the sea-king’s sister, became the powerful Earl Godwin, of historic celebrity. * * * * * In former times rings denoted quality, if we may judge from the expressions in an old play (‘First Part of the Contention: York and Lancaster;’ Shakspeare Society):-- I am a gentleman, looke on my ring, Ransome me at what thou wilt, it shall be paid. In the popular German ballad of ‘Anneli,’ or the ‘Anneli Lied,’ translated by Mr. J. H. Dixon (‘Notes and Queries,’ 3rd series, vol. ix.), the maiden, whose lover is drowned in the lake while swimming, is in a boat with a fisherman who recovers the body, which she places on her lap:-- And she kiss’d his mouth, and he seem’d to smile, ‘Oh, no, I will not repine, For God in heaven hath granted him A happier home than mine.’ And she chaf’d in hers his clammy hands-- Ah! what does the maiden see? There was a bridal-ring for one Was never a bride to be. She drew from his finger that posied ring, ‘Fisherman--lo! thy fee!’ And clasping him round and round she plunged, And scream’d with a maniac glee-- ‘No other young man in Argovie Shall drown for the love of me!’ Mr. R. S. Ralston, M.A., in his ‘Songs of the Russians,’ mentions an interesting custom in connection with rings: ‘Among the games is that called the “Burial of the Gold.” A number of girls form a circle, and pass from hand to hand a gold ring, which a girl who stands inside the circle tries to detect. Meanwhile they sing in chorus the following verses:-- See here, gold I bury, I bury; Silver pure I bury, bury; In the rooms, the rooms of my father, Rooms so high, so high, of my mother. Guess, O maiden, find out, pretty one, Whose hand is holding The wings of the serpent. The girl in the middle replies:-- Gladly would I have guessed, Had I but known, or had seen,-- Crossing over the plain, Plaiting the ruddy brown hair, Weaving with silk in and out Interlacing with gold. O, my friends, dear companions, Tell the truth, do not conceal it, Give, oh give me back my gold! My mother will beat me For three days, for four; With three rods of gold, With a fourth rod of pearl. The chorus breaks in, singing:-- The ring has fallen, has fallen Among the guelders and raspberries, Among the black currants. * * * * Disappeared has our gold, Hidden amid the mere dust, Grown all over with moss.’