bon_), pub. pour la Societe de l'Hist. de France par A. Lecoy de la
Marche, Paris, 1877.

Since the above was written, several important contributions to the
literature of this story have been made. The first in point of time and
importance is a paper by Gaston Paris in the _Comptes Rendus_ of the
Academie des Inscriptions et Belles Lettres, vol. VIII. pp. 427-449
(reprinted in _La Poesie du Moyen Age_, Lecons et Lectures par Gaston
Paris, Paris, 1885). Next may be mentioned "_The Literary History of
Parnell's Hermit_," by W. E. A. Axon, London, 1881 (reprinted from the
Seventh Volume of the Third Series of _Memoirs of the Manchester
Literary and Philosophical Society, Session 1879-80_). An Icelandic
version is in _Islendzk Aeventyri, Islaendische Legenden, Novellen und
Maerchen_, herausgegeben von Hugo Gering, Halle, 1884, vol. II. p. 247.
The legend is clearly shown by Gaston Paris to be of Jewish origin.

[17] There is another version of this story in Gonz., No. 86, "_Von dem
frommen Kinde_" ("The Pious Child"), Koehler in his notes cites Grimm's
_Children's Legends_, No. 9, and Schneller, No. 1. In this last story a
pious child is cruelly treated by his step-mother, and leaves his home
to live in a convent. One day he notices in a corner a neglected
crucifix covered with dust and cobwebs. He sees how thin the figure is,
and at meal-time brings his food where the crucifix is and begins to
feed the image, which opens its mouth and eats with appetite. As the
image grows stouter the pious child grows thinner. The Superior learns
one day the fact, and tells the child to ask the Lord to invite him and
the Superior to his table. The next day both die suddenly after mass.

In a story in Gonz., No. 47, "Of the pious youth who went to Rome," the
youth talks to the image on the crucifix in a familiar way, and receives
information about questions put to him by various persons. The youth
also dies suddenly at the end of the story.

[18] Pitre, No. 111. Another Sicilian version is in Gonz., No. 88, "The
Story of Spadonia." Spadonia is the son of a king, who every day has
bread baked and sent to the souls in purgatory by means of an ass sent
for that purpose by the Lord. Spadonia becomes king, and sends one of
his servants, Peppe, to see where the ass goes. Peppe crosses a river of
clear water, one of milk, and one of blood. Then he sees the thin oxen
in a rich pasture, and the reverse; in addition he beholds a forest with
smal