The Tale of the Religious Card-Player

The Tale of the Religious Card-PlayerAuthor(s): Edward M. WilsonSource: Folklore, Vol. 50, No. 3 (Sep., 1939), pp. 263-272Published by: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. on behalf of Folklore Enterprises, Ltd.Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1256916 .

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Collectanea 263

A little later, the birds again marched forth in serried ranks to battle. But scarcely had they travelled a few paces than once again up came a wild beast and seizing one of the birds, this time from the very end of the column, promptly gobbled it up. The king, of course, had no idea of what had happened. He just wasn't taking any notice.

So once again the birds came to the Almighty to lay their complaint before Him, and once again the Almighty summoned the Owl before the High Throne.

" Do you hear what the birds are saying ? " says God. " Yes," replies the Owl, "I hear all right, but where was the

creature when he was seized ? " " Why," answers God, " right at the back of the column !" "

Then," rejoins the Owl, "what business had it to lag behind ? "

This time God was furious, and without further ado at once dismissed the bird from the position He had given him at first.

" You, my boy," He said, cursing him, " shall become from now on the laughing-stock of all the feathered world ! "

Then, summoning the Goldfinch, he dressed him up in the fine clothes which you see him wearing to this day, and appointed him king in place of the Owl.

Ever since then the Goldfinch has remained king of the birds, showing himself far more capable than the Owl, and well able to keep order among all the hosts of them. As for the Owl, he has kept meek and mild since that day, always hiding away, whilst all the birds laugh and mock at his worthlessness.

Translated from Ridulescu-Codin, Ingerul Romanului, Academia Romind XVII, Bucharest 1913, p. 6.

I6th 5anuary, 1939.

THE TALE OF THE RELIGIOUS CARD-PLAYER

THIS tale is No. 1613 in Aarne and Thompson's catalogue of folk-tales.' Their summary of the story goes as follows: " A

1 The Types of the Folk-Tale. A Classification and Bibliography. By Antti Aarne and Stith Thompson. FF Communications No. 74. Helsinki 1928. p. I88.



264 Collectanea

soldier reproved for playing cards during church service answers: 'Playing-Cards are my Calendar and Prayerbook,' and shows so cleverly the symbolic meanings of each of the cards that he receives a reward." Johannes Bolte, in an article on the same story 2 refers to twenty-seven versions of it in French, English, Swedish, Danish, German, Dutch, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Icelandic. I propose to deal only with English versions of this story and it will be convenient to give first Bolte's headings for those recorded:

(F) The Perpetual Almanack, or Gentleman-Soldier's Prayer-Book. Printed by J. Catnach, 2 Monmouth Court, Seven Dials. (Reprinted in Chatto's Origin and History of Playing Cards. 1848. pp. 320-3).

(G) Cards Spiritualised, or the Soldier's Almanack Bible and Prayer-Book: Showing how one Richard Middleton was taken before the Mayor of the City he was in, for using a Pack of Cards in the Church during divine service; being a droll, merry, and humorous account of an odd affair that happened to a Private Soldier in the 6oth Regiment, Newcastle. (Reprinted in Ed. S. Taylor. The History of Playing Cards. London. I885. Pp. 442-444 and in Mrs. van Rensselaer. The Devil's Picture Books. 1893. Pp. 180-I84).

(H) A new Game at Cards, between a Nobleman in London and one of his Servants. (Referred to, or summarized, by Singer. History of Playing Cards. 1816. P. 53 n., Chatto, p. 323, and Taylor, p. 445).

(Y) " Einx religi6ser Kartenspiele "-Richard Lee in Glasgow-(a translation (?) of another (?) version that appeared in the magazine Gartenlaube. 1875. P. 596).

I have not had time to hunt through collections of Chap Books and Broadsheets, nor have I been able to consult the number of Gartenlaube. The other texts mentioned above are all readily accessible and Bolte's summary of the symbolic meanings of the cards gives more than an indication of the inaccessible versions of H and J. From this it is apparent that versions F and G differ but slightly, and J is probably similar to them. The

2Eine geistliche A uslegung des Kartenspiels in the Zeitschrift des Vereins fiir Volkskunde for 19go. pp. 376-406.



Collectanea 265

summary shows that H varies radically from the others: not only are the characters different, but the interpretation of the symbolic values of the cards varies too.3 There are then, two distinct families of this story, represented by (F, G, J) and H.

