a man with a great heap of pease; and the man
cried to all the birds of the air, "Each bird take a pea, and put down
a feather." So each bird took a pea and put down one of its feathers:
and they took all the feathers and made a coat of them and gave it to
her; but still she would not, but asked the henwife once again, who
said, "Say they must first make you a coat of catskin." So they made her
a coat of catskin; and she put it on, and tied up her other coats, and
ran away into the woods.

So she went along and went along and went along, till she came to the
end of the wood, and saw a fine castle. So there she hid her fine
dresses, and went up to the castle gates, and asked for work. The lady
of the castle saw her, and told her, "I'm sorry I have no better place,
but if you like you may be our scullion." So down she went into the
kitchen, and they called her Catskin, because of her dress. But the cook
was very cruel to her and led her a sad life.

Well, it happened soon after that the young lord of the castle was
coming home, and there was to be a grand ball in honour of the occasion.
And when they were speaking about it among the servants, "Dear me, Mrs.
Cook," said Catskin, "how much I should like to go."

"What! you dirty impudent slut," said the cook, "you go among all the
fine lords and ladies with your filthy catskin? a fine figure you'd
cut!" and with that she took a basin of water and dashed it into
Catskin's face. But she only briskly shook her ears, and said nothing.

When the day of the ball arrived, Catskin slipped out of the house and
went to the edge of the forest where she had hidden her dresses. So she
bathed herself in a crystal waterfall, and then put on her coat of
silver cloth, and hastened away to the ball. As soon as she entered all
were overcome by her beauty and grace, while the young lord at once lost
his heart to her. He asked her to be his partner for the first dance,
and he would dance with none other the live-long night.

When it came to parting time, the young lord said, "Pray tell me, fair
maid, where you live." But Catskin curtsied and said:

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

Then she flew from the castle and donned her catskin robe again, and
slipped into the scullery again, unbeknown to the cook.

The young lord went the very next day to his mother, the lady of the
castle, and declared he would wed none other but the l