linger
beyond that hour, all your splendor will vanish, and your dress will
turn into rags again."

Cinderella promised to obey her Godmother's instructions. Then she got
into the beautiful coach. The footman shut the door, the coachman
whipped up the horses, and away she went to the ball.

When she arrived there was a great stir in the Palace. So lovely a face
and so costly and rich a dress had never before been seen, and everybody
thought it must be some great Princess arrived from foreign lands.

[Illustration]

All the courtiers and other guests stood back to let her pass, and when
the Prince caught sight of her he fell in love with her on the spot. He
danced with her the whole of the evening, and people thought there was
no doubt as to whom he would choose for his bride.

At a quarter to twelve, Cinderella, remembering her Godmother's
instructions, said good-bye to the Prince and came away.

She arrived home just as the clock struck twelve. At once the coachman
and footmen turned back into rats and mice, and the coach into a
pumpkin; and when the sisters came home a little later, there was
Cinderella, dressed in her old shabby frock, sitting in her usual place
amongst the cinders.

The two ugly sisters were full of the strange Princess who had come to
the ball. They talked about her all the next day, little dreaming that
all the while the beautiful lady was their despised sister Cinderella.

In the evening after they had gone again to the ball, the Fairy
Godmother made her appearance. Once more Cinderella drove to the Palace
in her coach and six; this time arrayed in a still more gorgeous and
beautiful dress; and once more the Prince danced with her all the
evening.

[Illustration]

But when the third night came Cinderella was enjoying herself so much
that she quite forgot what her Fairy Godmother had said, until suddenly
she heard the clock begin to strike twelve. She remembered that as soon
as it finished striking, all her fine clothes would turn to rags again;
and, jumping up in alarm, she ran out of the room. The Prince ran after
her, trying to overtake her; and Cinderella in her fright ran so fast
that she left one of her little glass slippers on the floor behind her.

The Prince stopped to pick it up, and this gave Cinderella time to
escape; but she was only just in time. Just as she was crossing the
Palace yard, the clock finished striking, and immediately all her finery
vanished; and there sh