The Blue Fairy Book

er husband, two daughters of her own humor, who were, indeed, exactly like her in all things. He had likewise, by another wife, a young

ppear the more odious. She employed her in the meanest work of the house: she scoured the dishes, tables, etc., and scrubbed madam’s chamber, and those of misses, her daughters; she lay up in a sorry garret, upon a wretched

go into the chimney-corner, and sit down among cinders and ashes, which made her commonly be called Cinderwench; but the youngest, who was not so rude and uncivil as the eld

uality. They were mightily delighted at this invitation, and wonderfully busy in choosing out such gowns, petticoats, and head-clothes as might become them. This was a

st, “I will wear my red velv

make amends for that, I will put on my gold-flowered manteau, and my diam

heir head-dresses and adjust their double pinners, and they h

ellent notions, and advised them always for the best, nay, and offered her services to dress th

you not be glad t

y jeer me; it is not for s

ed they; “it would make the people l

transported with joy. They broke above a dozen laces in trying to be laced up close, that they might have a fine slender shape, and they were continually at their looking-g

her all in tears, asked

he was not able to speak the rest, bei

ry, said to her, “Thou wishest thou c

Cinderella, wit

trive that thou shalt go.” Then she took her into her chamber,

w this pumpkin could make her go to the ball. Her godmother scooped out all the inside of it, having left nothing but the rin

trapdoor, when, giving each mouse, as it went out, a little tap with her wand, the mouse was that moment turned into a fine hor

“if there is never a rat in the rat-

ht,” replied her god

ne of the three which had the largest beard, and, having touched him with her wand, he was turned in

u will find six lizards behind th

y behind the coach, with their liveries all bedaubed with gold and silver, and clung as close behin

ge fit to go to the ball with

t must I go thither as I

slippers, the prettiest in the whole world. Being thus decked out, she got up into her coach; but her godmother, above all things, commanded her not to stay till after midnight, telling her, at

ss, whom nobody knew, was come, ran out to receive her; he gave her his hand as she alighted out of the coach, and led her into the ball, among all the company. There was immediately a profound si

she is! Ha! how

her, and telling the Queen softly that it was a long ti

at they might have some made next day after the same pattern, provided

him; she danced so very gracefully that they all more and more admired her. A fine collation was

d presented her with, which very much surprised them, for they did not know her. While Cinderella was thus amusing her sisters, she heard

ving thanked her, she said she could not but heartily wish she mig

er had passed at the ball, her two sisters knoc

tching herself as if she had been just waked out of her sleep; she had n

tired with it. There came thither the finest princess, the most beautiful ever was seen

cess; but they told her they did not know it, and that the King’s son was very uneasy on her a

ve been! Could not I see her? Ah! dear Miss Charlotte, do l

“lend my clothes to such a dirty Cinde

glad of the refusal; for she would have been sadly put to

forgot what her godmother had recommended to her; so that she, at last, counted the clock striking twelve when she took it to be no more than eleven; she then rose up and fled, as nimble as a deer. The Prince followed, but could not overtake her. She left behind one of

ot seen a pri

g girl, very meanly dressed, and who had more th

inderella asked them: If they had been well d

er little glass slippers, the prettiest in the world, which the King’s son had taken up; that he had done nothing but look at her

d just fit. They whom he employed began to try it upon the princesses, then the duchesses and all the Court, but in vain; it was brought to the two sisters, who did a

if it will

The gentleman who was sent to try the slipper looked earn

ld try, and that he had order

hment her two sisters were in was excessively great, but still abundantly greater when Cinderella pulled out of her pocket the other slipper, and put it on her foo

at the ball. They threw themselves at her feet to beg pardon for all the ill-treatmen

all her heart, and desire

and, a few days after, married her. Cinderella, who was no less good than beautiful, gave her two s