Longago,inalandfaraway,therelivedabeautifulyounggirl.
Shewasverysad.Hermotherhaddiedandherfatherhadmarriedagain.Hisnewwifehadtwouglydaughters,EsmereldaandGriselda.
Soonafter,herfatheralsodiedandlifeimmediatelychangedforthegirl.
"Youwillbeourservant,"saidherstepmother."Youwilldoeverythingwesay."
"Youmustsleepinthekitchens,bythefire,"saidthestepsisters.
Aftertendingthefire,andcookingandleaning,thegirl'sclotheswereverydirty.Shewascalledtoclearawaydishes.
"Therearecindersalloveryourclothes!"exclaimedthestepmother."CindersforCinderella.That'syournewname.Clearthesethingsaway,Cinderella."
"Cinderella!Cinderella!"sangEsmereldaandGriselda."Oh,howcleveryouare,Mama!"
Cinderellahadtoworkveryhard,asalltheotherservantsweredismissed.
Oneday,aninvitationarrivedfromthepalace.
"Girls,listentothis,"saidthestepmother.Cinderellawasservingthebreakfast.Shelistenedasherstepmotherreadtheinvitation.
"TheKingishavingaball,"shesaid,excitedly."HeislookingforawifeforthePrince!Oh,mydears,thisiswonderful.Hewillprobablychooseoneofyou,butitwillbesuchahardchoicetomake.
"AmIinvitedtoo,stepmother?"askedCinderella.
"You!Certainlynot!"exclaimedherstepmother."Thethoughtofsuchathing.Ascruffyservantgoingtoaball,whenonlybeautifulladiesareinvited!"
"Hah!Hah!"laughedthestepsisters."Beautiful!Thatdoesn'tincludeyou,Cinderella!"
"Youmayhelpmytwolovelygirlstogetready,"saidherstepmother.
"Oh,"saidCinderella,sadly.
"Weshallallhavenewdresses,girls,andweshallgoshoppingtoday.Clearawaythesethings,Cinderella."
'Oh,IwishIcouldgototheball,'thoughtCinderella.
ThedayoftheballarrivedandthewholedaywasspentpreparingEsmereldaandGriselda.Cinderelladidherbesttomakethesisterslookpretty,butitwasanimpossibletask.
Finally,thecoacharrivedtocollectthegirlsandtheirmother.
Cinderellawasverytiredandshewanderedbacktothekitchens.
"Oh,Ididsowanttogo,"shesighedasshesatdownbythefire.
"What'stostopyou?"askedavoice.
"Who'sthat?"askedCinderella,lookingaround.
"I'mherebythedoor."AstrangewomanwalkeduptoCinderella."Iheardyoutheotherday,wishingyoucouldgototheball.Well,theballisthisevening,andyou'regoing."
"Buthow?"askedCinderella."Whatcanyoudo?"
"AnythingIwantto,"saidthewoman."I'myourfairygodmother,andI'mheretosendyoutotheball.
Shesatdown.
"Comenow,"shesaid."Drythosetears.Wehaveworktodo.Ineedalargepumpkin,tworats,twomiceandafrog.Canyoufindthese?"
"Yes,"saidCinderella,mystifiedbytherequest.
"Offyougo,then."
WhenCinderellafoundallthethings,herfairygodmothertookthemalloutside.
"Nowforthemagic,"shesaid.Shewavedherhandsandtheairbegantotwinkleandsparkle.Thepumpkinbegantogrowandchange,untilstandingtherewasaglitteringcoach.
Themicechangedintotwofinefootmen,thefrogintothedriver,andtheratsintotwobeautifulhorsestopullthecoach.
Cinderellaclappedherhands."It'sbeautiful!"shecried.
"Inyouget,"saidherfairygodmother.
"ButIcan'tgolikethis,"saidCinderella.
"Likewhat?"askedthefairygodmother."Youlooklovelytome."
Cinderellalookedatherself.Whilethemagichadbeenworkingonthepumpkin,ithadalsobeenworkingonher.Insteadofherraggeddresssheworeabeautifulballgown,withglassslippersonherfeet.
"Oh,fairygodmother,"saidCinderella."It'slovely.HowcanIthankyou?"
"Bygoingtotheball,"saidthefairygodmother."Offyougo,butremember,themagicstopsworkingatmidnight.Everythingwillchangebackthen.Nowgoandenjoyyourself."
"Good-bye,fairygodmother,"calledCinderella,asthecoachsweptoff.
Cinderellaarrivedatthepalaceandwalkedintotheballroom.Everyonestoppedandstared.
"Whoisshe?"peopleasked,includingherstepmotherandstepsisters.
ThePrincesawher,andhadeyesfornooneelsefortherestoftheevening.CinderelladancedonlywiththePrince,andastheeveningpassed,hefellinlovewithher.
AclockchimingremindedCinderellaofherfairygodmother'swarning.'Itmustbeeleveno'clock,'shethought,butsheaskedthePrince."Whattimeisit?"
"Almostmidnight,"heanswered.
"Oh,no!"criedCinderella."Imustgo!"
"Youcan't.Notnow,"saidthePrince.
"Imust."AndCinderellasweptoutoftheroom,andranoutofthepalace.Assheran,theclockfinishedchiming.Cinderella'sclotheschangedbackintorags,andthecoachandhorseswerenowheretobeseen.
ThePrincetriedtofollow,buthecouldn'tcatchup.Whenhereachedthedoor,allhefoundwasoneglassslipper.Herantothemaingate.
"Wasabeautifulgirljustdrivenoutofhere?"heaskedtheguard.
"No,yourHighness.I'veonlyseenascruffyservantgirl,"theguardanswered.
"I'velosther,"saidthePrince,andhereturnedsadlytothepalace.