No. 67.—Cinderella
A glorious version, too long to take down, and now almost forgotten. After Cinderella’s marriage the sisters live with her, and flirt with the prince. Her children are stolen, and Cinderella is turned into a sow. She protects the children, but at the instigation of the sisters (or stepmother) she is [260]hunted by the prince’s hounds and killed. The three children come to the hall, and beg for the sow’s liver (its special efficacy forgotten). The children are followed and further restored to their father. Perhaps Cinderella herself comes again to life.
Just enough to make one want more. But some day of course the whole tale must be taken down. Meanwhile I will merely remark that in 1871–72 I frequently saw an old Gypsy house-dweller, Cinderella Petuléngro, or Smith, at Headington, near Oxford. From her I heard the story of ‘Fair Rosamer,’ so fair you could see the poison pass down her throat. She was turned, it seems, after death into a Holy Briar, which, being enchanted, bleeds if a twig be plucked.