Page:English Fairy Tales.djvu/301

 Rh vernal showers. The table which covers itself is the earth becoming covered with flowers and fruit at the bidding of the new year. But there is a check; rain is withheld, the process of vegetation is stayed by some evil influence. Then comes the thunder-cloud, out of which leaps the bolt; the rains pour down, the earth receives them, and is covered with abundance—all that was lost is recovered."

XL. FAIRY OINTMENT

Source.—Mrs. Bray, The Tamar and the Tavy, i., 74 (letters to Southey), as quoted by Mr. Hartland in Folk-Lore, i., 207-8. I have christened the anonymous midwife and euphemised her profession.

Parallels.—Mr. Hartland has studied Human Midwives in the ''Archæol. Review, iv., and parallels to our story in Folk-Lore, i., 209 seq.; the most interesting of these is from Gervase of Tilbury (13th cent.), Otia Imper., iii., 85, and three Breton tales given by M. Sébillot (Contes, ii., 42; Litt. orale, 23; Trad. et Superst''., i., 109). Cf. Prof. Child, i., 339; ii., 505. A Welsh one is given in Y Cymmrodor, vii., 197. Mr. Hartland has summarised his conclusions in his Science of Fairy Tales.

XLI. THE WELL OF THE WORLD'S END

Source.—Leyden's edition of The Complaynt of Scotland, p. 234 seq., with additional touches from Halliwell, 162-3, who makes up a slightly different version from the rhymes. The opening formula I have taken from Mayhew, London Labour, iii., 390, who gives it as the usual one when tramps tell folk-tales. I also added it to No. xvii.

Parallels.—Sir W. Scott remembered a similar story; see Taylor's Gammer Grethel, ad fin. In Scotland it is Chambers's tale of The Paddo, p. 87; Leyden supposes it is referred to in the Complaynt (c. 1548), as "The Wolf of the World's End." The well of this name occurs also in the Scotch version of the "Three Heads of the Well" (No. xliii.). Abroad it is the Grimms' first tale, while frogs who would a-wooing go are