Prince's country, and were
happy ever after.

[Illustration]

THE STORY OF CINDERELLA

[Illustration]

There was once a rich man, whose wife died, leaving him with one little
girl. After some years, hoping to give his child a mother's love and
care, he married again, this time a widow, with two grown-up daughters.
But his second wife was haughty and proud, and her two daughters were
even worse than their mother; and the poor little girl had a very
unhappy time with her new relations. Her stepsisters were jealous of
her, for she was very beautiful, and they themselves were plain and
ugly. They did all they could to make her miserable; and, at length,
through their wicked spite and envy, her life became a burden to her.
The poor child was sent to live in the kitchen, where she had to do all
the rough and dirty work; and because she was always dressed in rags,
and sat beside the cinders in the grate, they called her Cinderella.

It happened that the King of the country had an only son. He was very
anxious that the Prince should be married; so he gave a great ball, and
invited all the grand ladies in the country to come to it. It was to be
a very splendid affair, lasting for three nights, and people were very
eager to be invited to it, for it was known that the Prince would choose
his bride from among the ladies present.

Cinderella's sisters received invitations; and from the day they arrived
they talked of nothing but of what they should wear, for each of them
secretly hoped that she would be chosen as the Prince's bride.

When the great day came at last, they began to dress for the ball
directly after breakfast. Cinderella had to help them; and they kept
her busy all day doing their hair, and running messages, and helping
them to lace up their fine dresses.

When Cinderella saw their beautiful clothes she wished that she could
go to the ball as well; but when she timidly asked if she might, they
laughed in mocking scorn.

"You go to the ball!" they cried. "What would you do at the ball, with
your rags and tatters and your dirty face? No, no, Cinderella, go back
to your seat amongst the ashes--that is the place for a little kitchen
girl like you!"

So the two sisters and their mother drove away in a carriage and pair to
the King's palace, and Cinderella was left behind. She sat down on the
hearth before the kitchen fire and began to cry softly to herself,
because she felt so very lonely and miserable.