Recently I have come across two unrecorded printed versions of the tale. The first is from a modern American book of recitations entitled: Gems of Inspiration, Comic Songs, Funny Stories and Recitations, published by Max Stein (519-21 S. State Street) in Chicago in 1928. The story appears on pages 8-9 and is entitled :

The Religious Card Player A private soldier, by the name of Richard Lee, was taken before

the magistrates of Glasgow for playing cards during divine services.

A sergeant commanded the soldiers at the church, and when the parson had read the prayers he took the text. Those who had a Bible, took it out; but this soldier had neither Bible nor common prayer-book, but pulling out a pack of cards, he spread them before him. He first looked at one card and then another. The sergeant of the company saw him and said:

" Richard, put up the cards; this is no place for them." " Never mind that," said Richard. When the services were over, the constable took Richard a

prisoner, and brought him before the mayor. " Well," said the mayor, " what have you brought the soldier

here for ? "

3 In F, G, J the cards refer as follows: ace to God, 2 to God and Christ, 3 to the Trinity, 4 to the Evangelists, 5 to the five virgins, 6 to the days of creation, 7 to the Sabbath, 8 to Noah's family, 9 to the ungrateful lepers, io to the commandments, the knave to the constable, the queen to the Queen of Sheba, the king to God Almighty and King George IV--except J which lacks this detail. In H the meanings refer: ace to God, 2 to virtue and vice, 3 to the days that Jonah spent

.in the whale's belly, 4 to the seasons, 5 to the senses, 6 to the days of creation and the petitions in the Lord's prayer, 7 to the wonders of the world and the planets, 8 to Noah's family and the beatitudes, 9 to the muses and io to the commandments,



266 Collectanea

" For playing cards in the church." " Well, soldier, what have you to say for yourself ? " " Much, sir, I hope." " Very good; if not, I will punish you severely." " I have been," said the soldier, " about six weeks on the

march. I have neither Bible nor common prayer-book; I have nothing but a pack of cards, and I hope to satisfy your worship of the purity of my intentions."

Then spreading the cards before the mayor he began with the ace. " When I see the ace it reminds me that there is but one God. " When I see the deuce it reminds me of Father and Son. " When I see the tray it reminds me of Father, Son and

Holy Ghost. " When I see the four it reminds me of the four Evangelists

that preached. " When I see the five it reminds me of the five wise virgins

that trimmed their lamps. There were ten, but five were wise, and five were foolish and were shut out.

" When I see the six it reminds me that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth.

" When I see the seven it reminds me that on the seventh day God rested from the great work which he had made, and hallowed it.

" When I see the eight it reminds me of the eight righteous persons that were saved when God destroyed the world, viz: Noah, and his wife, his three sons and their wives.

" When I see the nine it reminds me of the nine lepers that were cleansed by our Saviour. There were nine out of ten who never returned thanks.

" When I see the ten it reminds me of the ten commandments which God handed down to Moses on the tables of stone.

" When I see the king it reminds me of the Great King of Heaven, which is God Almighty.

" When I see the queen it reminds me of the Queen of Sheba, who visited Solomon, for she was as wise a woman as he was a man. She brought with her fifty boys and fifty girls, all dressed in boy's apparel, for King Solomon to tell which were boys and which were girls. The king sent for water for them to wash,



Collectanea 267

The girls washed to the elbows and the boys to the wrist; so King Solomon knew by that."

" Well," said the mayor, " you have described every card in the pack except one."

" What is that ? " " The knave," said the mayor. " I will give your honor a description of that too, if you will

not be angry." " I will not," said the mayor, " if you do not term me to be

the knave." " The greatest knave I know of is the constable that brought

me here." " I do not know," said the mayor, " if he is the greatest knave,

but I know he is the greatest fool." " When I count how many spots there are in a pack of cards,

I find three hundred and sixty-five, as many days as there are in a year.

" When I count the number of cards in a pack I find fifty-two -the number of weeks in a year.

" I find there are twelve picture cards in a pack, representing the number of months in a year, and on counting the tricks I find thirteen, the number of weeks in a quarter.

" So, you see, a pack of cards, serve for a Bible, almanac, and common prayer-book."-Anon.

This version seems to be a copy of the original version of J, deriving from F and G which are very similar. Let us call it Ja. The phrasing is sometimes identical with that of F, while the mention of Glasgow links it with G in which that town is also mentioned. In F and G however the soldier's name is Richard Middleton; in J and Ja it is Richard Lee. In F Richard says the King reminds him of " the great King of Heaven and Earth which is God Almighty, and likewise his Majesty King George to pray for him;" while G refers specifically to George IV; neither J nor Ja refer to the Earthly king. Another detail that changes is the reckoning of the tricks which, in F and G give the number of months in the year and in Ja, more accurately, the number of weeks in a quarter. During the last century then,



268 Collectanea

this family has undergone some compression and change, but the general line is clear: F-G-J-Ja.

