“Catskin.” Fairy Gold : A Book of Old English Fairy Tales Chosen by Ernest Rhys, Ernest Rhys, London: J.M. Dent & Co.; New York : E.P. Dutton & co., 1907, pp. 45-48.

Tale Summary

Once upon a time there was a girl who was born to a father who only wished for a male heir, and so was sent by her mother to live with a foster-nurse in a house by the great oak wood. When she was fifteen years old, her foster mother died. Before this, she had instructed the girl to hide all her pretty dresses by the crystal waterfall, put on a dress of catskin, and go seek work as a servant-maid in town. The girl, now known as Catskin, found work under a cook, who was a mean woman who often beat her. Time came when there was a great ball in town, and Catskin begged the cook to let her go, but she only made fun of the girl and threw water in her face. Catskin went off to her hiding-place in the woods, and sang:

“She washed every stain from her skin,
In some crystal waterfall;
Then put on a beautiful dress,
And hasted away to the ball.”

She went to the ball, where everyone was stunned at her beauty, and the lord only wished to dance with her. After spending the night together this way, he asked where she lived, and she responded:

“Kind sir, if the truth I must tell,
At the sign of the Basin of Water I dwell.”

Catskin slipped away, put on her furry dress, and made her way back to the kitchen unseen. The young squire, the next day, told his mother he would never rest until he found this beautiful girl. After a time another grand ball was held, and when Catskin asked the cook’s permission to go, the woman again teased her and broke a ladle over her head. Back at her hiding-place in the woods, she said:

“She washed every blood-stain off,
In some crystal waterfall;
Put on a more beautiful dress,
And hasted away to the ball.”

Catskin met again with the young lord, and they again spent the night dancing. When it came time for her to part, she would not tell him where she lived, but said:

“Kind sir, if the truth I must tell,
At the sign of the Broken-Ladle I dwell.”

And then she slipped away as before. There was then the greatest ball of the year, and when Catskin asked the cook for permission to go, she ridiculed her and broke a skimmer on the girl’s head. Catskin went back to her hiding-spot, and said:

“She washed the stains of blood,
In the crystal waterfall;
Then put on her most beautiful dress,
And hastened away to the ball.”

She met again with the young squire, and they spent the ball as they had the others, and when it came time to part, Catskin said:

“Kind sir, if the truth I must tell,
At the sign of the Broken-Skimmer I dwell,”

Catskin then hurried away from the ball, but was followed closely by the squire, who saw the disguise she put on at the kitchen. The next day, he took to his bed and called for a doctor, saying that he would die if Catskin did not see him. She was sent for, and the doctor convinced the squire’s mother for her consent in their marriage. Catskin and the squire were then married, and lived happily ever after.