FOLK TALES OF ALL NATIONS No. VI:- FINETTE OF BRITTANY

Auckland Star, Volume LXIX, Issue 220, 17 September 1938, Page 4 (Supplement)

FOLK TALES OF ALL NATIONS No. VI:- FINETTE OF BRITTANY

A JA. XV, nirny yr-tirs -igo, that pic- | " lutvsque nuttb wmtrrn corner of I

very soon, all that was left of the ' ity was a glittering expanse of blue.

- :n:;v France known as Brittany, was oai:.-.l Britannia Minor or Lesser Britain. In the course of time this

And even to-day, when the *ea is like a bright mirror, and the air is I clear for miles around, the people of ' Brittany say that you can still see the remains of the palaces and houses. For some yeare afterwards the clergy of the district held a yearly ceremony above the lout city and there it is to-day, only now it is known a& the Bay of Douarnenez. The legend of Yvon and Finette i» very exciting—and what folk-tale would be complete without its beautiful maiden or handsome prince? Yvon wasn't exactly a prince, but he was the son of a baron, which 1

gave way to the more familiar name by which we know it to-day, but passing years have not altered muoli the old customs of the land.

Bretons of to-Jay have but little time for merry-making, for they are a hardworking people and the farmers have few modern devices to assist them. But when the last bundle of grain has been threshed with the old-fashioned flail, and the last drop of water drawn from the well, then perhaps you will hear the music of the Breton pipes and the chatter of young voices. If you have a good insight into the Breton character, yon might prevail on one of them to tell you some,of the old legends in which their conntry abounds. Perhaps you will hear about the beautiful city of Is and of tho princess who wore the silver keys that unlocked the city's watergates. These dykes and walls were mast necessary if the country was to be protected against the floixk, for Is was below sea. level. I am cad to say, however, that, the inhabitants were neither thoughtful nor kind, but wasted their time in luxury and extravagance. It is said that they were warned repeatedly about this state of affairs and that it made but small impression on them. Therefore, it can be imagined that the ead fate which overtook them all was perhaps but an act of justice. It is strange that a day, even an hour, can change the current of people's lives, and when the Princess of Is first set eyes on a young and handsome stranger she was sealing the city's doom. It was not the prinoeas who claimed the young man's attention, however, but the silver keys which she wore around her neck, and these he snatched from her ax >oon as the opportunity presented itself. What consternation there must have been among the nobles of that lair court when they saw the stranger tearing pell-mell down the palace the keys jingling in h?g hand. Before anyone could stop him he had unlocked the water gates, and soon,

suppose is the next best thing. He was very brave, too, and everybody loved him. When he turned twentyone Yvon sought his father's permission to go abroad, and after some deliberation the worthy baron decided to let him go.

But when lie was but a short journey from land a terrible storm arose and though the boats were launched almost immediately he wu the only one to escape drowning. He was so exhausted when he reached the shore that he lay panting for a while upon the debris -strewn beach. All around him were pieces of the wreck and when he looked around he saw that he was quite alone.

Not far away he saw, what looked to be a. very large houee and when he got up to it he thought that it must be the dwelling place of a giant. Sixty feet above him were the doors and great windows, and although Yvon was not undersized he found that he couldn't reach the knocker. "Well," he thought, "I'd better let someone know I'm here," and he threw a stone against the Window pane. No sooner had he done so than his summons was answered by a most terrifying giant, who asked him in t mighty voice who he was and what he was doing there. Yvon then told him he bed come to seek his fortune

and the giant said that if he liked he could be his servant.

Yvon cheerfully agreed, but when he vac going to enter the giant told him that he must clean out his e tablet and on no account go into the house.

Now, as everyone knows, forbidden fruits are sweetest, and Yvon tad no intention of being shut out. When the giant had gone he tried the door and finding that it was unlatched he stepped inside. Peeping cautiously into £Ifi first room he saw that Ha only ornament was a large iron pot, full of a strange, bubbling liquid. Like Alice in Wonderland Yvon might have said "curious and euriouser," for where the fire should have been there was only an empty grate. His first thought (for he was very hungry) was to ta*te some of the mixture, but then he decided to see what it was made of. Thereupon he cut off a lqpk of his hair and dipped it in. He got a further surprise when he drew it out again, for it glistened with a strange coppery glow!

Wondering Yvon entered the next room and there he found that the furnishings were juet the same. He repeated hie performance with the lock of hair and when be withdrew it a second time he found that it was coated with silver. By now he wat wondering whether the giant actually ate any of theee strange mixtures, and wm half afraid that he might be forced into having norat The next room was similar to those he bed seen before, bnt instead of copper or silver the great pot wm filled to the brim with sallow <rold. Very much impressed by all this display of wealth Yvon turned the comer and entered the fourth room. Thin time he eaw neither silver nor gold, but a lovely maiden who ran forward to meet him. (To be concluded.)