Cap-o'-Rushes

Lesserwell-documentedEnglish folkloreEuropean folktale traditionEnglandUnited Kingdombroader European folktale tradition (variants in America and elsewhere)

Cap-o'-Rushes is the title and heroine of an English folktale collected by Joseph Jacobs. The story is classed among international folktale types (principally ATU 510B) and opens with the 'Love Like Salt' motif; it tells of a daughter who disguises herself in a garment of rushes, works as a kitchen maid, attends secret balls, causes recognition by hiding a ring in a dish, and engineers reconciliation by ordering a saltless wedding feast so her father remembers his earlier words.

Origin

Cap-o'-Rushes is not a mythic origin figure but the central human protagonist of an English folktale published by Joseph Jacobs. Folklorists generally classify Jacobs' version under ATU 510B (the 'disguised heroine / unnatural love' cycle); scholars also note that the tale's opening employs the ATU 923 'Love Like Salt' motif (the 'King Lear' testing of daughters), so the narrative combines elements from both index entries as presented in the collected synopsis.

Appearance

In the tale the heroine fashions and wears a coarse outer garment and a rush bonnet or 'cap of rushes' made from wetland rushes; she uses this disguise over her finer clothes while working as a kitchen maid and gives no name, whereupon the household calls her 'Cap-o'-Rushes.' When attending the balls she removes the rush garments and appears in her finer attire.

Abilities

No supernatural powers are attributed. All of her capabilities are ordinary and social: she sews and fashions a garment of rushes; secures and performs kitchen work; conceals her identity by withholding her name and wearing the rush disguise; attends three balls in secret; hides a ring in the prince's gruel to force recognition; and orders a wedding feast prepared without salt, which prompts her father's recollection and reconciliation.

Weaknesses & Wards

Weaknesses

  • other
    No supernatural vulnerabilities listed; the tale records no wards or magical weaknesses

Wards

None recorded.

Community Record

Sources
  1. [1]
    Cap-o'-Rushes — Wikipedia. 'Cap-o'-Rushes' is an English fairy tale published by Joseph Jacobs in English Fairy Tales. Joseph Jacobs noted that the beginning had the 'King Lear' motif of 'Love Like Salt'.wiki
  2. [2]
    Cap-o'-Rushes — Wikidata. Wikidata entry for Cap-o'-Rushes (Joseph Jacobs' collected tale); notes classification and summary elements.other
well-documented