Page:The Folk-Lore Journal Volume 1 1883.djvu/104

96 ber last, relates how, fired by the chance perusal of one of M. Paul Sébillot's volumes, he set forth tale-hunting in Lower Normandy. He gives an amusing account of the many rebuffs he met with, but tact and perseverance were finally rewarded by no less than 200 tales, songs, and local traditions. As a specimen of his gleanings he prints in the No. for the 30th of September a tale, Le Loup et la Poulotte, to which English nursery literature can show a very close parallel in the legend of the "Fox and the Geese." M. Havard discusses at some length the vexed question of the origin of Märchen, and what he has to say on the subject is sensible and to the point. In the No. for the 30th of December, 13th and 20th of January, he gives an interesting description of French carol-singing, printing, some for the first time, the words and music of many "Noëls." Valuable information is afforded too concerning recent and forthcoming works on the subject. As several of these are either privately printed or are published in small provincial towns, they would, but for M. Havard, have remained unknown to the generality of book-buyers. We hope that M. Havard will continue his folk-lore researches and that he will shortly give the world at large the result of his studies.

Mr. Otto Harrassowitz, of Leipzig, has recently issued a catalogue of the extensive and valuable library of the late Theodor Benfey, the great Sanscrit scholar and editor of the Pantchantantra. As might be expected, it is exceedingly rich in works on comparative philology, mythology, and folk-lore. Copies may be had from Mr. D. Nutt, 270, Strand.

Mrs. E. B. Mawer, of Bucharest, is preparing a collection of proverbs. Translations are not given, but only equivalents where they exist. As an example of the work, the following may perhaps be quoted:—

English. More haste worse speed. Roumanian. Cine umblâ încetu adjunge departe. French. Pas à pas on va bien loin. German. Eile mit weile. Italian. Chi va piano va sano, e chi va sano va lontano. Spanish. Poco á poco se va léjos. Portuguese. Molle molle se vai longe. Dutch. Haastigen spoed is gelden goed. Danish. Est haar efter andet, gjör Bonden skaldet. Latin. Festina lente.