Aberg, G. A., Nylandska Folksagor. Helsingfors, 1887. P. 321, No. 251. (From Finland.)
"DOM TRI FLIKKONA SOM SKU TI KUNGSGALN O TJAENA"
(The three Girls who went as Servants to the King's Palace).
ABSTRACT
Farmer's three daughter wash their hands for seven years in new milk because they are to be king's servants. Eldest daughter on way to palace meets sheep with scissors on its horns, asking to be shorn; cow with pail on its horns, asking to be milked; old man in ditch, asking to be helped out. She refuses each lest she soil her hands. Same thing happens to second daughter, who declines to help. Heroine shears sheep, gets wool as reward; milks cow, puts wool into the milk; helps old man out of ditch, gets his stick, black at one end, green at the other. Menial heroine (swineherd at palace)--Magic dresses, obtained by striking pig-sty wall with black end of stick--Meeting place (garden)--King pursues heroine [Threefold flight]; catches her third time--Lost shoe --Shoe marriage test --Happy marriage--Sisters are servants to heroine.
TABULATION
(1) A poor farmer has three daughters. For seven years they wash their hands in quite new milk, because they are to be waiting maids in the king's palace.-- (2) The eldest sets out to the palace, and meets a sheep with shears on its horns, who says, "Shear me, and you shall have wool!" "No, indeed! I don't care to make my hands dirty shearing you; for I have been washing them for seven years in new milk, because I am going to the king's palace to be a waiting-maid." After this she meets a cow with a milk-pail on her horns, who says, "Milk me, and you shall have milk." She gives a like answer. Presently she comes to where there is an old man lying in a ditch, and saying, "Help me up." She replies to him in the same manner, and goes on her way.-- (3) The same things happen to the second daughter, who gives the same answers.-- (4) But the third daughter shears the sheep and gets the wool, milks the cow and puts the wool into the milk, comes to the ditch where the old man is lying with a stick in his hand. One end of the stick is green and the other black. "Where are you going?" he asks. "To the royal palace, to be a waiting-maid." "You will only get employed there as a swine herd; but one of these days you will be so exalted that your sisters will be your servants. But help me up first." She does so, and the old man gives her his staff.-- (5) She reaches the palace, is made swine-herd, her sisters contemning her.-- (6) Wishing for a beautiful dress, she strikes with the black end of her stick under the pig-sty wall, and she gets one, and takes a walk in the garden. The king sees her, but has no idea who she is, and tries vainly to catch her. And the second time he tries in vain.-- (7) But the third time she loses her shoe, and the king tries it on all his people, but it will fit nobody. At last he tries it on the swineherd, whom it fits perfectly. Then she confesses that she has walked in the garden.-- (8) The king marries her, so she becomes queen, and her sisters are her servants.
