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

Gifts chosen from dying father; heroine gets magic sword, and sets out to seek a husband--Menial heroine (takes service opposite palace)--Heroine falls in love with young Count-- Menial heroine (kitchen-maid at palace)--Hearth abode--Magic dresses, obtained by means of sword--Meeting-place (ball)-- Heroine struck with (1) shovel, (2) tongs. Token objects named--Threefold flight--Lovesick prince--Recognition food, contains ring slipt on heroine's finger at third ball--Happy marriage.

TABULATION

(1) A rich old man, thinking he must shortly die, calls his three daughters to choose gifts from him. Eldest asks for gold earrings; second, for beautiful new dress; and youngest, who is very beautiful, begs for father's sword. This is a magic sword. Its possessor has only to give an order for it to be executed. Father gives desired gifts, even the sword, thinking he will no longer need it, as he is dying. But he lives yet a long time. One day heroine asks leave to go forth into the world to seek her fortune. Father is amused, and asks whether, being a girl, she does not fear to go alone. She replies that, having the sword, no harm can befall her, and she wants to seek husband for herself.-- (2) Father gives permission, and she sets out, hiding sword under her clothes. She comes to a large town, where she takes service. Whilst sweeping and dusting rooms of a morning she notices large palace opposite, belonging to handsome young count. He is often sad and moody, and parents urge him to marry, hut no one pleases him enough. Heroine sees him often, and falls in love with him; at length leaves present service to be kitchen-maid at palace. She must remain all day on the hearth, and being covered with ashes she is called Aschenbrödel.-- (3) Young count says he will go to ball. Mother is pleased, hoping it will cheer him. Aschenbrödel has overheard, and as soon as he has started goes to her room, washes herself, takes sword, and asks it for lovely sky-blue dress, and carriage and horses. In this way she goes to ball where young count is, and is noticed by all. She speaks first to count, who is too shy to ask whence she comes, but is very happy dancing with her. After first round she slips away home, dons her old clothes, and returns to kitchen. Count, in high spirits, tells mother what he has seen. "How lovely she was!" "Not more so than I," says Aschenbrödel; but he seizes shovel, and strikes her with it for interfering.-- (4) Next night he goes again to ball, meaning not to let beauty escape this time. Heroine attends as before in dress like stars. Count asks whence she comes, and she says, "From Shovelstroke", and escapes from him after first round. Vexed and love-sick, count returns home, and relates all to his mother. Heroine puts in words as before, and he hits her with the tongs. Heroine withdraws to corner, but hears mother tell him to take diamond ring to-morrow, and put it on lady's finger when she first arrives.-- (5) Heroine goes third time to ball, in dress like the sun, the glitter of which people cannot at first face. Count puts ring on her finger, and she says she comes from "Tongs-blow", and escapes from him as before. Sick and sad, he tells all to his mother, then takes to his bed, and cannot sleep or eat.-- (6) Next morning heroine asks to be allowed to cook his food. Mother angrily refuses her. Following day she begs permission at least to take plate of food to him, and on the way drops in ring. Count finds ring, and asks mother who can have put it there. Heroine is called, but says they must wait a little. She hurries to her room, washes, and puts on sun-dress, then appears before mother and son.-- (7) He recognises her, and begs forgiveness for having struck her. 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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