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142

Archivio, ii, pp. 21-25. Palermo, 1883. Novelle popolari Sarde by P. E. Guarnerio. Story No. I. (In dialect; narrated by Caterina Colombano, widow of Luciano of Calangianus, and written down by Martino Colombano, also of Calangianus.)

I. "MARIA INTAULATA."
(Maria Wood).

ABSTRACT

Death-bed promise--Deceased wife's ring marriage test--Unnatural father--Governess aid--Counter-tasks--Magic dresses-- Heroine disguise (wooden dress)--Heroine flight--Menial heroine--Meeting-place (ball)--Token objects named--Three-fold flight--Love-sick prince--Recognition food--Heroine discovered--Happy marriage.

TABULATION

(1) Queen, on her death-bed, exacts promise that king will only marry someone who can wear her ring.-- (2) After her death the king, having tried the ring in vain throughout the town, fits it on his own daughter, and re to marry her.-- (3) She takes counsel with governess, and asks father in turn for three magic dresses (a moon-dress, a star-dress, and a dress of chimes), which are supplied. Then she is to get a wooden dress made and escape in it.-- (4) In this way she comes at last to a king's palace, and is allowed to live in poultry-house. At night she doffs wooden dress, and in dress of chimes climbs tree in front of palace. All are puzzled what the music can be: the same thing happens next night. In the mourning she is fetched from poultry-house to fill the place of waiting-maid. She appears in wooden dress, tells queen she wears it as penance, and calls herself Maria Intaulata.-- (5) When the prince is starting to the feasts, she forgets to give him (1) whip, (2) bridle, (3) spurs. He strikes her with these objects, and she names them when presently asked whence she comes.-- (6) She begs leave to go to each of the three feasts. Queen at first refuses, but at length grants it on condition that heroine keeps out of her son's sight. She appears at first ball in star-dress, at the second in moon-dress, lastly, in dress of chimes. Prince dances with her, and each time gives her a diamond [ring]. She escapes alone, and queen asks on her return if her son has seen her. She says no. Heroine presently asks master if he has enjoyed himself, and he breaks off in the midst of remarking there was a girl present like herself. This happens three times.-- (7) Then prince falls ill when he fails to discover who lovely stranger is. Doctors say they cannot cure him, because he is sick of love. Heroine asks leave to carry his food to him. Queen says it is useless, for he will not eat. Heroine thrice carries broth to prince, each time putting in one of the diamonds he had given her.-- (8) Prince, convinced that his lady-love is none other than Maria Intaulata, springs out of bed, splits open the wooden disguise with his dagger, and recognises the beau of the balls. He takes her to his parents and marries her.

Cox, Marian Roalfe. Cinderella: Three Hundred and Forty-five Variants of Cinderella, Catskin, and Cap O' Rushes, abstracted and tabulated. London: David Nutt for the Folklore Society, 1893.

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