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210

Biblioteca de las tradiciones populares Espanolas. vol. viii, p. 175. Cuento No. I. (Taken down literally by Senor L. Giner Arivan, as narrated by a poor woman, aged about 28, named Rosa Fernandez of Proaza, a small village in the province of Oviedo, who had come to Madrid in service. She could read but badly.)

"XUANON DEL CORTEZON"
(Johnny of the Bark).

ABSTRACT

King Lear judgment--Loving like salt--Outcast heroine-- Servants spare heroine's life; delude king with eyes of bitch-- Heroine disguise (clothes bought of shepherd)--Menial heroine (tends turkeys as man) -- Heroine doffs disguise; turkeys seeing her in royal robes forget in their admiration to feed. One dies every day. Heroine explains that they die in fight. But prince goes to spy--Heroine discovered- Lovesick prince insists that Johnny of the Bark (heroine) shall bring him broth, though cook protests that Johnny is so filthily dirty--Prince tells heroine what he has witnessed--Happy marriage--Value of salt-- Father falls dead on recognising heroine.

TABULATION

(1) King asks his three daughters how much they love him. Eldest says, As the goat the knife"; the second, " As the blood the bread"; the third, "As the bread the salt"-- (2) King is satisfied with the two elder, hut irritated with the third, and delivers her to four servants to be put to drab, commanding them to bring him her eyes.-- (3) Servants take pity on heroine, and allow her to escape, on condition that she shall never return to the country; for they would be killed for disobeying king. They then catch a bitch, tear out her eyes, and with these delude king.-- (4) Heroine goes on and on, meets a shepherd poorly clad, buys his clothes for disguise, and puts her own into a bundle.-- (5) She reaches a palace, and is engaged as boy to mind turkeys. Every day she takes them to the fields. Growing tired of solitude, she goes to well in field, doffs shepherd's disguise, dons royal dress, and admires her reflection in the water. Turkeys stand and stare, and forget to eat; wherefore every day the oldest one dies, and heroine carries dead one home each night, explaining to king's son that they die in fight.-- (6) He resolves to spy, follows the flock, and hides behind tree. Heroine changes clothes as usual, and prince falls in love, and determines he must wed her.-- (7) He goes home, tells cook he feels ill and cannot eat, but will have a cup of broth, which "Johnny of the Bark" (as turkey-herd is called), and no one else, must bring him. Cook makes objections, explaining that Johnny is so filthy. For, feat big discovery, heroine has been wont on returning from fields to scratch herself, then throw into the fire handfuls of salt, which crackled as though they were lice, so as to be driven into dark corner. Prince nevertheless insists, and cook goes to kitchen to tell Johnny to clean himself ready to carry broth to prince. Johnny goes most reluctantly; prince is immediately better on seeing her, bids her sit near him, and confesses that he has spied her, and fallen in love, and will marry her, whoever she is. Heroine tells her history.-- (8) All neighbouring kings are invited to wedding. Heroine's father comes; does not recognise her, thinking her dead. She has large loaf, without salt, made for him alone. He does not eat it; prince asks why, and hearing reason, says, "But I am told your Highness put your daughter to death for saying she loved you as bread loves salt." King confesses his repentance, and would give half his kingdom to have her alive. Prince shows heroine, and king falls dead from sudden joy.

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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