BookTalk.org

Link http://www.gutenberg.org/files/2701/270 ... m#2HCH0031

Stubb's dream of a fight with Ahab, and a badger-haired old merman takes him by the shoulders, his stern stuck full of marlinspikes, with the points out. Says I, on second thoughts, 'I guess I won't kick you, old fellow.' the merman says 'you were kicked by a great man, and with a beautiful ivory leg, Stubb. It's an honour'

When suddenly

"Mast-head, there! Look sharp, all of ye! There are whales hereabouts!

"If ye see a white one, split your lungs for him!

As I recall, Queen Mab is queen of the fairies, acquainted with Merlin, but she does not figure in this chapter except the title.

Although Queen Mab does seem to appear first in Shakespeare, I was wondering if he got the idea from the ancient Welsh Mabinogion tales, because he often based his characters on ancient sources. The Mabinogion is full of strange tales and dreams. ‘Mab’ in Welsh means son or boy, there are suggestions that it is derived from the name of the Celtic deity ‘Maponas’.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mabinogionmyths
Shakespeare’s Queen Mab brings dreams that are directly related to the dreamer. Ahab did not actually kick Stubb, but Stubb dreams of revenge, and realises in his dream that revenge is pointless. ‘I guess I won’t kick you, old fellow’ Wise Stubb’, said he ‘wise Stubb’. And Stubb is convinced that to be kicked by a great man is actually an honour.