KobS-1: Hanns, the son of the French king, receives princely education: hunting, jousting, fighting in tournaments, wrestling, dancing and singing. He is well known for his virtues.

Motif References:

P 30 Princes
T 600 Care (education) of children

KobS-43: On a hunt he stays behind his hunters. His dog spurs up a deer; the king follows him and gets lost in the forest. A narrow path leads him to a beautiful castle where he is welcomed by the lady who had seen him coming from the walls.

Motif References:

F 151.1 Perilous [narrow] path to otherworld.
F 163.1 Castle in otherworld
N 771 King (prince) (lost) on hunt has adventures
H 1222 Prince a-hunting enters on quest

KobS-179: The lady is very beautiful. She carries a golden crown. The jewels of her crown give joy. She has blond hair, her face is red and white, she has bright eyes like an eagle and has precious clothes.

Motif References:

Z 65.1 Red as blood, white as snow
F 575.1 Remarkably beautiful woman
F 826 Extraordinary jewels
F 828 Extraordinary crown
D 1071 Magic jewel (jewels)
D 1359.3 Magic object causes joy

KobS-226: She tells him to sit at her side but Hanns only sits down after hesitation because of his good manners. The lady knows his name and asks him about his journey. Hanns wonders about this and she says that she has watched incognito his exploits at a tournament in France. He asks her name but she does not tell.

Motif References:

N 762 Person accidentally met unexpectedly knows the other’s name

KobS-319: The steward asks them to dinner (on a separate table for the nobles). Afterwards he is guided to the sleeping-room. Above the table there is a beautifully jeweled baldachin and a shining ruby. The lady lies down at his side but rejects his advances: they both would suffer in this case. Before morning she leaves him and thanks him for his obedience. Hanns is given a white coat ornate with pearls. The lady has the same dress and a white crown of pearls. Her maidens are dressed in white clothes as well. They hear mass.

Motif References:

C 110 Tabu- sexual intercourse
Z 142 Symbolic color: white
T 350 Chaste sleeping together
H 1556.4.1 Lover’s fidelity tested by going to bed with mistress and only kissing

KobS-484: They have a meal and afterwards the steward takes the king to the ladies. Hanns is seated at the queen’s side and they play chess with figures of jachant with pearls and ivory. Then Hanns is shown the castle and from the tower there are many rich towns and castles to be seen as well as fertile land. The land is enclosed by high mountains and wilderness and there is no other way to come there. The queen offers her lands to Hanns if he obeys her request. Hanns agrees.

Motif References:

P 28 Marriage of queen
T 55 Girl as wooer. Forthputting woman
F 145 Mountains at borders of otherworld
F 707 Extraordinary kingdom

KobS-574: There are courtly pastimes in the hall: playing ball, debates and discussions. The steward takes Hanns to the table of the knights for dinner. Then the queen gives him directions for the night: they have to be chaste sleeping together. She joins him in bed clad in white. Hanns turns red and white from love that has pierced his heart with her arrow. The guard announces the day. In the morning the queen tells him that he failed in the test: he has acted like a coward, he should have made her his wife even without her consent. Hanns is full of grief.

Motif References:

T 24.5 Boy [girl] turns red and white from love
C 110 Tabu- sexual intercourse
T 350 Chaste sleeping together
H 493 Virility test for husband
H 1556.4.1 Lover’s fidelity tested by going to bed with mistress and only kissing

KobS-680: The lord-in-waiting brings him a red coat with rubies. The queen has a ruby crown. They hear mass. She greets him although she thinks him a coward. They again eat separately. After the meal the queen sends for him and talks to him in private: She will marry him. At his question she tells him that he never must make her bleed otherwise he would lose her, the land and their children they might have. Hanns agrees.

Motif References:

C 31.8 Tabu: striking supernatural wife
T 111 Marriage of mortal and supernatural being
F 302.6 Fairy mistress leaves man when he breaks tabu
C 932 Loss of wife (husband) for breaking tabu.

KobS-789: The queen calls her nobles and tells them her decision to marry. They agree. Hanns and the queen are married by a priest. Hanns is crowned by the queen, who makes him the master of her people, her land and herself. Messengers are sent to invite to the wedding feast. After the wedding night they hear mass in the morning and have a meal. There is tournamenting and dancing, the feast lasts for eight days. Hanns invests his vassals. Two sons are born.

Motif References:

P 13.5 Crowning [and making] of kings
T 136.1 Wedding feast

KobS-937: In the meantime his parents are lamenting for Hanns who could not be found by any messenger sent out for him. The whole country is grieving and there are no tournaments. Hanns stays with the queen for ten years. One day he accidentally hurts the queen with a needle as he embraces her and she bleeds. She swoons. They have to separate. She gives Hanns a ring and tells him not to grieve for her. She however will be sad from now on and will dress in black. He should return to France.

Motif References:

C 31.8 Tabu: striking supernatural wife
T 59.1 (Bm) Rings as love tokens
Z 143.1 Black as symbol of grief
F 302.6 Fairy mistress leaves man when he breaks tabu
C 932 Loss of wife (husband) for breaking tabu.

