn my action.
Page 238. "Immuring alive." Cf. Roumanian legend "Manuli," and notes in this collection, p. 376.
Page 243. In the Finnish tale, "Alderblock," there is a sword, which cuts the enemy into fragments.