SurLaLune Fairy Tales: Marian Roalfe Cox: Cinderella: Three Hundred and Forty-five Variants of Cinderella, Catskin, and Cap O' Rushes, abstracted and tabulated

Death-bed promise--Deceased wife resemblance marriage test -- Unnatural father-- Godmother aid -- Counter-tasks -- Heroine demands a golden bull; secretly persuades jeweller to make it hollow--Heroine's hiding-box--Surprise rencontre-- During absence of prince, his father taps hull; heroine deceived, comes forth--Prince's fiancée throws heroine into pit. She is delivered by charcoal-burners--Happy marriage--Villain Nemesis (fiancée burnt).

TABULATION

(1) Queen, on her death-bed, exacts promise from king that he will only marry a woman more beautiful than herself. At her death search is made for fitting bride. Only king's daughter is more beautiful than dead mother king resolves to marry her.-- (2) Daughter seeks aid of godmother, who bids her first ask of king a robe like the sun. This is provided, and daughter next demands robe like the moon.-- (3) When this is procured she asks for a golden bull. King commands that all gold ornaments in kingdom be taken to gold smith and converted into hull. Princess goes secretly to jeweller, and begs him to make bull hollow.-- (4) On day fixed for wedding she opens secret door in side of bull, and shuts herself up in it. She is sought in vain; king is furious.-- (5) A neighbouring prince, fallen ill, craves of his parents a golden bull. Princess's father offers his. Prince keeps gold boll in his room. He will have no one in room with him, and eats meals alone. On first day, whilst prince dozes, princess steals out and takes plate of food. She does the same on following days. Prince, astonished at disappearance of food, changes his room, but since he takes bull same thing happens again. -- (6) Determines to feign sleep and watch for thief. Princess comes out of bull, is frightened to find prince awake, throws herself at his feet, and tells her story. Prince re assures her, promising to keep her secret, and orders double fare on her account. Prince recovers and departs to war, telling princess that on his return he will tap bull three times with his stick.-- (7) During prince's absence his father shows bull to visitors, one of whom taps it to see if it is hollow princess, deceived, issues from hiding-place, and is greatly alarmed. Tells story to king, who allows her to live at castle.-- (8) A young girl brought up at court to be prince's bride becomes jealous of princess, and one day, when walking with her in the wood, bids her stoop down to look to bottom of deep pit, pushes her iii, and runs away. Princess is unhurt, and calls for help.-- (9) Charcoal-burner draws her out and takes her to castle. Prince has just returned, and preparations are being made for his wedding.-- (10) Learning what has happened, he orders fiancée to be thrown into bonfire which is burning before castle, and marries princess.

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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