KobS-1064: He asks her to forgive him but she tells him this cannot be. She now has to leave for the Country of the Burning Lake, a fiery land enclosed by mountains. No bird can fly over it. All are lamenting in grief. The king’s heart grows hot from grief and swells up, he wrings his hands. Clad in black the queen leaves and they part. She would prefer to stay with her husband although this new country is even richer than the old one.

Motif References:

F 145 Mountains at borders of otherworld
F 707 Extraordinary kingdom
F 1041.21 Reactions to excessive grief

KobS-1131: The king leaves. As he stops and looks back the land has turned into a wilderness, the castle has vanished. Hanns takes a path through the forest and comes upon his father’s hunters. Messengers bring the news to Paris.

Motif References:

D 2095 Magic disappearance
D 2188.3 Village vanishes

KobS-1234: Hanns stays six months at court. There are tournaments, dancing and pastimes but he remains grieved. Then he tells his father that he wants to leave. His father thinks Hanns might have been offended somehow and promises punishment but Hanns says no. The king being already old offers him kingdom and crown but Hanns does not accept. The king equips Hanns for the journey: gold, retinue, knights and servants, steward, marshal, lord-in-waiting. He is given everything to travel in a royal manner, with pipers and trumpeters. But Hanns only asks for a servant to join his own retinue and parts from his parents. As he leaves there is music and all nobles and servants are gathered. His father accompanies him for half a day’s journey.

Motif References:

H 1385.3 Quest for vanished wife (mistress)

KobS-1440: Hanns travels through many countries and deserts and crosses the sea. He comes to a rich land and makes his impressive entry into the town with all his retinue and goods. The people are wondering about the stranger, one of them identifies the French coat of arms but France, although they know its fame, is so far away that even a wise knight only knows it from hearsay. Hanns stays eight days; there are courtly pastimes to his amusement. At his question about the burning lake the wise knight says he has never heard about it and that he had better stop looking for it. As Hanns dismisses this proposal he tells him to ask his friend, a knight in a town in India.

Motif References:

N 839 (Bm) Noble [vassal, knight] as helper
H 1232.1 Directions on quest given by herdsmen (peasants) [knight, warrior]
H 1235 Succession of helpers on quest
H 1385.3 Quest for vanished wife (mistress)

KobS-1592: Hanns travels to India. Six months later he arrives there and asks the knight, who does not know the burning lake either and tells him to give up this deceptive search. Hanns insists and the knight tells him that one day as he passed a wilderness where he had to live on roots: he met a hermit who told him about an adventure. The knight once again tells Hanns to give up but he insists. The knight tells him to ask the hermit himself. But he would have to leave behind his followers and the journey would be dangerous because of animals and snakes in the wilderness. Hanns sends his men back to France to tell news of his journey and continues his quest with one servant and a mule carrying gold.

KobS-1747: As he has used up all of his supplies, Hanns lives on herbs and roots, the horses die, they have to leave some gold behind because the mule is so weak. They come to the hermit who knows Hanns: he is a Frenchman, who was once a knight. But the hermit knows nothing about the country enclosed by a burning lake. The hermit lives on herbs and roots and he teaches Hanns which roots to eat. Since he retired into the wilderness he only met a friend once. Next morning the hermit tries in vain to stop Hanns and tells him to look for a wise old man living 1000 miles away in the forest. Hanns and his servant set off to meet the old man.

Motif References:

P 16.1 King (prince) retires from world (becomes hermit [monk, pilgrim], swineherd [beggar])
P 426.2 Hermit
N 843 Hermit as helper
H 1233.3 Holy man [hermit] as helper on quest
H 1235 Succession of helpers on quest
H 1385.3 Quest for vanished wife (mistress)

KobS-1867: As they meet the second hermit he asks them if they are humans or ghosts. Hanns asks his question and the hermit tells him to turn back. Hanns insists on continuing. The hermit tells him to see a one hundred year old hermit on the edge of this wilderness who once mentioned something about this land. With the mule to console them they go to visit the hermit. After several days they meet him. (1953) He is hairy, has long hanging brows, fur like a bear. Hanns identifies himself as a Christian and asks for the country of the burning lake. The hermit says that nobody can go there even if he could fly because the country with its towns and castles is enclosed by mountains and has the burning lake as barrier. Hanns asks for the way and leaves.

Motif References:

Z 71.3 Formulistic number: five
F 142 River of fire as barrier to otherworld
F 162.6 Lakes in otherworld
P 426.2 Hermit
F 571 Extremely old person
N 843 Hermit as helper
H 1233.3 Holy man [hermit] as helper on quest
H 1235 Succession of helpers on quest
H 1385.3 Quest for vanished wife (mistress)

KobS-2020: A long time after they leave the forest, they come to very high mountains. As they look for some passage they have to defend themselves against griffins. The servant starts grumbling about their situation: Hanns has not accepted rescue and now should ask his wife for help. Hanns has his servant sew him into the mule’s skin to be taken on top of the mountains by the griffins. The servant wants to return to the forest to live there to his death. They kill the mule, the servant sews Hanns into the skin with his sword and 1000 Gulden and exposes him on a rock. A griffin takes him to the mountaintop. Hanns cuts the skin with his sword and chases the griffin. He sees a wonderful country with towns and castles and climbs down.

