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303

Thorpe, Benjamin, Yule-Tide Stories. Popular Tales and Traditions from the Swedish, Danish, and German. London, 1888. pp. 375-380. (From the Danish.)

"THE GIRL CLAD IN MOUSE-SKIN."

ABSTRACT

Father goes to war, leaving heroine and dog inside mound which she may not leave for seven years. Heroine and dog live on mice, of whose skins she makes cloak to cover gold dress. Lacking food she digs way out of mound when seven years have well-nigh passed. Heroine disguise--Menial heroine, takes service at father's old home, where preparations are being made for wedding of new owner. Bride persuades heroine to don bridal dress in her stead, that bride may marry man she loves. After church ceremony they exchange dresses again, but heroine retains ring on finger. At wedding-ball bridegroom misses ring from bride's finger. She runs to heroine, who will only stretch forth hand in dark. Bridegroom drags her into ballroom; sees girl in mouse-skin dress. Heroine casts off disguise, appears in gold dress, and tells her story--Happy marriage.

TABULATION

(1) Nobleman had daughter; during war he hid her and dog inside mound; she was not to leave unless he came not for seven years. She spun and wove (or well-nigh that time, till food nearly gone; she began to dig way out. She and dog lived on mice, of whose skins she made cloak to cover gold dress.-- (2) At last she left mound; wandered to cottage; was told that owner of manor-house was killed in war, leaving girl, of whom no trace could be found.-- (3) Weeping, she went to manor-house where father had lived; asked for work. She was given menial place, all busy there over wedding of young lord, now owner.-- (4) Day before wedding, bride told her she was marrying against her will; asked her to wear bridal-dress and be wedded in her stead, so that bride might wed man she loved. Girl agreed, when bride dressed; sent for her, and they exchanged clothes.-- (5) On way to church girl sighed as mound passed; wept at sight of parents' portraits in church. Then, wedding over, she hurried to bride's chamber; changed dresses, but kept ring on finger.-- (6) At wedding-ball bridegroom missed ring from bride's finger; she made excuse; ran to girl, who would agree only to stretch forth hand in dark. But bridegroom dragged her into ball-room, and saw she was girl in mouse-skin dress. Then she threw dress off; stood in gold attire lovely to look on; told her story.-- (7) Then bridegroom owned her as his true bride, and she gave lands and money to the other, who married her true love.

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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