Cap-o'-Rushes
A banished daughter proves her love with salt.
Cap-o'-Rushes, an English fairy tale from Joseph Jacobs' collection, was the inaugural story on the BBC's Jackanory. It belongs to the ATU 510B "Unnatural Love" type, which includes tales like Donkeyskin and Catskin.
Quick Facts
- Published by
- Joseph Jacobs
- Collection
- English Fairy Tales
- Atu type
- ATU 510B (Unnatural Love)
- First story on
- BBC series Jackanory
Facts from the source article.
Synopsis
A rich man asked his three daughters how much they loved him. The first said as much as life; the second, as much as the world; the third, as much as meat needs salt. Misinterpreting her, he drove her out. She made a garment of rushes to wear over her fine clothing and found work scrubbing dishes at a great house, where they called her Cap-o'-Rushes. When the servants went to a ball, she removed her rushes and attended, catching the master's son's eye. She slipped away each night, but on the third night he gave her a ring. He fell ill, and she slid the ring into his gruel. He summoned her, she revealed herself, and they married. At the wedding feast, she ordered no salt. Her father, a guest, wept, realizing his mistake. She revealed herself, and they reconciled.
Analysis
Folklorist D. L. Ashliman classified the tale as AaTh 510B, 'A King Tries To Marry His Daughter', relating it to Donkeyskin, Allerleirauh, Mossycoat, The Bear, The She-Bear, and The King who Wished to Marry his Daughter. He also classified it under ATU 923, 'Love Like Salt'. Joseph Jacobs noted the 'King Lear' motif of 'Love Like Salt' and connections to Cinderella and Donkeyskin. The King Lear-like opening is unusual in type 510B, where the daughter usually flees a father who wishes to marry her, as in Allerleirauh or Donkeyskin; it also occurs in the French variant The Dirty Shepherdess.
Variants
Richard Chase published an American variant titled Rush Cape, based on a tale from Abingdon, Virginia, and two tales from Kentucky and Tennessee. In this variant, an old king asks his three daughters how much they love him; the youngest says she loves him like bread loves salt. Banished, she makes a cape of rushes and works as a kitchen maid in the King of England's castle. She attends three balls, and the prince slips a ring on her finger. He falls sick, and she drops the ring into his soup. The queen notices the ring, and Rush Cape is summoned; the prince recognizes and marries her. Meanwhile, her sisters spend the father's wealth and banish him. He arrives as a beggar at the castle, and Rush Cape orders food without salt. The old king notices the lack of salt, remembers her words, and they embrace.
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