Once upon a time there lived a maiden named Cinderella.
Her mother was dead, and she had to work very, very hard in the kitchen.
She had two older sisters, but they were cross to little Cinderella.
They made her stay among the pots and the kettles and do all the hard
work about the house.
Sometimes, to keep warm, she crept in among the cinders.
That is why she was called Cinderella.
One day the sisters came dancing into the house. "We have been invited
to the king's ball," they cried.
At length the day of the great ball came, and the two sisters rode away
in their fine silk dresses.
Poor Cinderella, who had to stay behind, looked at her old ragged
clothes, and burst into tears.
"Alas," she cried, "why should I always have to stay in the kitchen
while my sisters dress in silks and satins?"
Hardly had she spoken when there stood before her a dear little old lady
with a golden wand in her hand.
"My child," she cried, "I am your fairy godmother, and you shall go to
the ball, too.
First go into the garden, Cinderella, and bring to me the largest
pumpkin you can find."
When Cinderella had done this, the fairy waved her golden wand over the
yellow pumpkin.
In a flash, it was not a pumpkin at all, but a beautiful yellow coach.
"Now bring me four white mice, two large ones and two small ones."
In a moment Cinderella brought a trap full of mice into the room.
The fairy waved her golden wand, and the two largest mice were turned
into two snow-white horses.
Two small mice became two men, one a coachman, the other a footman.
"But how am I to go in these clothes?" said Cinderella.
"Ah, let me see," said the fairy, and she slowly waved her wand over the
maiden's head.
[Illustration]
Oh, what a change!
The rags tumbled to the floor.
And, what do you think! in their place was a beautiful pink silk dress.
The ugly shoes fell off.
And, lo! a tiny pair of glass slippers were on Cinderella's little feet.
"Now listen to what I say," said the fairy godmother. "You must not stay
after the clock strikes twelve.
At that time your coach will again be a pumpkin, the men will be mice,
and you will have on your old ragged dress."
Cinderella said she would not forget.
Then she jumped into the coach, and away she drove to the king's ball.