A rich nobleman had three daughters. One day, he asked each of them to show how much they loved him. “I love you as much as I love my life,” said the eldest. “I love you more than the whole world!” said the second. Both the answers pleased their father. Then the youngest said, “I love you as much as fresh meat loves salt.” This answer made the nobleman very angry, for it was not flattering at all. In fact, he was so furious that he drove his daughter out of his house! The girl walked till she reached a marshy area where she found rushes growing. She plucked a lot of rushes and wove a cloak for herself covering her from head to toe, and hiding her golden hair and fine clothes. Then, she walked on further till she came to a mansion. She went to the backdoor and begged them for some work.
A Kitchen Maid
The girl was in a pitiable condition. “I’ll do any work, for I have nowhere to go,” she explained. The cook felt sorry for her and asked, “Will you scrub the kitchen floor and wash all the pots and pans?” The girl agreed. “What’s your name?” asked the cook. “Cap o’ Rushes,” replied the girl. And that was what all the servants and maids called her. She cleaned everything and worked hard all day and slept in a corner of the kitchen at night. One day, it was announced that a dance was to be held in a great house near by. Everyone in the house was going there. Even the servants and the maids were going there to help. “Will you, too, be coming, Cap o’ Rushes?” asked the maids. “I don’t know,” she replied. But she did long to go and dance as she had done in the old days at her father’s house.
The Mysterious Lady
Cap o’ Rushes waited till all the servants and maids had left for the dance. Then, she took off her cape and folded it in one corner. Her hair and fine clothes glowed. She went to the dance and no one there recognised her as the little kitchen maid. The master and his family, too, had come for the dance. As soon as his son saw Cap o’ Rushes, he was charmed. He couldn’t take his eyes off her beautiful face. He asked her to dance with him and all evening he danced with her. Cap o’ Rushes had slipped away quietly before the others left the dance and, reaching home, she put on her cloak and pretended to be asleep. The next morning, the maids told her about the beautiful mysterious lady with whom the master’s son had danced all evening. They told her there would be a dance again.
A Wedding Feast
That night, when the maids were going for the dance, they asked Cap o’ Rushes to come along. But she stayed back. Once again, she went later and the master’s son danced with her. The third night was the last dance and he presented her a ring before she left. The master’s son fell ill, for he couldn’t find his beautiful lady anywhere. The cook was making his porridge, when Cap o’ Rushes offered to make it. She slipped the ring into it. The master’s son found it and summoned her. When she took off her cape, he was delighted! At the wedding feast, her father was also invited. Cap o’ Rushes said that the meats served to her father must have no salt. When he ate the dinner, her father wept for his lost child. “I didn’t understand her love,” he said. Then, Cap o’ Rushes revealed herself and everyone was very happy!
