82. Old Charley Creed
83. The Hungry Mowers
SHAGGY DOGS
84. The Farmer and His Ox
85. The Two Elephants
86. The Horse Who Played Cricket
87. The Pious Lion
88. The Tortoises’ Picnic
TALL TALES AND ABSURDITIES
89. The Dog and the Hares
90. The Man Who Bounced
91. Mark Twain in the Fens
92. The Endless Tale
Glossary
Bibliography
Notes
Index of Motifs
Index of Tale Types
General Index
Part I
Wonder Tales
1
The Small-Tooth Dog
Collected by Sidney O. Addy in Norton, Derbyshire, and published in his Household Tales with Other Traditional Remains, Collected in the Counties of York, Lincoln, Derby, and Nottingham (London and Sheffield, 1895), No. 1, pp. 1–4. Addy writes in his Introduction: “In every case I have either written the tales down from dictation, or a written copy has been given to me.”
This is Type 425C, Beauty and the Beast, No. 88 in Grimm, and reported throughout Europe. Lithuania leads with 30 versions. Baughman cites examples from Virginia, Massachusetts (Irish informant), New York, North Carolina, and Kentucky.
ONCE UPON A time, there was a merchant who traveled about the world a great deal. On one of his journeys thieves attacked him, and they would have taken both his life and his money if a large dog had not come to his rescue and driven the thieves away. When the dog had driven the thieves away he took the merchant to his house, which was a very handsome one, and he dressed his wounds and nursed him until he was well.
As soon as he was able to travel the merchant began his journey home, but before starting he told the dog how grateful he was for his kindness, and asked him what reward he could offer in return, and he said he would not refuse to give him the most precious thing that he had.
And so the merchant said to the dog, “Will you accept a fish that I have that can speak twelve languages?”
“No,” said the dog, “I will not.”
“Or a goose that lays golden eggs?”
“No,” said the dog, “I will not.”
“Or a mirror in which you can see what anybody is thinking about?”
“No,” said the dog, “I will not.”
“Then what will you have?” said the merchant.
“I will have none of such presents,” said the dog, “but let me fetch your daughter, and take her to my house.”
When the merchant heard this he was grieved, but what he had promised had to be done, so he said to the dog, “You can come and fetch my daughter after I have been at home for a week.”
So at the end of the week the dog came to the merchant’s house to fetch his daughter, but when he got there he stayed outside the door, and would not go in. But the merchant’s daughter did as her father told her, and came out of the house dressed for a journey and ready to go with the dog.
When the dog saw her he looked pleased, and said, “Jump on my back, and I will take you away to my house.” So she mounted on the dog’s back, and away they went at a great pace until they reached the dog’s house, which was many miles off.
But after she had been a month at the dog’s house she began to mope and cry.
“What are you crying for?” said the dog.
