ABSTRACT
The long-lost relatives of the Phoenicica are a reminder of the importance of folktale to the study of the novel and its surroundings. In the Arabian Nights' versions, and in all probability Lollianus' as well, people can see that it is the picaresque side of ancient myth that has been presented in witty tales now told for their own sake. The folktale starts with simplicity and economy: A woman lost the husband she had been devoted to for a number of years, and preserved his body in a tomb. Since there was no way of tearing her away from it, and she spent her life mourning in the vault, she achieved a glowing reputation as a chaste widow. A folktale version of Chariton's romance is of special interest in view of the significant difference between the sentimental Greek version and its more ancient counterpart.
