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Rashie Coat

Rashie Coat

This is the Scottish version of Cinderella.

Rashie Coat was a king’s daughter, and her father wanted her to be married; but she didna like the man. Her father said she had to tak him; and she didna ken what to do. Sae she gaed awa’ to the hen-wife to speer what she should do. And the hen-wife said: ‘Say ye winna tak him unless they gie ye a coat o’ the beaten gowd.’ Weel, they ga’e her a coat o’ the beaten gowd; but she didna want to tak him for a’ that. Sae she gaed to the hen-wife again, and the hen-wife said: ‘Say ye winna tak him unless they gie ye a coat made o’ the feathers o’ a’ the birds o’ the air.’ Sae the king sent a man wi’ a great heap o’ corn; and the man cried to a’ the birds o’ the air: ‘Ilka bird tak up a pea and put down a feather; ilka bird tak up a pea and put down a feather.’ Sae ilka bird took up a pea and put down a feather and they took a’ the feathers and made a coat o’ them, and ga’e it to Rashiecoat; but she didna want to tak him for a’ that. Weel, she gaed to the hen-wife again, and speered what she should do; and the hen-wife said: ‘Say ye winna tak him unless they gie ye a coat o’ rashes and a pair o’ slippers.’ Weel, they ga’e her a coat o’ rashes and a pair o’ slippers; but she didna want to tak him for a’ that. Sae she gaed to the hen-wife again, and the hen-wife said she couldna help her ony mair.

Weel, she left her father’s hoose, and gaed far, and far, and farer nor I can tell; and she cam to a king’s hoose, and she gaed in till’t. And they speered at her what she was seeking, and she said she was seeking service; and they ga’e her service and set her into the kitchen to wash the dishes, and tak oot the aise, and a’ that. And whan the Sabbath-day cam, they a’ gaed to the kirk, and left her at hame to cook the dinner. And there was a fairy cam to her, and telt her to put on her coat o’ the beaten gowd, and gang to the kirk. And she said she couldna gang, for she had to cook the dinner; and the fairy telt her to gang, and she would cook the dinner for her. And she said

'Aw peat gar anither peat burn, 
Ae spit gar anither spit turn, 
Ae pat gar anither pat play, 
Let Rashie-coat gang to the kirk the day.’

Sae Rashie—coat put on her coat o’ the beaten gowd, and gaed awa’ to the kirk. And the king’s son fell in love wi’ her; but she cam hame afore the kirk scaled, and he couldna find oot wha she was. And whan she cam hame she faund the dinner cookit, and naebody kent she had been oot.

Weel, the niest Sabbath-day, the fairy cam again, and telt her to put on the coat o’ feathers o’ a’ the birds o’ the air, an’ gang to the kirk, and she would cook the dinner for her. Weel, she put on the coat o’ feathers, and gaed to the kirk. And she cam oot afore it scaled; and when the king’s son saw her gaun oot, he gaed oot too; but he couldna find oot wha she was. And she got hame, and took aff the coat o’ feathers, and faund the dinner cookit, and naebody kent she had been oot.

And the niest Sabbath-day, the fairy cam till her again, and telt her to put on the coat o’ rashes and the pair o’ slippers, and gang to the kirk again. Aweel, she did it a’; and this time the king’s son sat near the door, and when he saw Rashie-coat slippin’ oot afore the kirk scaled, he slippit oot too and grippit her. And she got awa’ frae him, and ran hame; but she lost ane o’ her slippers, and he took it up. And he gared cry through a’ the country, that onybody that could get the slipper on, he would marry them. Sae a’ the leddies o’ the court tried to get the slipper on, and it wadna fit nane o’ them. And the auld hen-wife cam and fush her dochter to try and get it on, and she nippit her fit, and clippit her fit, and got it on that way. Sae the king’s son was gaun to marry her. And he was takin’ her awa’ to marry her, ridin’ on a horse, an’ her ahint him; and they cam to a wood, and there was a bird sittin on a tree, and as they gaed by, the bird said:

‘Nippit fit and clippit fit
Ahint the king’s son rides
But bonny fit and pretty fit
Ahint the caudron hides.’

And when the king’s son heard this, he flang aff the hen-wife’s dochter, and cam hame again, and lookit ahint the caudron, and there he faund Rashie-coat greetin’ for her slipper. And he tried her fit wi’ the slipper, and it gaed on fine. Sae he married her.

AND THEY LIVED HAPPY AND HAPPY,
AND NEVER DRANK OOT O’ A DRY CAPPY.

Click here to listen to this in Real Audio read by Marilyn P Wright

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