Sacred Texts Sagas and Legends Basque Index Previous Next
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WE have several variations of this tale, some like the above, very similar to Grimm's "Valiant Little Tailor," other's like Campbell's "Highland Tales." In one tale there are two
brothers, an idiot and a fool (Enuchenta eta Ergela). The idiot goes out to service first, and gets sent back for his stupidity. Then the fool goes, and outwits both his master and the Tartaro, whose eye he burns out with a red-hot spit, as in the first instance. In another the servant frightens the Tartaro at the outset by cracking two walnuts, and saying that they were bones of Christians he was cracking. Another wager is as to which shall carry most water from a fountain. The Tartaro fills two hogsheads to carry, but the lad says to him, "Only that; I will take the whole fountain;" and he begins to stir the water about with a stick. But the Tartaro, cries out, "No! No! No! I give up. Where shall I go and drink if you carry away all my water?" Another variation is as follows:--