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Zingerle, Ignaz und Josef, Tirols Volksdichtungen und Volksgebräuche, gessamelt durch die Bruder Ignaz und Josef. Band ii. Kinder- und Hausmärchen aus Suddeutschland. Regensburg, 1854. Pp. 231-35. (From Zillerthal.)

"DER GEHENDE WAGEN"
(The Carriage which goes by Itself).

ABSTRACT

Heroine dislikes suitor proposed by father-Countertasks--Magic dresses--Heroine flight in carriage which travels at command--Dresses hidden in hollow oak--Heroine disguise (mouse- skin dress) -- Menial heroine (kitchen-maid) --Meeting-place (ball)--Threefold flight--Heroine escapes through hack door to oak. At third ball, when guards surround castle, she is seen entering garret--Heroine discovered--Happy marriage.

TABULATION

(1) A rich man has an only daughter, whom he loves dearly, granting her every wish. When she is grown up, he wants her to choose a husband from one of the best houses in the town. She objects to this, but, as father will not cease to wish it, she at length consents, on certain conditions.-- (2) Within three days she must have a carriage which travels by itself at command, then four dresses-- a sky-blue with gold stars, a silver, a gold dress, and a dress made of the skins of field-mice. Father is vexed, but orders all to be procured, and they are ready within the time appointed. The carriage halts at her door; the four dresses are inside. She wishes to make trial of the carriage, and steps in. Away it rolls with her, and does not stop till she gets to an unknown country; then it breaks down.-- (3) She sees a hollow oak-tree, and hides her magic dresses in it; then dons the mouse-skin dress, and goes to the nearest town. She seeks in vain for employment, for none will engage the stranger in the grey fur dress. At length she is hired as kitchen-maid in a count's kitchen, and has to do all the menial work and clean the hearth. At night she sleeps on dirty straw, in a wretched little room, which only contains a chair and a clothes-box. -- (4) After some time the Count gives a grand ball which is to last several days, for he wants to choose a bride. These are hard days for the kitchen-maid, who has to be always carrying water, and polishing and scrubbing, and plucking fowls, and doing all manner of things. All is ready at last, and the guests arrive. Then heroine thinks of her father, and how she used to dance, and be the loveliest girl in the room. She begs the cook to let her watch the guests come and go from behind the door. At length she gets permission, but hurries off to the oak-tree, dons the sky-blue dress, and returns and enters ball-room. All are amazed at sight of her, and the Count dances with her alone. After an hour she disappears, hies to oak, resumes her ordinary clothes, and gets behind door to watch. She sees the guests leave, and the count looks very heavy-hearted.-- (5) All happens the same next night. Heroine appears at ball in silver dress, and leaves in an hour, as before. Count has stationed guards at the doors to stop the unknown beauty, but, aware of this, she slips out at the back door and runs to the oak.-- (6) At the third ball she appears in dress of gold. The count is overjoyed. She cannot escape to the oak this time, for the whole house is surrounded with servants. So she slips into her little room, where she must hide the magic dress.-- (7) But a servant has seen her enter the kitchen-maid's room, and fetches the count, who opens the door and sees the kitchen-maid in the act of hiding the dress in the box.-- (8) He falls on her neck, bids her resume magic dress, and go with him to ball-room, where he proclaims her his bride. They live long and happily, surrounded by their lovely children.

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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