The other new version Jb is a crudely printed broadsheet which was lent to me by Mrs. Senogles of Walney Island, Lanca- shire. She bought it a few years ago from a farm lad who had just bought it at Barrow (in Furness) market. It is headed:

MERRY MOMENTS OF MIRTH AND MYSTERY

PROF. W. HIRST'S FAMOUS CARD MANIPULATIONS

With an ordinary Pack of Cards

Very interesting yet very simple The following story, which is strictly true, teaches the im-

portant lesson that we may make good use of almost every object we see, and also that Cards may be employed for other, and far better purposes, than mere gambling.

The regiment was on the march from one part of the kingdom to another and having arrived in the city where this circumstance occurred (sic) on the Saturday, attended divine service there on Sunday. The Sergeant had commanded his party to Church, the clergyman had ended the prayers, and taken his text. All those who had bibles pulled them out to find the text, but Rich- ard Middleton, who was as devout and attentive as any of them but who, unfortunately, had neither bible nor prayer book, put his hand into his pocket, and pulled out a Pack of Cards, which he spread out before him during the sermon, first looking at one and then at another. The Sergeant of the company seeing what he was doing, came to him and said, Richard, put up your cards, this is no place for them. Never mind, said the soldier, you have no business with me here.

When the sermon was over and the service concluded, the soldiers repaired to the church yard, and were ordered by the commanding officer to fall in, which they accordingly did. A constable of the city then came and took the soldier into custody, Man, you are my prisoner, said he. What have I done that I am to be your prisoner? said the soldier. You have played a game of cards in church. No, said the soldier, I have not played a game for I have only looked at a pack. No matter, said the constable, you are my prisoner. Well where do you intend



Collectanea 269

to take me ? said the soldier. You must go before the mayor, said the constable.

So before the mayor they went, but when they came to his house they found he was at dinner. After waiting a while the mayor came to them and said-Well constable, what is your business with me ? Please your worship, said the constable, I have brought a soldier before you for playing cards in church. Indeed, said the mayor. Well soldier, what have you to say to this charge ? Much sir, I hope, answered Robert Middleton. It will be well for you if you have, said the mayor; for if you cannot clear yourself, depend upon it you will be punished most severely. Your worship, said the soldier, I have been five weeks upon the march and have but little to subsist on, and without Bible, Prayer Book, or Almanack, my Pack of Cards serves for all three. I hope to satisfy your worship of the purity of my intentions.

Then the soldier pulled out of his pocket the Pack of Cards which he spread out before the mayor, beginning with the ace:

When I see the ace, said he, it puts me in mind that there is one God only, when I see the duce, it reminds me of the Father and the Son, and the tray puts me in mind of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost. When I see the 41 think of the four Evan- gelists, who wrote the Gospels, viz: Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, and the 5 brings to my recollection the five wise virgins who trimmed their lamps-there were ten but five were foolish and were shut out. When I see the 6 I remember that in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, and then 7 reminds me that on the seventh day God rested from all the work which He had created and made, wherefore the Lord blessed the seventh day and hallowed it. The 8 puts me in mind of the eight righteous persons who were saved when God drowned the world, viz : Noah, his wife, three sons, and their wives. When I see the 9 I am reminded of the nine lepers who were cleansed by our Saviour -there were ten but nine never returned thanks, and when I see the io, it puts me in mind of the ten commandments that God gave Moses on Mount Sinai on the two tables of stone.

He took the knave and laid it aside. When I see the Queen it puts me in mind of my duty to pray



270 Collectanea

for her Most Gracious Majesty Queen Victoria. I must also remember the Queen of Sheba, who came from the furthermost part of the world to hear the wisdom of King Solomon. And when I see the King I at once remember the Great King of Heaven and Earth, who is God Almighty. Thus, your worship, there is not a card in the pack but recalls some useful or instruc- tive lesson.

Well said the mayor, you have given a good description of all the cards but one which is lacking. Which is that sir ? said Richard. The knave, answered the mayor. Oh, I can give your worship a good description of that, too, if you will not be angry. No, said the mayor, I will not, if you do not make me the knave.

The soldier replied that the greatest knave that I know is the constable who brought me here. I do not know, said the mayor, that he is the greatest knave, but I am sure that he is the greatest fool.

I shall now, continued the soldier, show your worship how I use the cards as an Almanack. You certainly are a clever fellow, said the mayor, but I think that you will have a hard matter to make that appear.

