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 Rh the latter half of the mayoralty of 1396. It will be noticed that the chap-book puts the introduction of potatoes rather far back.

XXXII. THE STRANGE VISITOR

Source.—From Chambers, l. c., 64, much Anglicised. I have retained "Aih-late wee moul," though I candidly confess I have not the slightest idea what it means; judging other children by myself, I do not think that makes the response less effective. The prosaic-minded may substitute "Up-late-and-little-food."

Parallels.—The man made by instalments occurs in the Grimms, No. 4, and something like it in an English folk-tale, The Golden Ball, ap. Henderson, l. c., p. 333; cf. "The Sprightly Tailor" in my Celtic Fairy Tales.

XXXIII. THE LAIDLY WORM

Source.—From an eighteenth-century ballad of the Rev. Mr. Lamb of Norham, as given in Prof. Child's Ballads; with a few touches and verses from the more ancient version, "Kempion." A florid prose version appeared in Monthly Chronicle of North Country Lore for May, 1890. I have made the obvious emendation of

"O quit your sword, unbend your bow,"

for

"O quit your sword, and bend your bow."

The story is still extant near Bamborough, Mrs. Balfour informs me.

Parallels.—The ballad of "Kempe Owein" is a more general version which "The Laidly Worm" has localised near Bamborough. We learn from this that the original herd was Kempe or Champion Owain, the Welsh hero who flourished in the sixth century. Childe Wynd therefore = Childe Ow The "Deliverance Kiss" has been studied by Prof. Child