THE WORLD'S BEAUTIFUL WOMAN. Erdélyi, iii. 1.
Reading edition
Arany gives the following variants of this tale: Mailath 2, Grimm[70] 53, and Schott, Wallachische Märchen 5. See also in Russian poetry by Pushkin, in Bodenstedt's translation i. p. 100. In the German variants, twelve pigmies take the place of the twelve robbers in the Hungarian tale; and the queen thus addresses her mirror:
"Spieglein, spieglein an der Wand Wer ist die schönste im ganzen Land?"
And receives the reply—
"Frau Königin. Thr seid die Schönste hier Aber Schneewitchen ist thausendmal schöner. Als Thr."
Cf. Pedroso Portuguese Folk-Tales, F.L.S. 1882. "The Vain Queen," and "The Maiden with the Rose on her Forehead."
Page 164. The love-stricken ones is a touch of the Oriental method of describing the power of love. See numberless examples in Payne's Arabian Knights.
Page 165. There is an Indian superstition noted in Temple's Legends of the Punjáb, p. 51, where we read, "he wore some coarse clothes over his own, so that her perspiration should not injure him," and in the footnote: "the woman's perspiration would take his 'virtue' out of him."
Page 165. Magic Mirror. Besides the variants at the beginning of the notes, we may compare the Magic Mirror in the Norse Saga, "King Gram" and the Hanoverian tale, in Grimm, vol. ii. p. 379.
For spitting as a mode of enchantment, see numerous examples in Arabian Nights.
Page 172. "The Pin, &c. which prevents the girl from moving." Cf. Stokes, Indian Fairy Tales, p. xiii., "The Pomegranate King," p. 14, "The princess who loved her father like salt," p. 165; and notes on pp. 248, &c.
In the Finnish tale, "Här' än Korwista syntyneet Koirat siw" (Dogs which sprang from the ears of a bull), in S. ja T. 1, a girl scratches her brother's head with a devil's tusk, and so kills him; but his faithful dogs lick the wound, and so restore him to life.
In a Lapp story, "Bondesønnen" (Friis, No. 44) the son's sister awakes, when the hero pricks her hand, and sucks the drop of blood off.
Cf. Schott, Wallachische Märchen, p. 251. Pedroso, Portuguese Tales, F.L.S. 1882, "The Maid and the Negress." Irish Folk Tales, Folk-Lore Record. 1884, p. 197, "The Story of John and the Amulet." Halliwell, Nursery Rhymes and Tales, "The Red Bull of Norroway," p. 169. Thorpe, Yule-Tide Stories, p. 40, "The Princess that came out of the water." Payne, Arabian Nights, vol. i. p. 375. Gubernatis, vol. ii. p. 15, and a story from near Leghorn, p. 242, where it states that similar stories are to be found in Piedmont, in other parts of Tuscany, in Calabria, &c. and in the Tuti-Name. Grimm, vol. ii. p. 243, "The Glass Coffin." Pentamerone, "Sun, Moon, and Talia," and "The Three Citrons." Gonzenbach, Sicilianiasches Märchen, vol. i. p. 82.[71] Old Deccan Days, "Little Surya Bai," p. 83; "Chundun Rajah," p. 233; "Sodewa Bai," p. 240. In the two last, we also have examples of bodies remaining undecayed for months after death. Sodewa Bai looked as lovely a month after her death as on the night she died; cf. also the well-known "Sleeping Beauty."
The prince in the Greek story weeps and groans over a picture, just as this prince does over his dead princess. See Geldart, p. 95, "The Golden Steed."
Page 180. For a fuller note on witches see the Introduction.