=Fenella=, alias Zarah (daughter of Edward Christian), a pretended deaf and dumb fairy-like attendant on the countess of Derby. The character seems to have been suggested by that of Mignon, the Italian girl in Goethê’s Wilhelm Meister’s Apprenticeship.—Sir W. Scott, Peveril of the Peak (time, Charles II.).

Let be tableaux vivants, and I will appear as “Fenella.” Percy Fitzgerald, Parvenu Family, iii. 224.

Fenella, a deaf and dumb girl, sister of Masaniello the fisherman. She was seduced by Alfonso, son of the Duke of Arcos; and Masaniello resolved to kill him. He accordingly headed an insurrection, and met with such great success that the mob made him chief magistrate of Portici, but afterwards shot him. Fenella, on hearing of her brother’s death, threw herself into the crater of Vesuvius.—Auber, Masaniello (an opera, 1831).

=Fenris=, the demon wolf of Niflheim. When he gapes one jaw touches the earth and the other heaven. This monster will swallow up Odin at the day of doom. (Often but incorrectly written FENRIR.)—Scandinavian Mythology.

=Fenton=, clever fellow who makes caricatures while Browning is read, and when called upon for the substance of his notes by the president of the Club, rises with perfect coolness and pronounces opinion upon the poem.—Arlo Bates, The Philistines (1889).

Fenton, the lover of Anne Page, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Page, gentle-folks living at Windsor. Fenton is of good birth, and seeks to marry a fortune to “heal his poverty.” In “sweet Anne Page” he soon discovers that which makes him love her for herself more than for her money.—Shakespeare, Merry Wives of Windsor, act iii, sc. 4 (1601).

=Ferad-Artho,= son of Cairbre and only surviving descendant of the line of Conar (the first king of Ireland.) On the death of Cathmor (brother of the rebel Cairbar) in battle, Ferad-Artho was placed by Fingal on the throne as “king of Ireland.” The race was thus: (1) Conar (a Caledonian); (2) Cormac I., his son; (3) Cairbre, his son; (4) Artho, his son; (5) Cormac II., his son, (a minor); (6) Ferad-Artho, his cousin.—Ossian, Temora, vii.

=Fer´amorz,= the young Cashmerian poet who relates poetical tales to Lalla Rookh on her journey from Delhi to Lesser Bucharĭa. Lalla is going to be married to the young sultan, but falls in love with the poet. On the wedding morn she is led to her bridegroom, and finds with unspeakable joy that the poet is the sultan himself.—T. Moore, Lalla Rookh (1817).

=Ferda=, son of Damman, chief of a hundred hills in Albion. Ferda was the friend of Cuthullin, general of the Irish forces in the time of king Cormac I. Deuga´la (spouse of Cairbar) loved the youth, and told her husband if he would not divide the herd she would no longer live with him. Cuthullin, being appointed to make the division, enraged the lady by assigning a snow-white bull to the husband, whereupon Duegala induced her lover to challenge Cuthullin to mortal combat. Most unwillingly the two friends fought, and Ferda fell. “The sunbeam of battle fell—the first of Cuthullin’s friends. Unhappy [_unlucky_] is the hand of Cuthullin since the hero fell.”—Ossian, Fingal, ii.

=Ferdinand=, king of Navarre. He agreed with three young lords to spend three years in severe study, during which time no woman was to approach his court; but no sooner was the agreement made than he fell in love with the princess of France. In consequence of the death of her father, the lady deferred the marriage for twelve months and a day.

... the sole inheritor Of all perfections that a man may owe [_own_] Matchless Navarre. Shakespeare, Love’s Labor’s Lost (1594).

Fer´dinand, son of Alonso, king of Naples. He falls in love with Miranda, daughter of Prospero, the exiled duke of Milan.—Shakespeare, The Tempest (1609).

Haply so Miranda’s hope had pictured Ferdinand Long ere the gaunt wave tossed him on the shore. Lowell.

Ferdinand, a fiery young Spaniard, in love with Leonora.—Jephson, Two Strings to your Bow (1792).

Ferdinand (Don), the son of Don Jerome of Seville, in love with Clara d’Almanza, daughter of Don Guzman.—Sheridan, The Duenna (1773).

=Ferdinan´do,= a brave soldier who having won the battle of Tari´fa, in 1340, was created Count of Zamo´ra and Marquis of Montreal. The king, Alfonso XI., knowing his love for Leonora de Guzman, gave him the bride in marriage; but no sooner was this done than Ferdinando discovered that she was the king’s mistress, so he at once repudiated her, restored his ranks and honors to the king, and retired to the monastry of St. James de Compostella. Leonora entered the same monastery as a novice, obtained the pardon of Ferdinando, and died.—Donizetti, La Favori´ta (1842).

