marry him.
At a banquet she makes the Vizier drunk, obtains possession of the ring,
secures the return of Maruf and the Sultan, and the decapitation of the
Vizier.

The "Babes in the Wood" was registered on the books of Stationers' Hall
as a ballad as far back as 1595.

To take another familiar Pantomime subject, "Blue Beard," this story is
said to have been invented as a satire on our King Henry VIII. There is
little doubt, however, of it originating from a very ancient source; and
to afford the reader all the possible information on the subject, a
writer in "The Drama," a magazine of the beginning of the last century
has the following, though he does not state his authority for the
information:--

As this extraordinary personage has long been the theme, not only of
children's early study and terror, it will be gratifying to peruse the
character of that being who really existed, and who was distinguished in
horror and derision by the strange appellation of "Blue Beard."

He was the famous Gilles, Marquis de Laval, a Mareschal of France, and a
General of uncommon intrepidity, who greatly distinguished himself in
the reigns of Charles VI. and VII., by his courage, particularly against
the English, when they invaded France. He rendered such services to his
country, which were sufficient to immortalize his name, had he not for
ever tarnished his glory by the most terrible and cruel murders,
blasphemies, and licentiousness of every kind. His revenues were
princely; but his prodigality was sufficient to render even an Emperor a
bankrupt. Wherever he went he had in his suite a seraglio, a band of
players, a company of musicians, a society of sorcerers and magicians,
an almost incredible number of cooks, packs of dogs of various kinds,
and above 200 led horses. Mezerai, an author of great repute, says,
that he encouraged and maintained men who called themselves sorcerers,
to discover hidden treasures, and corrupted young persons of both sexes
to attach themselves to him, and afterwards killed them for the sake of
their blood, which was requisite to form his charms and incantations.
These horrid excesses may be believed, when we reflect on the age of
ignorance and barbarism in which they were certainly too often
practised. He was at length, for a state crime against the Duke of
Brittany, sentenced to be burnt alive in a field at Nantz in 1440, but
the Duke, who was present at his execution, so far mitigated the
sentence,