L'Épreuve (Puymaigre, pp. 54, 59)? That hypothesis does not account for the presence of the same simple and terrible situation in the Finnish epic the Kalewala. Or shall we say that the popular imagination naturally caught at the most moving yet obvious themes which are everywhere equally powerful to awaken terror and compassion? That theory does not account for the verbal resemblance between Renaud et ses Quatorze Femmes and the Scotch May Colvin, which have their parallels in Breton, Venetian, Piedmontese, German, Wendish, Bohemian, and Servian ballad-poetry.
Are we to say that the legends are based on some historical fact, and spread through Europe from a common centre? To take a more lively example—did we borrow Billy Taylor from the French, or did the French first sing of the betrayed and revengeful maiden?
Derière cheux nous
Y est un capitaine
[Billy Taylor was a fine young fellow,
Full of mirth and full of glee],
Qui tous les jours
M'entretient de ses amours.,
[And his mind he did discover
To a maiden fair and free].
The legend pursues its course. The capitaine loves and rides away, but the lady follows him to the army and provokes him to a duel;
"Ah oui, ah oui,
lis ont bien pris les armes,
Ah oui, ah oui,
Ils ont bien combattu,
Mais la fillette,
Qu'était encor jeunette
Mais la fillette
Mit son amant a mort."
In fact "she shot young Billy Taylor." "And the king, when he came for to hear of it, very much applauded what she had done," but it does not appear that he made her "first lieutenant of the gallant Thunder-bomb."
"Le roi si bon
Y accorda son pardon."
The adventure is said to exist in Sclavonic poetry. Speaking of coin-
