BRULGRUD’DERY (Dennis), landlord of the Red Cow, on Muckslush Heath.  He calls himself “an Irish gintleman bred and born.”  He was “brought up to the church,” i.e. to be a church beadle, but lost his place for snoring at sermon-time.  He is a sot, with a very kind heart, and is honest in great matters, although in business he will palm off an old cock for a young capon.

Mrs. Brulgruddery, wife of Dennis, and widow of Mr. Skinnygauge, former landlord of the Red Cow.  Unprincipled, self-willed, ill-tempered, and over-reaching.  Money is the only thing that moves her, and when she has taken a bribe she will whittle down the service to the finest point.—­G.  Colman, jun., John Bull (1805).

BRUN’CHEVAL “the Bold,” a paynim knight, who tilted with sir Satyrane, and both were thrown to the ground together at the first encounter.—­Spenser, Faery Queen, iv. 4 (1596).

BRUNEL’O, a deformed dwarf, who at the siege of Albracca stole Sacripan’te’s charger from between his legs without his knowing it.  He also stole Angelica’s magic ring, by means of which he released Roge’ro from the castle in which he was imprisoned.  Ariosto says that Agramant gave the dwarf a ring which had the power of resisting magic.—­Bojardo, Orlando Innamorato (1495); and Ariosto, Orlando Furioso (1516).

“I,” says Sancho, “slept so soundly upon Dapple, that the thief had time enough to clap four stakes under the four corners of my pannel and to lead away the beast from under my legs without waking me.”—­Cervantes, Don Quixote, II. i. 4 (1615).

BRUNETTA, mother of Chery (who married his cousin Fairstar).—­Comtesse D’Aunoy, Fairy Tales ("Princess Fairstar,” 1682).

Brunetta, the rival beauty of Phyllis.  On one occasion Phyllis procured a most marvellous fabric of gold brocade in order to eclipse her rival, but Brunetta arrayed her train-bearer in a dress of the same material and cut in the same fashion.  Phyllis was so mortified that she went home and died.—­The Spectator.

BRUNHILD, queen of Issland, who made a vow that none should win her who could not surpass her in three trials of skill and strength:  (1) hurling a spear; (2) throwing a stone; and (3) jumping.  Guenther king of Burgundy undertook the three contests, and by the aid of Siegfried succeeded in winning the martial queen. First, hurling a spear that three men could scarcely lift:  the queen hurled it towards Guenther, but Siegfried, in his invisible cloak, reversed its direction, causing it to strike the queen and knock her down. Next, throwing a stone so huge that twelve brawny men were employed to carry it:  Brunhild lifted it on high, flung it twelve fathoms, and jumped beyond it.  Again Siegfried helped his friend to throw it further, and in leaping beyond the stone.  The queen, being fairly beaten, exclaimed to her liegemen, “I am no longer your queen and mistress; henceforth are ye the liegemen of Guenther” (lied vii.).  After marriage Brunhild was so obstreperous that the king again applied to Siegfried, who succeeded in depriving her of her ring and girdle, after which she became a very submissive wife.—­The Niebelungen Lied.