Cinderella

Once upon a time, a gentleman wed the most arrogant and smug woman ever seen as his second wife. She had two daughters from a previous marriage who were, in fact, identical to her in every way. He also had a small daughter by a different wife, who inherited her mother's unmatched goodness and sweetness of temperament from the best creature in the universe.

The mother-in-law started to reveal her true nature as soon as the wedding festivities were finished. She could not tolerate the positive traits of this attractive child, much less so because they made her daughters seem even more repulsive. She put her to work cleaning the ugliest things in the house, including the dishes, tables, and the madam's and misses' bedrooms. She slept in a pitiful gallows on a miserable straw bed, while her sisters slept in elegant rooms with floors that were all inlaid, on beds that were the newest style, and where they had looking glasses that were so large they could see themselves from head to foot.

The poor girl patiently endured everything and dared not tell her father, who would have whisked her off because his wife completely controlled him. The youngest, who was not as harsh and uncivil as the eldest, called her Cinderella because when she finished her labor, she would go into the chimney corner and settle down among the cinders and ashes, earning her the nickname Cinder wench. Even though she wore cheap clothing, Cinderella was much more attractive than her sisters, who were always dressed very luxuriously.

The King's son held a ball and asked all fashionable people to attend. Our young misses were also invited since they stood out among the excellence in a grand way. They were quite excited about the invitation and spent a lot of time choosing the dresses, petticoats, and headpieces that would fit them. This was a brand-new problem for Cinderella because it was she who pressed her sisters' clothes and plaited their ruffles; they spent the entire day discussing how to dress.

The eldest responded, "For my part, I'll don my red velvet suit with French trimming."

The youngest said, "And I will have my customary petticoat; however, to make up for that, I will do my gold-flowered manteau and my diamond stomacher, which is far from being a common garment in the world."

They got their red brushes and patches from Mademoiselle de la Poche, and they sent for the best tire woman they could find to put up their headdresses and adjust their double pinners.

Cinderella was also summoned to them to be their advisor in all of these areas because she had great ideas and always gave them the greatest advice. She even volunteered to decorate their hair, which they were eager for her to do. They spoke to her as she was doing this and said:

Cinderella, wouldn't you be happy to attend the ball?

You merely make fun of me, she cried, and it is not appropriate for someone like me to go there.

They responded, "Thou art in the right of it; it would amuse the people to see a Cinder wench at a ball."

Anyone other than Cinderella would have dressed their heads improperly, but she was exceedingly good and did so. They had gone for nearly two days without eating, and they were very happy. They destroyed more than a dozen laces trying to be linked tightly so they might have a delicate, slim shape, and they were constantly looking in the mirror. The wonderful day finally arrived; they went to Court, and Cinderella watched them for as long as she could with her eyes. When she lost sight of them, she began to cry.

When her godmother noticed how upset she was, she enquired about the situation.

She began to speak again but was cut off by her sobs and tears. "I wish I could—I wish I could—," she said.

Her fairy godmother told her, "You're wise to go to the ball, aren't you?"

With a loud "Yes," Cinderella said.

So long as you behave well, her godmother promised to arrange for your departure. When she was inside, she told her to "go to the garden and bring me a pumpkin."

Cinderella couldn't comprehend how this pumpkin could force her to attend the ball, so she went right away to gather the best she could find and gave it to her godmother. After removing the entire interior and leaving only the rind, her godmother used her wand to instantaneously transform the pumpkin into a lovely carriage that was covered in gold leaf.

She went to check her mousetrap and discovered six mice inside, all of which were still alive. She told Cinderella to open the door a little, and as each mouse emerged, she gave it a little tap with her wand, at which point each mouse was instantly transformed into a fine horse, creating a set of six very nice horses with gorgeous mouse-colored dapple-gray coats. Unable to find a coachman,

If there is never a rat in the rat trap, Cinderella declares, "I will go and look. We may make a coachman of him."

Her godmother responded, "Thou art in the right; go and look."

Three enormous rats were caught in the trap that Cinderella carried to the princess. The fairy chose the one with the thickest beard out of the three, and after touching him with her wand, he was transformed into a big, cheery coachman with the most intelligent whiskers anyone had ever seen. She then addressed her, saying:

"Go back into the garden and bring me the six lizards you find hiding behind the watering can."

She hadn't even finished when her godmother transformed them into six footmen who skipped up behind the coach with their liveries decked out in gold and silver and clung to one another like they had been doing nothing but that their entire lives. Then the Fairy informed Cinderella:

You see here some attire appropriate for the ball; are you not happy with it?

Oh, yeah, she said, "but do I have to go there dressed as I am, in these filthy rags?"

Her garments were transformed into gold and silver fabrics that were covered in diamonds as soon as her godmother barely touched her with her wand. Once this was finished, she presented her with a pair of the most exquisite glass slippers. She entered her coach after getting dressed in this manner, but her godmother, above all, commanded her to leave before midnight, warning her that if she stayed any longer, her horses would turn into mice, her coachman into a rat, her footmen into lizards, and her clothing would return to its original state.

