Laula (Wales)

Three young ladies live at a castle. A gentleman comes to visit them daily. They know not who he is or where he lives. He asks the youngest to accompany him home. She goes with him, eats, drinks, and returns. She asks his coachman his master's name, "Laula."

She thinks it a pretty name; her elder sister a bad one.

Next evening she goes again. They eat, drink, and play cards. He leaves the room, and returns with a phial of blood.

"Is your blood as red as this?"

She pretends that he is jesting; but he cuts off her finger, opens the window, and throws it to the big dog, afterwards killing her.

The tale goes on, "Who got the finger? The elder sister got it."

It then explains how she had followed the pair by the track of the horse's feet, pacified the dog, and caught the finger (with ring on) thrown to him.

She desires her father to issue invitations to a dinner. Everyone comes and has to tell a tale or sing a song. On Laula's plate is placed nothing but this finger. When the elder sister tells her tale, he grows uneasy, and says he must go outside. He twice interrupts thus, but is restrained by the other gentlemen.

She gives him away, and at the old father's suggestion he is placed in a barrel filled with grease and burnt to death.