p out the rooms of the
mistress of the house and her daughters. She slept on a wretched
mattress in a garret at the top of the house, while the sisters had
rooms with parquet flooring, and beds of the most fashionable style,
with mirrors in which they could see themselves from top to toe.

The poor girl endured everything patiently, not daring to complain to
her father. The latter would have scolded her, because he was entirely
ruled by his wife. When she had finished her work she used to sit
amongst the cinders in the corner of the chimney, and it was from this
habit that she came to be commonly known as Cinder-slut. The younger of
the two sisters, who was not quite so spiteful as the elder, called her
Cinderella. But her wretched clothes did not prevent Cinderella from
being a hundred times more beautiful than her sisters, for all their
resplendent garments.

It happened that the king's son gave a ball, and he invited all persons
of high degree. The two young ladies were invited amongst others, for
they cut a considerable figure in the country. Not a little pleased were
they, and the question of what clothes and what mode of dressing the
hair would become them best took up all their time. And all this meant
fresh trouble for Cinderella, for it was she who went over her sisters'
linen and ironed their ruffles. They could talk of nothing else but the
fashions in clothes.

'For my part,' said the elder, 'I shall wear my dress of red velvet,
with the Honiton lace.'

'I have only my everyday petticoat,' said the younger, 'but to make up
for it I shall wear my cloak with the golden flowers and my necklace of
diamonds, which are not so bad.'

They sent for a good hairdresser to arrange their double-frilled caps,
and bought patches at the best shop.

They summoned Cinderella and asked her advice, for she had good taste.
Cinderella gave them the best possible suggestions, and even offered to
dress their hair, to which they gladly agreed.

While she was thus occupied they said:

'Cinderella, would you not like to go to the ball?'

'Ah, but you fine young ladies are laughing at me. It would be no place
for me.'

[Illustration: '_The haughtiest, proudest woman that had ever been
seen_']

'That is very true, people would laugh to see a cinder-slut in the
ballroom.'

Any one else but Cinderella would have done their hair amiss, but she
was good-natured, and she finished them off to perfection. They were so
excited