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249

Ortoli, J. B. Frederic, Les Contes populaires de l'Ile de Corse. Paris, 1883. No. XIII. Pp. 81-88. (Narrated in 1882 by Marie Ortoli of Olmiccia-di-Tallano.)

"LES TROIS POMMES DE MARIUCELLA."

ABSTRACT

When heroine is weaned, mother disappears -- Ill-treated heroine (by step-mother)-- Menial heroine (minds cows)--Tasks: spinning--Task-performing animal (cow = Transformed mother)--Spy on heroine--Slaying of helpful animal --Heroine washes entrails containing three apples; eats the first, throws second on roof, and it becomes cock plants third, which grows to magic apple-tree --Prince hears heroine singing; sends ambassadors to fetch her--Heroine hidden in cask--Animal witness (cock)--Heroine discovered in Magic dress--Villain Nemesis-- Happy marriage.

TABULATION

(1) Man has beautiful wife who bears daughter her exact image. One day, when Mariucella is weaned, mother suddenly disappears, and father seeks her in vain.-- (2) He presently marries hideous woman with large fortune. She bears a daughter whom peasants nickname Dinticona (because of her great ugly teeth). When girls grow up, Dinticona, spite of her costly dresses and jewels, looks always unattractive, while Mariucella is lovely in her mean attire. Stepmother is jealous of her, and sends her to mind cows, giving her mohair to spin. Bat D. has beautiful fine linen.-- (3) One day stepmother says, if all the mohair is not spun by evening, M. shall be beaten and sent starving to bed. M. weeps over impossible task. Cow approaches and says, "Take comfort, Mariucella! I am your mother; I am a fairy and will spin all your mohair. Come and let me wash you in the fountain." The cow washes the girl and combs her golden hair; then, having spun the mohair, embraces her, and bids her tell no one what has happened.-- (4) Next day stepmother gives her twice the quantity to spin, so that there is not time fur her to be washed; but cow has spun it all by evening.-- (5) Next morning stepmother follows to spy, sees cow spinning, and returns home exultant. Cow also has seen stepmother, and begins to weep, and tells daughter what she must do. When washing cow's entrails she will find three apples; she must eat the first, throw the second on the roof of the house, and put the third in garden. Stepsister will be jealous to see her eating: she must say it is cow-dung. Heroine goes home very sad. Stepmother scolds her, and says she is going to kill cow.-- (6) On the morrow she does so, and heroine is sent to wash entrails. On the way she sings so plaintively that king's son, passing and hearing, falls deep in love with her. He woos her; she says he must ask her from her parents. In a few days he will send ambassadors to fetch her. They part. Heroine reaches fountain and does as mother bade her. She is eating one of the apples, when stepsister, who has followed her, asks what she is eating. Heroine offers her some dung, fills her mouth with it, and she runs away crying.-- (7) Heroine returns home, throws an apple on roof, and immediately a splendid cock with large wings comes out of it. From third apple grows fine apple-tree covered with fruit. When anyone except heroine approaches tree it turns into a bramble.-- (8) King's ambassadors come to fetch Mariucella, whom stepmother promptly hides in cask. She dresses up Dinticona and presents her. Ambassadors marvel at their master's taste. But cock on roof crows, "Couquiacou, couquiacou! Mariucella is under the cask; it is Dinticona on the fine horse." Stepmother tries in vain to silence cock. Ambassadors at last go and stave in all the casks, and find heroine in one of them, clad in blue silk dress trimmed with gold threads.-- (9) Furious at the deception, ambassadors throw Dinticona on to a heap of wood near.-- (10) King's son marries heroine, and wedding lasts thirty days.

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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