ried. They talked of
nothing but their clothes.

"I," said the elder, "shall wear my velvet gown and my trimmings of
English lace."

"And I," added the younger, "will have but my ordinary silk petticoat,
but I shall adorn it with an upper skirt of flowered brocade, and
shall put on my diamond tiara, which is a great deal finer than
anything of yours."

Here the elder sister grew angry, and dispute began to run so high
that Cinderella, who was known to have excellent taste, was called
upon to decide between them. She gave them the best advice she could,
and gently and submissively offered to dress them herself, and
especially to arrange their hair, an accomplishment in which she
excelled many a noted coiffeur. The important evening came, and she
exercised all her skill to adorn the two young ladies. While she was
combing out the elder's hair, this ill-natured girl said, sharply,
"Cinderella, do you not wish you were going to the ball?"

"Ah, madam" (they obliged her always to say madam), "you are only
mocking me; it is not my fortune to have any such pleasure."

"You are right; people would only laugh to see a little cinder-wench
at a ball."

Any other than Cinderella would have dressed the hair all awry, but
she was good, and dressed it perfectly even and smooth, and as
prettily as she could.

The sisters had scarcely eaten for two days, and had broken a dozen
stay-laces a day, in trying to make themselves slender; but to-night
they broke a dozen more, and lost their tempers over and over again
before they had completed their toilet. When at last the happy moment
arrived, Cinderella followed them to the coach; after it had whirled
them away, she sat down by the kitchen fire and cried.

Immediately her godmother, who was a fairy, appeared beside her. "What
are you crying for, my little maid?"

"Oh, I wish--I wish--" Her sobs stopped her.

"You wish to go to the ball; isn't it so?"

Cinderella nodded.

"Well, then, be a good girl and you shall go. First run into the
garden and fetch me the largest pumpkin you can find."

Cinderella did not comprehend what this had to do with her going to
the ball, but, being obedient and obliging, she went. Her godmother
took the pumpkin, and, having scooped out all its inside, struck it
with her wand; it became a splendid gilt coach lined with rose-colored
satin.

"Now fetch me the mouse-trap out of the pantry, my dear."

Cinderella brought it; it contained six of th