*To clarify: I mistitled as "Blackbeard" the story of Captain Murderer as recounted by Charles Dickens in "Nurses Tales," which is itself in the family of fairy tales known as "Bluebeard." These tales all center around a violent, aristocratic man with a penchant for murdering his wives, who is defeated by his young new wife (usually resulting in his death). There are too many beards in folklore.