The Book of Noodles : Stories of Simpletons. By W.
A. Clouston. (Elliot Stock.)—" My aim," says Mr. Clouston, "has been not only to compile an amusing story book, but to illustrate to some extent the migrations of popular fictions from country to country." Hence the "Book of Noodles" has a certain scientific character. Perhaps, if one were to look for it, the solar myth might be dis- covered in these curious stories. Among the resemblances no one is more notable than the tendency which there has been in ancient times and modern, to father a certain kind of drollery, the unconscious drollery of the stupid, upon the people of certain localities. Bceotia among the Greeks is a familiar instance, and Gotham, a Nottinghamshire village, among ourselves. Bishop's Cannings, in Wiltshire (Mr. Clouston mentions generally "some villages near Marlborough Downs ") has the same reputation. They are credited with having gone into their town, Devizes, to see the eclipse. The tales told of these reputed " noodles" are curi- ously alike. The Gothamites are said to have taken the moon on a pond for a green cheese, and to have raked the pond to find it. So an Indian noodle thought the reflection of a gold-crested bird on the water to be gold. A most amusing book this, and, as has been hinted, instructive also.
Previous page
