. The first is a certain
Morfei (Morpheus?) who figures in the following variant of a
well-known tale.

There was a king, and he had a daughter with whom a general who lived
over the way fell in love. But the king would not let him marry her
unless he went where none had been, and brought back thence what none
had seen. After much consideration the general set out and travelled
"over swamps, hill, and rivers." At last he reached a wood in which
was a hut, and inside the hut was an old crone. To her he told his
story, after hearing which, she cried out, "Ho, there! Morfei, dish up
the meal!" and immediately a dinner appeared of which the old crone
made the general partake. And next day "she presented that cook to the
general, ordering him to serve the general honorably, as he had served
her. The general took the cook and departed." By-and-by he came to a
river and was appealed to for food by a shipwrecked crew. "Morfei,
give them to eat!" he cried, and immediately excellent viands
appeared, with which the mariners were so pleased that they gave the
general a magic volume in exchange for his cook--who, however, did not
stay with them but secretly followed his master. A little later the
general found another shipwrecked crew, who gave him, in exchange for
his cook, a sabre and a towel, each of magic power. Then the general
returned to his own city, and his magic properties enabled him to
convince the king that he was an eligible suitor for the hand of the
Princess.[294]

The other is a mysterious personage whose name is "Oh!" The story in
which he appears is one with which many countries are familiar, and of
which numerous versions are to be found in Russia. A father sets out
with his boy for "the bazaar," hoping to find a teacher there who will
instruct the child in such science as enables people "to work little,
and feed delicately, and dress well." After walking a long way the man
becomes weary and exclaims, "Oh! I'm so tired!" Immediately there
appears "an old magician," who says--

"Why do you call me?"

"I didn't call you," replies the old man. "I don't even know who you
are."

"My name is Oh," says the magician, "and you cried 'Oh!' Where are you
taking that boy?"

The father explains what it is he wants, and the magician undertakes
to give the boy the requisite education, charging "one assignat
rouble" for a year's tuition.[295]

The teacher, in this story, is merely called a magician; but as in
other Ru