Reading Notes: Twenty-Two Goblins Part A

The Three Lovers who brought the Dead Girl to Life. Whose wife should she be?

Coral died from an illness and was burned. One man went around and found a resurrection spell, one man washes her bones in sacred river, and one kept her ashes and stay near her grave.

One man said "I brought her to life by my magic spell. She is my life."

Second man said "She came to life because of my journey to the sacred river. She is my wife."

Third man said "I kept her ashes. That is why she came to life. She is my dear wife."

Lesson: Man who found magic spell did what a father would do. Man who dip her bones in sacred river did what a son would do. Man who slept with her ashes and lived a hard life begging in the cemetery did what a lover would do. So he should be her husband.

The Brave Man, the Wise Man, and the Clever Man. To which should the girl be given?

One mans is clever and can make flying chariot. One is a brave man who is skilled with weapons. One is a wise man who can find out the location of where she was taken to. 

Wise man said "If I had not discovered her by my wisdom, how could you have found her hiding-place? She should be given to me."

Clever man said "If I had not made a flying chariot, how could you have gone there in a moment and come back like the gods, or how could you have had a chariot-fight with him? She should be given to me."

Brave man said "If I had not killed the giant in the fight, who would have saved her in spite of all your pains? The girl should be given to me."

Lesson: Brave man should be the husband because he risked his life and killed the giant and saved the girl. Wise man and clever man was only a helper who works for other people.

Four Scientific Suitors. To which should the girl be given?

First man: working man named Five-cloth. He make five suits a day. One for himself, one for god and one for a Brahman, one for his wife if he have one and one to sell.

Second man: Farmer named Linguist who understand cries of all beasts and birds.

Third man: Strong-armed soldier named Swordsman. 

Fourth man: A Brahman named Life and can resurrect dead creatures. 

Lesson: first is weaver, farmer, and Brahman neglect his own affairs and turn magician. Swordsman is best because he had some manhood with his science.

Goblin at Pixabay

Bibliography: "Twenty-Two Goblins," translated by Arthur Ryder. Illustrated by Perham W. Nahl.