When I count how many spots there are in a pack of cards I find that there are three hundred and sixty five. There are just so many days in a year.

Stop, said the mayor, that is a mistake. I grant it, said the soldier, but as I have never yet seen an almanack that was thoroughly correct in all points, it would have been impossible for me to imitate one exactly without a mistake. Your ob- servations are very correct, said the mayor. Go on. When I count how many cards there are in a pack, I find there are fifty-two. There are just so many weeks in a year. When I count how many tricks there are in each pack, I find there are thirteen the exact number of the lunar months in the year. You see, sir, that the Pack of Cards is a Bible, a Prayer Book, Almanack, and Pack of Cards to me.

The mayor then ordered the soldier a plentiful meal of bread and meat, with a foaming tankard of ale, and when he had finished he gave him half-a-crown, and sent him about his business, saying he was the cleverest man he had ever seen.

And so Rd. Middleton and the constable parted company.



Collectanea 271

This version also seems ultimately to derive from F. There is however no mention of Glasgow, so that we need not concern ourselves with G in relation to it; also there seems to be no connection with either J or Ja. The detail of the number of spots does not occur in F, G, or J, though it appears in H; the Queen of Sheba's test of Solomon's wisdom has dropped out.4 Richard's sally about the mistakes in Almanacks also seems to be new. There seems therefore reason to consider this version as a revision of F with the possibility that the reviser had received a (probably remote) influence from H. We can then arrange the known English versions as follows:

J1Ll- "-- J , Ga 3 a Zrb

The descent of the two versions is of minor importance however in comparison with the very presence of my two versions. Here are two examples of a folktale text that continues to circulate among the folk in the twentieth century. In one instance it occurs in the same volume with such concert favour- ites as Gunga Din and The Face on the Bar Room Floor ; the other is carefully preserved in a family Bible, a source of pleasure to some country people. It is worth asking whether there are other tales that continue to circulate in the same fashion from printed texts. At present it would be unwise to return too dogmatic an answer, but it is at least possible that there may be. The chapbooks and broadsheets of the eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries are generally considered to be the sources of many modern folk tales; it looks as though such texts as these may provide still more recent sources.

Bolte, although he was not able to see all the versions that he summarizes, considers that the tale is probably either English or French in origin. He also states that although no version seems to be older than the end of the eighteenth century, yet that there

4 This episode was the occasion of an enquiry by Miss Burne and of a reply by Dr. Gaster in the Folk-Lore Journal v. VII., p. 315, and Folk- Lore v. I., p. 133, respectively.



272 Collectanea

is a religious tradition of interpreting playing cards symbolically that goes back at least to the fifteenth century. Singer (op. cit., p. 53) refers to a story in an old jest book in which a Friar, accidentally letting fall a pack of cards when about to begin his sermon, retrieves his position by such an interpretation.

We may note, in addition to the continental authorities mentioned by Bolte, the fact that Bishop Latimer took a game of cards as the subject for more than one sermon. A recent book by Professor Owst-a book that has great importance for the student of folklore-contains the following passage that carries the procedure further back still : Latimer's " choice and devel- opment of the playing cards as a figure for the famous Sermons on the Card, which seem to have caused the modern commentator some ingenious search for an explanation, will hardly surprise those acquainted with a Moralization of the Game of Cards made in the year 1377 by the Dominican John of Reinfelden." " Latimer's sermons have no obvious connection with this tale, but there is always the possibility that Reinfelden, or some other medieval sermon-writer, may provide its ultimate source.

EDWARD M. WILSON

5 Literature and Pulpit in Medieval England, by G. R. Owst, Cam- bridge, 1933. P. 99. Reinfelden's Moralization is in MS. Egerton 2419.

BELIEFS AND PRACTICES RELATING TO BIRTH AND CHILDHOOD AMONG THE GALICIAN UKRAINIANS

I. PREGNANCY AND BIRTH

PREGNANCY, to the Ukrainian peasant, is a phenomenon sur- rounded by mysterious forces which, if offended in any way, are sure to bring misfortune upon the expectant mother and her unborn child. A pregnant woman is treated with consideration, and is usually showered with wishes for an easy confinement. A person mistreating an expectant mother exposes himself and his household to harm.' In the belief that labour pains, especially acute ones, are not inevitable but are caused by evil powers,

1 Kaindl, R. F., Die Huzulen : Ihr Leben, ihre Sitten, und ihre Volks - iiberlieferung (Wien, 1894), p. 4.



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The Tale of the Religious Card-Player

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