Cap ouches (a tale from the British Isles)

Once upon a time a rich gentleman had a daughter. One day he asked her. "How much do you love me, dearest?"

She laughed lightly. "I love you as much as fresh meat loves salt, father," she answered.

He flew into a rage. "That means you don't love me at all! Go away, and never return!" So she left, taking only a beautiful golden dress with her.

As she traveled, she came upon a bog. There she made a dress and hood out of rushes and put it on. Then she hid her golden dress among the reeds and rushes, and traveled on a little farther.

When she came to an elegant house, she knocked on the door. "Would you like a maid?" she asked. "I will do any kind of work if only you will give me shelter."

The servant woman looked at her and said, "You can scrape the pots and pans, Cap Onrushes."

From then on, that was what everyone called her.

Many months passed. Day and night Cap Onrushes scrubbed the pots and pans and cleaned the walls and floors.

One evening, the servants, excited, told her, "Cap Onrushes, tonight there will be a grand ball. Master says we may attend to look at the people dressed in their fancy clothes." They asked, "Will you come with us?" Cap Onrushes shook her head. "I am too tired," she said.

After everyone had gone, Cap Onrushes went into the reeds, bathed in the stream, and put on her golden dress. Then she hurried to the ball.

The master's son fell in love at first sight. He would only dance with her. She would not tell him her name, but before she left the ball, he gave her a ring. Cap Onrushes took the ring and then dashed away.

The next day the maids told her of the beautiful maiden. "But," they said, "There will be no other balls this year. Perhaps we shall never see her again."

One morning, Cap Onrushes heard the cook talking of the master's son. "He is very sick, dying of love for his lady," said the cook. "I will make him some porridge," said Cap Onrushes. She made the porridge, and then slipped her ring into the bowl.

The young man ate the porridge, and then he saw the ring.

He looked up at Cap Onrushes, shocked. "Did you make this porridge?" he asked. "I did," she said

Then she took off her hood, and the master's son gasped, for he recognized the one he loved.

He soon got better, and he and Cap Onrushes planned to wed. Everyone was invited to attend the wedding feast even Cap Onrushes' father. !

Just before the wedding day, Cap Onrushes ordered the cook to make all the meat dishes without using salt.

At the wedding feast, when Cap Onrushes' father tasted the salt less meat, he couldn't eat a bit, because it tasted terrible. He burst into tears.

"I understand now," he said, "My daughter was telling me she loved me very much."

That very day, father and daughter were reunited, and everyone lived happily ever after.