62. Askenbasken, Who Became Queen [Askenbasken, Der Blev Dronning]

Kristensen, E. T., Jyske Folkeminder. AEventyr fra Jylland. Kobenhavn, 1881. No. VI, pp. 51-57. (Told to Mr. Kristensen by Miss Kr. Madsen, Fastrup, Jutland.)

"ASKENBASKEN, DER BLEV DRONNING"
(Askenbasken, who became Queen).

ABSTRACT

Ill-treated heroine (by step-mother)--Hearth abode-- Heroine Called "Askenbasken" (louse of the ashes)--Gifts for daughters from father: heroine chooses rose-tree and plants it on mother's grave. White dove sits in tree--Tasks (grain-sorting grave--Help at grave--Task-performing animals (white dove and other birds)-- Magic dresses--Meeting-place (ball)--Threefold flight--Heroine wears galoshes over gold shoes--Lost shoe--Shoe marriage test--Mutilated feet (step-sisters')--Animal witness (dove)--Happy marriage--Villain Nemesis: dove pecks out step-sisters' eyes on wedding day.

TABULATION

(1) Heroine is ill-treated by her stepmother, who has two daughters of her own, and is made to sit on the hearth and rummage in the ashes; wherefore she is called "Askenbasken" (louse of the ashes). She is clad in rags, whilst stepsisters look like ladies.-- (2) There is to be a ball, and father, who is going to town to buy finery for stepsisters, asks heroine what she would like. She chooses a rose-tree with roots, and though surprised at choice, father brings it her. During the night heroine plants it on mother's grave and waters it with tears. Every evening a white dove sits cooing in the bush when she comes.-- (3) Heroine asks leave to go to ball, and stepmother, not liking to refuse outright, throws plateful of pease into the ashes, saying she may accompany them if she has gathered up every single grain. Whilst heroine is rummaging for the pease, white dove knocks at the window, and whets heroine opens it, dove flies in with a crowd of birds, and they pick up the pease in less than no time. Stepmother again refuses to let heroine go to ball, and throws quite an apronful of pease in the ashes, and she must gather them first. Stepmother and stepsisters start, and heroine goes weeping to mother's grave. There sits the dove cooing, "Cheer up! go home, and you'll find a beautiful dress; put it on, go to the ball; but return before step mother and stepsisters." She goes, and king dances with her all nig it. Stepmother, offended because king does not dance with her daughters, goes home early. Seeing this, heroine leaves hurriedly. She asks stepmother how she enjoyed herself. "What's that to you, ragamuffin?"-- (4) Next day everything happens as before. (Task not mentioned.) Heroine goes weeping to mother's grave, and dove gives her a new dress. King dances with her all the night, and stepmother, still more offended, leaves early. Heroine tears herself away from the king and runs home. Upon asking whether they enjoyed themselves, heroine gets more abusive language, and is called "Askepidsker".1 -- (5) There is a third ball, which heroine attends in gown like pure gold, and gold shoes. She wears goloshes to keep them clean. She runs home as before, but in her haste loses a gold shoe. She is again abused at home.-- (6) King travels throughout the country, seeking the girl whom the shoe fits. He comes to stepmother's house; elder stepsister tries the shoe, and her big toe being too long, stepmother whispers, "Cut it off; better to lose a toe than a queen's throne!" Stepsister does so, and accompanies king to palace. On the way they pass the churchyard where dove sits cooing "King, look to the foot of the bride! Her blood is trickling from her shoe!" King takes her back. -- (7) The heel of the second stepsister is too large, and is cut off. The same incidents are repeated.-- (8) King asks if there is not another daughter; but he would not like to be made a fool of any more. Yes, they have a half-witted girl, but she was not at the ball. "Call her! let her try the shoe." She appears, smutty and sooty. "You might at least have shaken the ashes off!" says stepmother. "Never mind," says the king; "she looks like her work. Can you wear this shoe, my lass?" She can, for it is her own. Stepmother is furious, and would know how she came by it. King bids her put on the dress she wore at first ball; she does so, and king rides off with her. The dove in the churchyard sings:

 "Look, look how proudly they ride!
The king has found his true bride."

(9) They are married, and stepsisters are the bridesmaids. Going to church, the dove pecks out their left eyes, and, returning, their right eyes; so blindness is their punishment. The king lives happily with his queen, who is no longer called" Askenbasken".