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165

Gubernatis, Angelo de, Le Novelline di Santo Stefano, raccolte da. Torino, 1869. No. III, pp. 19-21. (Told by a girl named Nunziatina, who heard it at Ripolano, above Siena.)

"IL TROTTOLIN DI LEGNO"
(The Wooden Top).

ABSTRACT

Death-bed promise--Deceased wife's ring marriage test--Unnatural father--Old woman aid--Countertasks--Magic dresses--Heroine flight (in wooden top)--Marquis buys Heroine's hiding-box--Heroine waits on him; strikes him with (1) tongs, (2) broom, (3) shovel, for refusing to take her to ball--Meeting- place (ball)--Token objects named--Three-fold flight.--Heroine discovered--Happy marriage.

TABULATION

(1) Lady on the point of death takes off her ring, and makes husband promise that he will marry no one whom it does not fit. At her death he makes a long search for one who can wear ring, but in vain.-- (2) His daughter sees ring, and one day tries it on, and finds it fits her perfectly. Her father at once wants to marry her. She refuses, but he insists.-- (3) She takes counsel of an old woman, who bids her demand a dress with golden bells. This by the aid of a magician is provided. She next demands a dress with gold fish on it, and then a dress with stars, both of which are procured by magician. Old woman now bids her ask for a wooden top, which will just hold herself.-- (4) This is also granted, and on the eve of the wedding heroine gets inside top, and by means of magic wand, which old woman provides, heroine is carried off to a far country. People see wooden top travelling by itself, and marvel. An inscription on the top says it will belong to anyone who will take care of it. A marquis takes a fancy to it, and takes it to his house. Then the girl (la citta) comes out of it, and waits on him.-- (5) One evening marquis is going to a ball, and heroine begs him to take her too. Being refused, she takes the tongs and strikes him on the knees. When he has started, she makes herself very beautiful, by means of magic wand, gets carriage and pair, and clad in dress with golden bells she goes to ball where marquis falls in love with her. Asked whence she comes, she replies: "From Rap-tongs," and asks the marquis to accompany her. But no sooner has she set foot in her carriage than she vanishes, leaving him behind abashed.-- (6) Second day, when marquis refuses to take her to ball, she hits him over the knees with a broom; then follows in carriage and four, clad in gold-fish dress; dazzles the marquis with her beauty, and says she comes from Rap-broom; then invites him to accompany her, and vanishes from him as before.-- (7) Third night all happens as before; she beats him with shovel; goes to ball in carriage and six, wearing star dress; says she comes from Rap-shovel then vanishes from him so suddenly that he falls in a swoon. Next day she asks why he is not going again to the ball. Marquis says he does not wish to go again.-- (8) Then heroine pretends she is ill, and shuts herself in her room, which she transforms with her wand so that it would never be recognised; then assuming the form of a lovely girl, she takes her seat, having spread around her the three splendid dresses.-- (9) Marquis, who misses her coming to work as usual, goes to look for her, finds and recognises her, and, full of joy, marries her.

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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