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.
Thenextmorning,Cinderella'sstepmotherandstepsistersweretalkingabouttheball.
"DidyouseethePrince,oncethatgirlarrived."saidEsmerelda."Hewouldn'tlookatanybodyelse.Anditwasmyturntodancewithhim."
"Nevermind,mydear,"saidhermother."Shedisappeared,sotherewillprobablybeanotherball,andthenyouwillbechosen."
ThePrincemeanwhiledecidedtolookforthemysteriousgirlhehadfalleninlovewith.Heissuedaproclamation."
Whoevertheglassshoefits,shallbewifetothePrince."
ThePrinceandhisfootmanwentfromhousetohouseofalltheladiesinvitedtotheball.
Firsttotheprincesses,andthentotheduchesses,andfinallytoalltheladies.
Hefinallyarrivedatthestepmother'shouse.
"It'smyshoe!"criedEsmerelda,tryingdesperatelytopulltheshoeon.
"Please,miss!"saidthefootman."Yourfootistoobig.youwillbreaktheslipper."
Griseldatriedtheshoe,buthertoeswerefartoolong.
"Isthereanyoneelse?"askedthePrince.
