Joseph JacobsXI. CAP O’ RUSHES.
Source.—Discovered by Mr. E. Clodd, in “Suffolk Notes
and Queries” of the Ipswich Journal, published by Mr. Lang
in Longinan’s Magazine, vol. xiii, also in Folk-Lore, Sept. 1890.
Parallels.—The beginning recalls “King Lear.” For “loving
like salt,” see the parallels collected by Cosquin, i. 288. The
whole story is a version of the numerous class of Cinderella
stories, the particular variety being the Catskin sub-species
analogous to Perrault’s Peau d’Ane. “Catskin” was told by
Mr. Burchell to the young Primroses in “The Vicar of
Wakefield,’” and has been elaborately studied by the late H.
C. Coote, in Folk-Lore Record, iii. 1-25. It is only now extant
in ballad form, of which “Cap o’ Rushes” may be regarded
as a prose version.
XII. TEENY-TINY.
Source.—Halliwell, 148.XIII. JACK AND THE BEANSTALK.
Source.—I tell this as it was told me in Australia, somewhere
about the year 1860.Parallels.—There is a chap-book version which is very poor; it is
given by Mr. E. S. Hartland, English Folk and Fairy Tales (Camelot
Series), p. 35, seq. In this, when Jack arrives at the top of the Beanstalk,
he is met by a fairy, who gravely informs him that the ogre had
stolen all his possessions from Jack’s father. The object of this was to
prevent the tale becoming an encouragement to theft! I have had
greater confidence in my young friends, and have deleted the fairy
who did not exist in the tale as told to me. For the Beanstalk else-
where, see Ralston, Russian Folk Tales, 293-8. Cosquin has some
remarks on magical ascents (i. 14).