The Icelandic saga of 'Hjálmter and Qlver' comes near enough to the story of the ballad to show where its connections lie (Rafn, Fornaldar Sögur. in, 473 ff., 514 ff.). In many tales of the sort a single kiss suffices to undo the spell and reverse the transformation; in others, as in the ballad, three are required. The incidents have been carefully studied by Schofield in his investigation of the romance of Li Beaus Descoueüs (Studies and Notes in Philology and Literature, IV, 199 ff.).
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