I, "_Quattordici_" ("Fourteen"), and _Fiabe Mantovane_,
No. II, "_Pacchione_" In these stories a cunning person is sent to the
Devil to bring back a load of gold. The cunning person takes a long pair
of tongs, catches the Devil by the nose, loads his horse, and returns in
safety.

The first part of the story of "_Quattordici_" is found in the Basque
Legend of "Fourteen:" see Webster, p. 195.

[26] Another Venetian version is in Widter-Wolf, No. 3, "_Der Gevatter
Tod_" ("Godfather Death"). There are also two Sicilian versions: Pitre,
No. 109, "_La Morti e so figghiozzu_" ("Death and her Godson"); and
Gonz., No. 19, "_Gevatter Tod_," which do not differ materially from the
version given in our text. References to European parallels may be found
in Koehler's notes to Widter-Wolf, No. 3, _Jahrb._ VII. p. 19; to Gonz.,
No. 19, and in Grimm's notes to No. 44.

[27] Widter-Wolf, No. 16, "_Der standhafter Buesser_" ("The Constant
Penitent"), _Jahrb._ VII. p. 273. For parallels, see Koehler's article,
_Die Legende von dem Ritter in der Capelle_, _Jahrb._ VI. p. 326.

[28] Bernoni, _Legg. fant._ p. 3. The translation in text, as well as
that of the two following stories, I have taken from _The Cornhill
Magazine_, July, 1875, "Venetian Popular Legends," p. 86.

Another story illustrating the same point is found in Pitre, No. 110,
_Li Cumpari di S. Giuvanni_, which is translated as follows by Ralston
in _Fraser's Magazine_, April, 1876, "Sicilian Fairy Tales," p. 424.

LXXII. THE GOSSIPS OF ST. JOHN.

Once upon a time there lived a husband and wife, and they were both
bound in gossipry with a certain man. The husband got arrested, and was
taken away to prison. Now the gossip was very fond of his cummer, and
used often to go and visit her. One day she said to him: "Gossip, shall
we go and see my husband?" "_Gnursi, cummari_" ("Certainly, cummer"),
said her gossip; so off they went. On the way they bought a large
melon--for it was the melon season--to take to the poor prisoner. We are
but flesh and blood! The gossip and his cummer sinned against St. John.
In short, they brought things to a pretty pass. St. John wasn't going to
let that pass unpunished. When they had come to the prison and had
visited the prisoner, before going away they wanted to make a present to
the jailer; so they gave him the melon. He cut it open before their
eyes. Horror of horrors! When the melon was cut open, there was found in
the middle of it a hea