I expected this to be just another Cinderella story, but it really is a unique tale! I like the image of the girl covered in a cloak handmade from nature.
Did she hide herself because she wanted work and thought no one would hire a rich girl? Or because she thought people would know who she was and wonder what was going on?
Interesting that the master's son only likes Cap o' Rushes once he sees her all dressed up. Maybe the cloak hid her face during the day?
I like her character very much. She's clever and quiet, and the way she tricks the family is pretty harmless. There was a lot of humor in the way she said, night after night, that she would have liked to have seen the beautiful girl. I wonder whether she played this game for her own amusement or because she knew the master's son would never purposely dance with the maid.
I liked that the family who took Cap o' Rushes in was so kind to her. That's not very common in Cinderella stories! They even invited her to the dance. Because they were never cruel to her, her tricks felt light and humorous instead of desperate.
The ring was a clever idea! I did wonder what would happen if the son accidentally put it in his mouth. What if he didn't notice? What if he choked on it or even swallowed it without noticing? I wonder whether Cap o' Rushes would have accepted this fate or if she would have come up with a new trick.
Juncus Effuses, AKA rushes.
Source: Wikimedia Commons.
Bibliography: English Fairy Tales by Joseph Jacobs. Link to the reading online.
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