61. Little Gold Shoe, The [Den Lille Guldsko]

Kristensen, E. T., Jyske Folkeminder. AEventyr fra Jylland. Kobenhavn, 1881. vol. v, p. 45. Story No. V. (Told by Gjode Petersen, Orre, Jutland.)

"DEN LILLE GULDSKO" 
(The Little Gold Shoe).

ABSTRACT

Dying father distributes his property: eldest daughter gets farm; second, cash; youngest daughter, a little dog and lime-tree in garden--Ill-treated heroine (by mother and sisters)--Helpful animal (dog) sweeps floor, cleanses tubs, stirs pot -- Magic dresses from lime-tree; (1) mourning-dress, black coach and horses, (2) white ditto, ditto, (3) yellow dress and equipage, gold ring, diadem and shoes--Meeting-place (church) -- Three-fold flight--Pitch trap (suggested by swineherd whom prince strikes for interference)--Lost shoe (and ring)--Shoe (and ring) marriage tests--Mutilated feet tobacco leaf on wounds--False brides--Animal witness (magpie)--Happy marriage--Lime-tree and dog taken to palace.

TABULATION

(1) Man and woman have three daughters. The father, before dying, distributes his property, giving to eldest daughter the farm, to the second all his money, and to the youngest a little dog and a lime-tree in the garden. Little dog says, "Take us; you will not repent it."-- (2) Mother and elder daughters go to church next Sunday, but abuse heroine, and tell her to stay at home. She weeps, and the little dog comforts her, saying, "Don't cry! you shall go to church, whilst I sweep the floor with my tail, cleanse the tubs with my tongue, and stir the pot with my foot. Go to the garden, knock at the lime-tree, and you'll get the finest dress you ever saw. Step into the golden chariot which will come for you, and say, 'Light before me, mist behind! Nobody sees whence I come!' "Heroine does as bidden, and gets black silk dress, black gloves and shoes, and drives to church in black carriage drawn by black horses. [1] She arrives late, during the sermon; everyone looks at her, and the king's son sees her, too. Service ended, she repeats magic formula and gets away. Mother and sisters return and find her sitting in her rags, and tell her of the beautiful lady in church.-- (3) Next Sunday she gets a white dress, white carriage, and white horses, and sits in her mother's pew. King's son cannot take his eyes off her; but she escapes as before, and all that afternoon he ponders how he may get hold of her.-- (4) Peter the swineherd hears him muttering, and says, "What will you give me if I teach you how to catch the fair bird?" Prince gives him a good box on the ear. "All right," says Peter; "that's good pay. Now I'll tell you what to do. Put tar on the floor, and you'll get her shoe."-- (5) Prince goes to church next Saturday night, and paints the pew where she sat with tar. Next Sunday heroine gets a yellow carriage and yellow horses, and a golden ring, a golden diadem, and gold shoes. She loses a shoe in the church, and the prince seizes her hand in the porch and retains her ring as she vanishes.-- (6) King makes proclamation that prince will wed whomsoever the gold ring and gold shoe fit. Numbers make trial; some can wear the ring, and some the shoe, but none can wear both. Heroine's mother and elder sisters come to try; but the shoe is too small. They return home, cut off their heel and their toe, putting a tobacco-leaf on their wounds, and try again; but in vain.-- (7) A magpie, sitting on the garden-wall, sings, "They cut their heel and cut off a toe, but the maid whom the golden shoe fits sits at home."-- (8) Prince sends for heroine, who arrives in an old felt hood and a ragged gown, with clumsy wooden shoes. He is in dreadful consternation, and wishes her far away, but shoe and ring fit her. Magpie proclaims her as the tight maid, and she tells all to the prince.-- (9) Then she goes back to lime-tree for her yellow carriage, and the prince marries her. The lime-tree is removed to palace, and always gives everything she requires. The little dog follows her.