Basque Legends With an Essay on the Basque Language   By: Wentworth Webster (1829-1907)

BASQUE LEGENDS: Collected, Chiefly in the Labourd,

By Rev. WENTWORTH WEBSTER, M.A., Oxon.

With an Essay On The Basque Language,

By M. Julien Vinson, Of the Revue de Linguistique, Paris.

Together with Appendix: Basque Poetry.

London:

Griffith and Farran, Successors to Newbery and Harris, Corner of St. Paul's Churchyard; And Walbrook & Co., 52, Fleet Street, E. C.

1879.

All Rights Reserved.

Printed by W. O. Walbrook, at the Fleet Street Printing Works, 52, Fleet Street, London.

To M. Antoine D'Abbadie, of Abbadia, Member of the Institute of France, this Translation of Legends, originally told in the language of his ancestors, in grateful acknowledgment of kindly courtesy and of ever ready assistance, is dedicated by his obliged and obedient servant,

Wentworth Webster.

CONTENTS.

Page

Introduction vii

I. Legends of the Tartaro 1 The Tartaro 4 M. d'Abbadie's Version 4 Variations of above 5 Errua, the Madman 6 Variations of above 10 The Three Brothers, the Cruel Master, and the Tartaro 11 The Tartaro and Petit Perroquet 16

II. The Heren Suge. The Seven Headed Serpent 20 The Grateful Tartaro and the Heren Suge 22 Variation of above 32 The Seven Headed Serpent 33 The Serpent in the Wood 38

III. Animal Tales 42 Acheria, the Fox 43 The Ass and the Wolf 45

IV. Basa Jaun, Basa Andre, and Lamiñak 47 Basa Jauna 49 The Servant at the Fairy's 53 The Fairy in the House 55 The Pretty but Idle Girl 56 The Devil's Age 58 The Fairy Queen Godmother 59

V. Witchcraft and Sorcery 64 The Witches at the Sabbat 66 The Witches and the Idiots 67 The Witch and the New Born Infant 69 The Changeling 73