Moe, Moltke, Unpublished Collection. Christiania. (From Bo, Thelemarken. Apparently a mixture of a read tale and tale learnt orally.--M. M.)
" AASKEPOT."
ABSTRACT
Ill-treated heroine (by step-mother)--Hearth abode--Prince invites parents and daughters; heroine not allowed to go--Helpful animal (bird) dress--Meeting-place (palace)--Lost shoe. -- Heroine purposely leaves it behind--[Shoe marriage test]--Mutilated foot--Happy marriage.
TABULATION
(1) Man's daughter sits shovelling the ashes. Prince, having heard of the two beautiful girls, invites them and their parents. But heroine is not allowed to go. "You are too ugly and too ragged!" "I'm sure to get a dress if only I may go "-- (2) She has a little bird that helps her always. This time it gives her a beautiful dress and a pair of gold shoes. So she is allowed to go. King's son likes heroine best.-- (3) In parting from him she purposely leaves one of her shoes behind. King's son picks it up and calls upon the girls to try it on.-- (4) Stepmother whispers to her daughter:
"Your toe you'll cut, your heel you'll pare,
And so the golden shoe may wear!"
Girl does so, but having cut too sparingly, she cannot get the shoe on. Heroine tries next with better luck.
