So soon after the girl set out for Scarborough, and slept for the night
at a little inn. Now that very night a band of robbers broke into the
inn, and searched the girl, who had no money, and only the letter. So
they opened this and read it, and thought it a shame. The captain of the
robbers took a pen and paper and wrote this letter:
“Dear Brother,--Take the bearer and marry her to my son immediately.
“Yours affectionately,
“Albert.”
And then he gave it to the girl, bidding her begone. So she went on
to the Baron's brother at Scarborough, a noble knight, with whom the
Baron's son was staying. When she gave the letter to his brother,
he gave orders for the wedding to be prepared at once, and they were
married that very day.
Soon after, the Baron himself came to his brother's castle, and what was
his surprise to find that the very thing he had plotted against had come
to pass. But he was not to be put off that way; and he took out the girl
for a walk, as he said, along the cliffs. And when he got her all alone,
he took her by the arms, and was going to throw her over. But she begged
hard for her life. “I have not done anything,” she said: “if you will
only spare me, I will do whatever you wish. I will never see you or your
son again till you desire it.” Then the Baron took off his gold ring and
threw it into the sea, saying: “Never let me see your face till you can
show me that ring;” and he let her go.
The poor girl wandered on and on, till at last she came to a great
noble's castle, and she asked to have some work given to her; and they
made her the scullion girl of the castle, for she had been used to such
work in the fisherman's hut.
Now one day, who should she see coming up to the noble's house but the
Baron and his brother and his son, her husband. She didn't know what
to do; but thought they would not see her in the castle kitchen. So she
went back to her work with a sigh, and set to cleaning a huge big fish
that was to be boiled for their dinner. And, as she was cleaning it,
she saw something shine inside it, and what do you think she found? Why,
there was the Baron's ring, the very one he had thrown over the cliff
at Scarborough. She was right glad to see it, you may be sure. Then she
cooked the fish as nicely as she could, and served it up.
Well, when the fish came on the table, the guests liked it so well that
they asked the noble who cooked it. He said he didn't know, but called
to his servants: “Ho, there, send up the cook that cooked that fine
fish.” So they went down to the kitchen and told the girl she was wanted
in the hall. Then she washed and tidied herself and put the Baron's gold
ring on her thumb and went up into the hall.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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