Motif References:

B 42 Griffin
J 320 Present values preferred to future
P 361 Faithful servant [vassal]
P 426.2 Hermit
K 521.1.1 Men sewed in animal’s hide carried off by birds
J 1114 Clever servant
K 1861.1 Hero sewed up in animal hide so as to be carried to height by bird

KobS-2168: He comes to the shore of the burning lake. There he comes upon a fireproof ship guarded by a giant with a big steel staff and a shield. Hanns carefully considers his chances against the staff using only a sword, big against little. He longs for his servant’s advice and plucks up courage. Hanns greets the giant, tells him how he came here and pretends to be a poor servant. He asks his way into the country. The giant ferries him over the lake and shows him his way to town. His marvelous journey has saved him.

Motif References:

F 142 River of fire as barrier to otherworld
F 150.2.1 Entrance to otherworld guarded by giant
F 162.6 Lakes in otherworld
F 531.4.5.2 Giant with iron bar as weapon
F 531.5.1 Giant friendly to man
J 612 Wise man considers whom he is attacking
F 841 Extraordinary boat (ship)
J 1113 Clever boy [youth, knight]
D 1123 Magic ship
D 1656 Incombustible objects

KobS-2252: Hanns lodges in town and pretends to seek service. He becomes the servant of an innkeeper for half a year. He asks about the queen who never leaves the castle. Her two sons come to the inn and are told that Hanns is a Frenchman. The queen with her ladies has retired from public life because of grief. She always is clad in black and lives unhappily. She will be married soon to one of her vassals who devastates her country.

Motif References:

P 28 Marriage of queen
T 104.1 Rejected suitor wages war
Z 143.1 Black as symbol of grief
K 1812 King in disguise
K 1816 Disguise as menial

KobS-2350: The innkeeper complains that Hanns of France is absent and Hanns identifies himself. Court will be held in four weeks and is about to last for three days. There will be a three days tournament: on the first day knights and knight’s men (kneht) will fight, on the second day the knight’s men, on the third day knights only. Then there will be the wedding. Hanns will fight as a knight’s man and as a knight afterwards. White is the color of the first day, there are forty fighters, red the color of the second day with sixty fighters, on the third day Hanns will carry the French coat of arms and the innkeeper should look for some representative retinue with pipers and trumpets. He pays him 2000 Gulden. The guests arrive.

Motif References:

R 222 Unknown knight (Three days’ tournament)
H 1561.1 Tests of valor: tournament
K 1812.1 Incognito king helped by humble man. Gives reward

KobS-2510: Hanns excels as white knight and the queen thinks she recognizes him. But Hanns does not take part in the dances. The second day he fights as red knight, the queen recognizes him but her servant does not agree. Hanns does not dance. The third day Hanns fights with the French coat of arms, blue with golden lilies and a crown on his helmet crest. He makes his entry with pipers and trumpets. Hanns excels in fighting; the queen identifies his coat of arms and takes off his armor. They are happy and Hanns is welcomed by his sons. The would-be-suitor leaves secretly.

Motif References:

R 111.1.9 Princess rescued from undesired suitor
H 126 Identification by coat of arms
R 222 Unknown knight (Three days’ tournament)
T 298 Reconciliation [reunion] of (separated) couple
H 1561.1 Tests of valor: tournament

KobS-2710: The king remembers his faithful servant and they decide to have him live with them. In the morning they cross the lake, the giant opens the mountain for them. But as they come to the servant he flees from the noise.

Motif References:

P 426.2 Hermit
D 1552.1 Mountain opens at blow of divine rod

KobS-2819: The queen says they should send a letter to France, Hanns thinks this might be too long. But the queen says it would only take six months. The queen writes the letter and sends it with a messenger to the king and the queen of France. The king has a letter written to tell Hanns that he should send one of his sons to France. He sends riches for his daughter-in-law. King Hanns takes possession of his land. He rewards the innkeeper. A war is undertaken against the would-be-suitor and he is driven away. King and queen live happily thereafter and are munificent toward everyone. After their death the elder son inherits the kingdom, the younger one inherits the French crown.

Motif References:

P 17.0.2 Son succeeds father as king
P 550.1.2 (Li) Defense of legitimate rights by war

Miscellaneous Romances

Die Königin vom brennenden See (>1350) Sappler, P. (ed.): Die Königin vom brennenden See, in: Wolfram-Studien 4. Berlin 1977. p. 184-270.

Die Königin vom brennenden See (>1350)
Sappler, P. (ed.): Die Königin vom brennenden See, in: Wolfram-Studien 4. Berlin 1977. p. 184-270.