Grundtvig, S., Unpublished Collection. (Written down by the Baroness Nanna Reetz; from East Jutland.)
"DEN HVIDE HUND", EL "PUT I GRYDE"
(The White Dog, or Put-into-Pot).
ABSTRACT
Ill-treated heroine (by step-mother)--Menial heroine--Dog aid. Dog will do her work if heroine will promise him her two sons -- Magic dresses --Meeting-place (church)-- (1.) Heroine's neck-kerchief stolen; (2.) gold apple dropt; (3.) Lost shoe -- Shoe-marriage test -- Mutilated foot -- Happy marriage -- Heroine bears two boys; beggar appears to comfort her. He has seen three boys coming from barrow, heard them say their father will get two new-born babes, unless their mother says to him, "Shame on you, you red 'Put-into-Pot'." Dog comes, heroine speaks the words; he flies into flints and potsherds. Beggar remains with heroine.
TABULATION
(1) Widower, with one daughter, marries widow with one daughter. Step-mother ill-treats heroine, making her do dirty, menial work.-- (2) Heroine is forbidden to go to church, and sits weeping, when little dog appears, gives her fine clothes, and offers to do her work if she will promise to give him the first two boys she shall hear.-- (3) Heroine agrees, and, donning fine clothes, goes to church. On the way home, a young man follows her, and snatches away her neckerchief.-- (4) She gets a new one from the dog, and, on the following Sunday, when all happens as before, she loses a gold apple which she was carrying in her hand.-- (5) On the third Sunday she loses her golden shoe.-- (6) Some days afterwards the young man rides to the farm, inquiring or the girl who had been to church and had lost her shoe.-- (7) Stepsister cuts her heel arid her toe to put on shoe, but fails to produce its fellow.-- (8) Heroine can wear shoe; also shows the other one, and the neckerchief and apple. Young man marries her.-- (9) She bears two boys, and weeps at thought of losing them. A beggar appears, and says he has seen three small boys coming out of a barrow (or mound), and heard one say to his comrades, "To-morrow we shall be five, for father will get the two new-born babes that were promised him, unless their mother should say to him, 'Shame on you, you red Put-into-pot.'"-- (10) When the dog comes for the boys, heroine pronounces these words, and he instantly flies into flints and potsherds. [1] The beggar lives with them in happiness.
FOOTNOTE
[1]: The Rev. H F. Feilberg (hereinafter referred to as F.) explains that the expression "to fly into flints and potsherds" is to be understood literally. In Danish sagas it is by no means uncommon for trolls and giants to burst with rage into flints; and it is frequently added "That is why you so often cut your naked feet on sharp flints." (Mr. Feilherg cites a long list of such instances in his Jutlandic Dictionary.) The expression is used in ordinary conversation to signify a high degree of anger it is probably borrowed from the sagas.
