.P., is 'Mabon.' It
scarcely follows that Mr. Abraham is in receipt of divine honours
nowadays.

XIV. JACK AND HIS COMRADES.

_Source_.--Kennedy's _Legendary Fictions of the Irish Celts_.

_Parallels_.--This is the fullest and most dramatic version I know of
the Grimm's "Town Musicians of Bremen" (No. 27). I have given an
English (American) version in my _English Fairy Tales_, No. 5, in the
notes to which would be found references to other versions known in the
British Isles (_e.g._, Campbell, No. 11) and abroad. _Cf._ remarks on
No. vi.

XV. SHEE AN GANNON AND GRUAGACH GAIRE.

_Source._--Curtin, _Myths and Folk-Lore of Ireland_, p. 114 _seq._ I
have shortened the earlier part of the tale, and introduced into the
latter a few touches from Campbell's story of "Fionn's Enchantment," in
_Revue Celtique_, t. i., 193 _seq._

_Parallels_.--The early part is similar to the beginning of "The
Sea-Maiden" (No. xvii., which see). The latter part is practically the
same as the story of "Fionn's Enchantment," just referred to. It also
occurs in MacInnes' _Tales_, No. iii., "The King of Albainn" (see Mr.
Nutt's notes, 454). The head-crowned spikes are Celtic, _cf._ Mr.
Nutt's notes (MacInnes' _Tales_, 453).

_Remarks_.--Here again we meet the question whether the folk-tale
precedes the hero-tale about Finn or was derived from it, and again the
probability seems that our story has the priority as a folk-tale, and
was afterwards applied to the national hero, Finn. This is confirmed by
the fact that a thirteenth century French romance, _Conte du Graal_,
has much the same incidents, and was probably derived from a similar
folk-tale of the Celts. Indeed, Mr. Nutt is inclined to think that the
original form of our story (which contains a mysterious healing vessel)
is the germ out of which the legend of the Holy Grail was evolved (see
his _Studies in the Holy Grail_, p. 202 _seq._).

XVI. THE STORY-TELLER AT FAULT.

_Source_.--Griffin's _Tales from a Jury-Room_, combined with Campbell,
No. xvii. _c_, "The Slim Swarthy Champion."

_Parallels_.--Campbell gives another variant, _l.c._ i. 318. Dr. Hyde
has an Irish version of Campbell's tale written down in 1762, from
which he gives the incident of the air-ladder (which I have had to
euphemise in my version) in his _Beside the Fireside_, p. 191, and
other passages in his Preface. The most remarkable parallel to this
incident, however, is afforded by the feats of I