45).

For further discussions of this cycle of folk-tales, and its relation
to the Arabian literary version, see Aarne, 61 et seq. Compare also
Macculloch, 201-202, 237-238; Groome, 218-220; Clouston's "Variants
of Button's Supplemental Arabian Nights," pp. 564-575; Bolte-Polivka,
2 : 451-458; Benfey, 1 : 211 ff. Add to Aarne's and Bolte's lists
Wratislaw, No. 54. See also Daehnhardt, 4 : 147-160.

In conclusion, I may add in the way of an Appendix, as it were, a brief
synopsis of a Tagalog romance entitled "Story of Edmundo, Son of Merced
in the Kingdom of France; taken from a novela and composed by one who
enjoys writing the Tagalog language. Manila 1909." This verse-form of
a story at bottom the same as our two folk-tales is doubtless much
more recent than our folk-tales themselves, and is possibly based
on them directly, despite the anonymous author's statement as to the
unnamed novela that was his source. In the following summary of the
"Story of Edmundo," the numbers in parentheses refer to stanzas of
the original Tagalog text.

"Edmundo."

In Villa Amante there lived a poor widow, Merced by name, who had to
work very hard to keep her only son, the infant Edmundo, alive. Her
piety and industry were rewarded, however; and by the time the
boy was seven years old, she was able to clothe him well and send
him to school. Her brother Tonio undertook the instruction of the
youth. Edmundo had a good head, and made rapid progress. (7-41)

One day Merced fell sick, and, although she recovered in a short time,
Edmundo decided to give up studying and to help his mother earn their
living. He became a wood-cutter. (42-53)

At last fortune came to him. In one of his wanderings in the forest in
search of dry wood, he happened upon an enormous python. He would have
fled in terror had not the snake spoken to him, to his amazement, and
requested him to pull from its throat the stag which was choking it. He
performed the service for the reptile, and in turn was invited to the
cave where it lived. Out of gratitude the python gave Edmundo a magic
mirror that would furnish the possessor with whatever he wanted. With
the help of this charm, mother and son soon had everything they needed
to make them happy. (54-91)

At about this time King Romualdo of France decided to look for a
husband for his daughter, the beautiful Leonora. He was unable to pick
out a son-in-law from the many suitors who presented themselves; and
so he had