=Fergus= (Derrick). Engineer in the coalpits of Lancashire. “A young son of Anak, brains and muscle evenly balanced and fully developed.” Is interested in Joan Lowrie and at last wins her to a promise “to work an’ strive to make herself worthy of the man she loves.”—Frances Hodgson Burnett, That Lass of Lowrie’s (1877).

Fergus, fourth son of Fingal, and the only one that had issue at the death of his father. Ossian, the eldest brother, had a son named Oscar, but Oscar was slain at a feast by Cairbar “Lord of Atha;” and of the other two brothers, Fillan was slain before he had married, and Ryno, though married, died without issue.

According to tradition, Fergus (son of Fingal) was the father of Congal; Congal of Arcath; and Arcath of Fergus II., with whom begins the real history of the Scots.—Ossian.

Fergus, son of Rossa, a brave hero in the army of Cuthullin, general of the Irish tribes.

Fergus first in our joy at the feast; son of Rossa; arm of death.—Ossian, Fingal, i.

=Fern= (Fanny) the pseudonym of Sarah Payson Willis, sister of N.P. Willis. She married James Parton, the author. (1811-1872).

Fern (Will), a poor fellow who, being found asleep in a shed, is brought before Alderman Cute. He says emphatically “he must be put down.” The poor fellow takes charge of his brother’s child, and is both honest and kind, but, alas! he dared to fall asleep in a shed, an offence which must be “put down.”— C. Dickens, The Chimes, third quarter (1844).

=Fernan Calbal´lero,= the pseudonym of Cecilia Böhl de Faber, a Spanish novelist (1797-1877).

=Fernando=, son of John of Procĭda, and husband of Isoline (3 syl.), daughter of the French governor of Messina. The butchery of the Sicilian Vespers occurred the night after their espousals. Fernando was among the slain, and Isoline died of a broken heart.—S. Knowles, John of Procida (1840).

Fernando (Don), youngest son of the Duke Ricardo. Gay, handsome, generous, and polite; but faithless to his friend Cardenio, for, contrary to the lady’s inclination, and in violation of every principle of honor, he prevailed on Lucinda’s father to break off the betrothal between his daughter and Cardenio, and to bestow the lady on himself. On the wedding day Lucinda was in a swoon, and a letter informed the bridegroom that she was married already to Cardenio; she then left the house privately, and retired to a convent. Don Fernando, having entered the convent, carries her off, but stopping at an inn, found there Dorothea his wife, with Cardenio the husband of Lucinda, and the two parties paired off with their respective spouses.—Cervantes, Don Quixote, I. iv. (1605).

Fernan´do, a Venetian captain, servant to Annophel (daughter of the governor of Candy).—Beaumont and Fletcher, The Laws of Candy (1647).

Fernan´do [FLORESTAN], a State prisoner of Seville, married to Leonora, who (in boy’s attire and under the name of Fidēlio) became the servant of Rocco the jailer. Pizarro, governor of the jail, conceived a hatred to the State prisoner, and resolved to murder him, so Rocco and Leonora were sent to dig his grave. The arrival of the minister of State put an end to the infamous design, and Fernando was set at liberty.—Beethoven, Fidelio (1791).

=Ferney= (The Patriarch of), Voltaire; so called because he lived in retirement at Ferney, near Geneva (1694-1778).

=Ferquhard Day=, the absentee from the Clan Chattan at the combat.—Sir W. Scott, Fair Maid of Perth (time, Henry IV.).

=Fer´racute,= a giant who had the strength of forty men, and was thirty-six feet high. He was slain by Orlando, who wounded him in the navel, his only vulnerable part.—Turpin, Chronicle of Charlemagne.

⁂ Ferracute is the prototype of Pulci’s “Morgante,” in his serio-comic poem entitled Morgante Maggiore (1494).

=Fer´ragus=, the Portuguese giant, who took Bellisant under his care after her divorce from Alexander, emperor of Constantinople.—Valentine and Orson (fifteenth century).

My sire’s tall form might grace the part Of Ferragus or Ascapart. Sir W. Scott.

=Fer´ramond= (Sir), a knight, whose lady-love was Lucĭda.

=Ferrand de Vaudemont= (Count), duc de Lorraine, son of René, king of Provence. He first appears disguised as Laurence Neipperg.—Sir W. Scott, Anne of Geierstein (time, Edward IV.).

=Ferrardo= [GONZAGA], reigning duke of Mantua in the absence of his cousin Leonardo. He was a villain, and tried to prove Mariana (the bride of Leonardo) guilty of adultery. His scheme was this: He made Julian St. Pierre drunk with drugged wine, and in his sleep conveyed him to the duke’s bed, throwing his scarf under the bed of the duchess, which was in an adjoining chamber. He then revealed these proofs of guilt to his cousin Leonardo, but Leonardo refused to believe in his wife’s guilt, and Julian St. Pierre exposed the whole scheme of villainy, amply vindicating the innocence of Mariana, who turned out to be Julian’s sister.—S. Knowles, The Wife (1833).