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252

Société de Littérature Finnoise. MS. Collections. By Elias Lönnrot. No. XXXIX. 1836. From the Government of Archangel, uyezd Kem (? Uhtne or Wuskkiniemi).

"CINDERELLA."

ABSTRACT

Elder sisters about to enter king's service, refuse to soil their hands. Heroine shears ram, and gets wool; milks cow, and gets milk; washes old man, who gives magic stick to open treasure- rock--Menial heroine (cinder-sifter at palace)--Hearth abode-- Magic dresses--Meeting-place (church)--Threefold flight--Skin dress (thrown (over magic dress) torn by prince whilst heroine searches his head. Fourth Sunday heroine fetches utensils from treasure-rock to prepare dinner (Task)--Her superiority acknowledged--Happy marriage.

TABULATION

(1) There are three sisters. The two elder are going to enter king's service. Cinderella, the youngest, wants to go too, but they will not take her. On the way they meet ram with shears on its horns. "Shear me; you shall have wool." "We haven't time, and we don't wish to soil our hands. We have hired ourselves as king's servants for three years."-- (3) They meet a cow. "Milk me, and take my milk." "We can't soil our clothes."-- (3) They meet a very dirty old man, with stick in his hand. "Wash me, and you shall have my stick." They will not.-- (4) Cinderella sets out. Meets ram, shears it, and takes wool; milks cow, and gets milk; cleans old man, who gives her stick, saying: "Near the palace you will see a rock; go three times round it, then strike it with this stick, and you shall see." Cinderella opens rock, and sees animals, clothes, provisions, utensils, all sorts of things, and many more than king possesses. But she takes nothing.-- (5) She goes to palace; they will scarcely admit her. She sits in a corner. Sisters say to king: "She is our sister; won't you take her as cinder-sifter?" "Yes, since she is here."-- (6) On Sunday sisters dress for church. Cinderella says, "Give me at least some old clothes." They will not take her with them. She goes to rock, gets a silk dress and a horse, goes to church, and no one recognises her. She leaves before the others, so as to return dresses to rock, don her old skin dress, and be sitting in chimney-corner sifting cinders. Sisters return; tell of the beautiful girl at church.-- (7) Second Sunday Cinderella goes to church in silver dress, driving right up to the door. Prince looks at her. Towards the end of service she leaves. Sisters return, and talk about beauty. Cinderella asks if she may not go next Sunday and see her. They refuse.-- (8) King's son determines that lovely girl shall not escape so easily next time. Cinderella takes a dress steeped in golden vapour, and a finer horse than ever. She drives right into the middle of the church. King's son would ask whence she comes and whither she goes. He pursues her, but does not reach her. She has not time to doff fine clothes, so covers them with old skin dress, and sits in chimney-corner.-- (9) King's son goes into kitchen, and says to Cinderella: "Search my head." Sisters say: "Don't let her do it; she will make you dirty from the ashes." King's son, in pulling at her gown, tears the sleeve, revealing the gilded robe underneath skin.-- (10) Next Sunday she is left at home alone to cook dinner. She fetches utensils from rock. On returning from church everyone is convinced Cinderella is no ordinary person. Sisters, who have hitherto despised her, are now ashamed.-- (11) Cinderella becomes daughter-in-law to the queen.

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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