XXIV. WHY THE FISH LAUGHED.

_Source._--Knowles, _Folk-Tales of Kashmir_, pp. 484-90.

_Parallels._--The latter part is the formula of the Clever Lass who

guesses riddles. She has been bibliographised by Prof. Child, _Eng.

and Scotch Ballads_, i. 485; see also Benfey, _Kl. Schr._ ii. 156

_seq._ The sex test at the end is different from any of those

enumerated by Prof. Köhler on Gonzenbach, _Sezil. Mähr._ ii. 216.

_Remarks._--Here we have a further example of a whole formula, or

series of incidents, common to most European collections, found in

India, and in a quarter, too, where European influence is little

likely to penetrate. Prof. Benfey, in an elaborate dissertation ("Die

Kluge Dirne," in _Ausland_, 1859, Nos. 20-25, now reprinted in _Kl.

Schr._ ii. 156 _seq._), has shown the wide spread of the theme both in

early Indian literature (though probably there derived from the folk)

and in modern European folk literature.

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