Page:Folk-lore - A Quarterly Review. Volume 18, 1907.djvu/232

 196 Collectanea.

has an extra eye in her neck. Stepmother ill-treats heroine, scolds, and starves her. (3) She goes weeping to churchyard, kneels at mother's grave, and knocks thrice on tomb-stone. Mother rises, comforts her, bidding her come at any time for counsel. Should a stepsister accompany her, she need but say, "Sleep one eye, sleep two eyes, sleep the whole body ! " [no verse or rhyme] before calling forth her mother. As she stands by grave, two white doves come flying from altar of the church, settle on her shoulders, and feed her. (4) Time passes ; there comes a day when stepmother's harshness is unbearable. Heroine goes to church- yard, pronounces spell, and the girl in her company sleeps. Heroine calls her mother, is comforted, and the doves feed her. After further ill-treat- ment another visit to tomb. Same spell, but this time only two eyes sleep, the third sees all, and stepsister informs mother. Heroine is scolded, shut up, and not allowed out. (5) One day, during stepmother's absence, heroine gets leave from father to take a walk, visits church- yard, and calls mother, who gives her wooden dress, and tells her she must mount the red calf that she will see outside churchyard, and ride through three forests, of gold, of silver, of diamond, but never touch a leaf of any tree. Afterwards, she will reach a golden castle, and must there seek service. Mother gives her at parting a small box, to be kept in her bosom, and tapped whenever anything is needed. But heroine cannot resist temptation to pluck a leaf in the silver wood. This is instantly changed into a silvery dress. Men and wild beasts pursue but cannot stop her, the red calf bearing her safely through every danger. Similar, but worse things, befall in the golden wood ; and in the diamond wood the men and wild beasts tear her from calPs back ; but she is up again and off, and they safely reach golden castle. (6) Here heroine is engaged as hen-maid, and goes about in wooden dress, being every- body's "dog" (drudge). (7) One Sunday she has to take king's water for washing, which, at sight of her, he throws over her. She returns to kitchen, and cook bids her cook dinner while he goes to church. (8) Cook and others being absent, heroine taps her little box ; out jumps a black dog, asking what is wanted. She wants her silver dress, a coach, and four white horses. " Nobody see before ! nobody see behind ! nobody see whither I drive ! " and away she goes to church while dog prepares dinner. Heroine sits in pew next to king's. As she leaves after service king's servant asks whence she comes. " From Water-basin Country ! " and pronouncing the spell she drives unseen away. Dinner being excellent, she is praised by the cook, and people begin to pity her. {9) Next Sunday she must take up king's boots ; he throws them at her. Same incidents as before : golden dress, coach and four, and she says she comes "from Boot Country." (10) Third Sunday a towel is thrown at her ; diamond dress, coach and four. But king himself waits at carriage, where tar has been spread to detain her. He questions ; she replies, "From Towel Country," and vanishes on pronouncing spell. But she has lost one shoe on entering carriage. Dinner better than ever, and heroine