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143

Archivio, ii, pp. 21-25. Palermo, 1883. Novelle popolari Sarde by P. E. Guarnerio. (Told by Speranza Satta of Sassari, Sardinia, who cannot read or write, and transcribed by Prof. Guarnerio, with the help of Antonio Cottoni, also of Sassari.)

II. "MARIA INTAURADDA."
(Maria Wainscotted).

ABSTRACT

Deathbed promise--(Deceased wife's ring test)--Unnatural father--Fate aid. Heroine's fate, or fortune, hears her lament and assists her--Countertasks--Magic dresses (supplied by devil, as gentleman)--Heroine disguise (wooden dress)--(Heroine flight); her fate transports her to house of another king--Menial heroine (has charge of horses in stable)-- her name is "Mary Wainscotted"-- King's son threatens her with (1) spurs, (2) saddle, (3) whip--Meeting place (fête)--Token objects named--Threefold flight (fate transports her)--Lovesick prince--Recognition food contains diamond [ring] given heroine at third ball.--Happy marriage.

TABULATION

(1) A king is left a widower. His dying wife gave him a diamond [ring], and bade him marry whomsoever it would fit.-- (2) His only daughter tries it on; it fits her well, and father says he must marry her.-- (3) Heroine in despair goes weeping to her room, and crying "My fate, my fate!" Her fate (or fortune) appears to her, and bids her demand from father a robe of golden bells. A gentleman (explained by story-teller as the Devil) comes to perplexed father and asks what troubles him, and undertakes to supply the robe of bells, and says king may command him should he want more.-- (4) Heroine weeps when father gives her the robe, and, counselled by her fate, asks him for one in which are the sun and the moon. This is provided in the same manner, and heroine next asks for a robe with as many fish as are in the sea.-- (5) On receiving this she weeps anew, and calls on her fate, who now bids her go to the wood-cutter and let him make her a dress of nothing but wood, with hinges.-- (6) Wood-cutter makes the dress, and her fate takes heroine to another king's house, where she is engaged as servant-girl in the stable to look after the horses. Heroine says her name is "Maria Wainscotted". Every day she gets the horses ready for the king's son. Every time she goes out the king's son passes. "Is it my turn, your Majesty?" "I'll strike you a blow with the spurs."--(7) He goes to a fete, and heroine's fate dresses her quickly in the robe of golden bells, and takes her straight to where he is. Whilst dancing with her he asks whence she comes. "From the City of the Spurs." "My father is king, and I have never heard mention of that city." The fate takes her home before the king's son. When he returns, heroine says, "You wouldn't take me, then?" "It is someone else than you whom I have seen dancing."-- (8) When he is going to another festival she says, " Is it my turn?" And he: "I will strike you a blow with the saddle." The fate takes her, differently clad, to where he is. He is pleased, and asks whence she comes. "From the City of the Saddle." "My father is king," etc. All at once the fate takes her back before the king's son returns. "You wouldn't take me, then?" He rejoins as before.-- (9) He is starting to another festival, and she says, ''Isn't it my turn?" "I'll strike you with the whip." Her fate dresses her in the robe with the fishes, and whilst dancing she comes to the king's son, and, to his inquiry, answers, "I come from the City of the Whip." "My father is king," etc. As they dance he gives her a diamond [ring]. Suddenly the fate takes her home before he comes. "You wouldn't take me, then?" she says. "I have seen someone else than you."-- (10) Meantime he falls sick, and that poor thing is always down in the stable. He will eat nothing, and she hears of it, and begs of the queen "Let me cook the food and he will eat it." She cooks the food, and puts the diamond into it; and he has scarce taken two mouthfuls when he finds it. "Who has cooked this food?" His mother is frightened. "Mamma's darling, I have cooked it for you." This he will not believe, and at length he learns that Maria Wainscotted has cooked it. "Let her come up." The fate takes her, and puts on the best dress she has. He recognises her, and they are married.

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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