She drove away from the ball, hardly able to contain her excitement, having made a promise to her godmother that she would not fail to leave before midnight. When the King's son heard that a famous princess was arriving that no one knew about, he hurried outside to meet her. He extended his hand to her as she exited the coach and escorted her inside the ball where the rest of the guests were present. The violins stopped playing and there was an instantaneous profound hush because everyone was so focused on admiring the unique beauty of the unknown newcomer that they had stopped dancing. Nothing but a perplexed noise of: "was then heard "A! What a gorgeous woman! Ah, she's so handsome!"

Even though he was old, the King could not resist gazing at her and whispering to the Queen that it had been a long time since he had seen such a charming and beautiful being.

Each lady was preoccupied with thinking about her attire and headpiece, calculating the possibility of having some manufactured the next day using the same pattern—provided they had access to such exquisite materials and skilled hands.

She was led to the most dignified seat by the King's son, who later invited her to dance with him. As they danced, everyone grew to admire her elegance and beauty. A delicious collation was presented, but the young prince didn't eat a single bite since he was too busy staring at her.

She went and sat down by her sisters, exhibiting endless manners while giving them a portion of the oranges and citrons the Prince had given her, much to their amazement as they didn't know her. When Cinderella heard the clock strike eleven and three-quarters, she stopped what she was doing to be courteous to the guests and ran as far away as she could.

When she reached home, she hurried to find her godmother and thanked her before saying how much she wished she could attend the ball the following day because the King's son had expressed interest in her.

Her two sisters knocked on the door as Cinderella joyfully told her godmother everything that happened at the ball. Cinderella quickly hurried and opened the door.

She said, "How long you have stayed!" while gaping, wiping her eyes, and stretching as if she had just been awakened from sleep. She had, however, had no desire to sleep since they left their home.

"One of her sisters remarked, "Thou wouldst not have been bored with it if thou hadst been at the ball. The most stunning princess ever seen by mortal eyes arrived there; she taught us a thousand manners and gave us oranges and citrons."

Cinderella appeared to be unconcerned by the situation she asked them what the name of the princess was. They responded that they did not know and that the King's son was very concerned about her and wanted the world to know who she was. Cinderella smiled and responded:

"Therefore, she must be truly stunning; how delighted you must be! I was unable to see her. Ah! Please lend me your daily outfit, the yellow suit that Miss Charlotte wears."

"Indeed, Miss Charlotte exclaimed, "Lend my clothing to such a filthy Cinder wench as thou art! I ought to be an idiot."

Cinderella was well prepared for this response and was relieved to hear it since she would have been severely inconvenienced if her sister had granted the jokingly requested favor.

The two sisters attended the ball the following day, along with Cinderella, who was dressed even more gorgeously than previously. The King's son was constantly by her and never stopped complimenting and praising her. To the point where she eventually forgot what her godmother had said, she eventually counted the clock striking twelve when she thought it was just eleven, and she then got up and ran away as swiftly as a deer. The Prince pursued her but was unable to catch up with her. One of her glass slippers was left behind and was carefully picked up by the Prince. With nothing left of her finery but one of the tiny slippers, which she dropped, she arrived home but rather out of breath and in her filthy old clothing. If they had not seen a princess leave the palace, the gate guards were questioned.

Who stated: Only one young girl, who was extremely crudely attired and who more closely resembled a poor country wench than a lady, had been spotted leaving.

Cinderella questioned the two sisters upon their return from the ball regarding their enjoyment and the presence of the gorgeous lady.

They informed her: "Yes, but when the clock struck twelve, she hastened away right away, and in her haste, she dropped one of her little glass slippers, the prettiest in the world, which the King's son had picked up; that he had done nothing but look at her all the time at the ball, and that most he was very much in love with the beautiful person who owned the glass slipper."

What they said was accurate, since a few days later the King's son had it announced by the trumpet that he would wed the woman whose foot the glass slipper would just fit. He employed people to test it on princesses, duchesses, and the entire Court, but in vain. It was given to the two sisters, who tried desperately to get their foot into the shoe but were unsuccessful. When she saw everything, Cinderella laughed and said to them, "I know my slipper,"

Let me check to see if it won't fit.

Her sisters started teasing her as they erupted in laughter. It was merely that she should try, and he had orders to allow everyone to make trial, the man who had been assigned to try the slipper stated as he stared attentively at Cinderella and noted how attractive she was.

When he forced Cinderella to sit down and put the slipper on her foot, he discovered that it suited her like it was made of wax and slid on quite easily. Her two sisters' shock was over the top, but it only got worse when Cinderella removed the other slipper from her pocket and put it on her foot. Then her godmother appeared, using her wand to make Cinderella's clothing richer and more exquisite than those she had previously.

Her two sisters now recognize her as the lovely woman they first saw at the ball. They dropped themselves at her feet and begged for forgiveness for all the abuse they had subjected her to. When Cinderella picked them up, she sobbed and said, "I forgive you with all my heart." She also expressed her desire for them to always adore her.

She was presented to the young prince while wearing her outfit, and he felt she was more beautiful than ever. A few days later, he married her. The equally lovely and good Cinderella provided housing for her two sisters in the palace.