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Page 18
J.R.
_Playing Cards._--As a rider to THE HERMIT OF HOLYPORT'S Query
respecting his playing cards (Vol. ii., p. 462.), I would throw out a
suggestion to all your readers for notices of similar emblematic playing
cards: whether such were ever used for playing with? what period so
introduced? and where? as both France and Spain lay claim to their first
introduction. I see that Mr. Caton exhibited at one of the meetings of
the Arch�ological Institute this season a curious little volume of small
county maps, numbered so as to serve as a pack of cards (described more
fully in the _Arch�ological Journal_ for September, 1850, p 306.), and
which I regret I did not see.
W.H.P.
Wanstead, Dec. 13. 1850.
* * * * *
Queries.
DRAGONS: THEIR ORIGIN.
When passing through the city of Br�nn, in Moravia, rather more than a
year ago, my attention was drawn to the _Lindwurm_ or dragon, preserved
there from a very remote period. This monster, according to tradition,
was invulnerable, like his brother of Wantley, except in a few
well-guarded points, and from his particular predilection in favour of
veal and young children, was the scourge and terror of the
neighbourhood. The broken armour and well-picked bones of many doughty
knights, scattered around the entrance to the cave he inhabited,
testified to the impunity with which he had long carried on his
depredations, in spite of numerous attempts to destroy him. Craftiness,
however, at last prevailed where force had proved of no effect, and the
Lindwurm fell a victim to the skill of a knight, whose name I believe
has been handed down to posterity. The mode adopted by the warrior to
deceive his opponent, was to stuff, as true to nature as possible, with
unslaked lime, the skin of a freshly killed calf, which he laid before
the dragon's cave. The monster, smelling the skin, is said to have
rushed out and instantly to have swallowed the fatal repast, and feeling
afterwards, as may be readily expected, a most insatiable thirst,
hurried off to a neighbouring stream, where he drank until the water,
acting upon the lime, caused him to burst. The inhabitants, on learning
the joyful news, carried the knight and the Lindwurm in triumph into the
city of Br�nn, where they have ever since treasured up the memento of
their former tyrant. The animal, or reptile, thus preserved, is
undoubtedly of the crocodile or alligator species, although I regret it
was not in my power to examine it more particularly, evening having set
in when I saw it in the arched passage leading to the town-hall of the
city where it has been suspended. I fear also that any attempt to count
the distinguishing bones would be fruitless, the scaly back having been
covered with a too liberal supply of pitch, with the view to protection
from the weather.
Have any of your readers seen this _Lindwurm_ under more favourable
circumstances than myself, and can they throw any light on the genus to
which it belongs?
May not the various legends respecting dragons, &c., have their origin
from similar circumstances to those of this Br�nn Lindwurm, which I take
to leave strong proof of fact, the body being there? Perhaps some of our
correspondents may have it in their power to give further corroborative
evidence of the former existence of dragons under the shape of
crocodiles. The description of the Wantley dragon tallies with that of
the crocodile very nearly.
R.S., Jun.
* * * * *
JOAN SANDERSON, OR THE CUSHION DANCE; AND BAB AT THE BOWSTER.
Can any of your numerous valuable correspondents give me the correct
date, or any clue to it, of the above dance. There is little doubt of
its great antiquity. The dance is begun by a single person (either a
woman or man), who {518} dances about the room with a cushion in his
hand, and at the end of the tune stops and sings:
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