sooner arrived at the spring, than she saw a lady
magnificently dressed walking towards her from the wood, who approached
and asked for some water to drink. It was the same fairy who had
appeared to the sister, but she had now put on the airs and apparel of a
princess, as she wished to see how far this girl's rudeness would go.
"Do you think I came here just to draw water for you?" answered the
arrogant and unmannerly girl; "I have, of course, brought this silver
bottle on purpose for madam to drink from! Well, all I have to say
is--drink from it if you like."

"You are scarcely polite," said the fairy, without losing her temper;
"however, as you are so disobliging, I confer this gift upon you, that
with every word you speak, a snake or a toad shall fall from your
mouth."

Directly her mother caught sight of her, she called out, "Well, my
daughter!" "Well, my mother!" replied the ill-tempered girl, throwing
out as she spoke two vipers and two toads. "Alack!" cried the mother,
"what do I see? This is her sister's doing, but I will pay her out for
it," and, so saying, she ran towards the younger girl with intent to
beat her. The unhappy girl fled from the house, and went and hid herself
in a neighbouring forest. The King's son, who was returning from
hunting, met her, and seeing how beautiful she was, asked her what she
was doing there all alone, and why she was crying. "Alas! sir, my
mother has driven me from home." The King's son, seeing five or six
pearls and as many diamonds, falling from her mouth as she spoke, asked
her to explain how this was, and she told him all her tale. The King's
son fell in love with her, and thinking that such a gift as she
possessed was worth more than any ordinary dower brought by another, he
carried her off to his father's palace, and there married her.

As for her sister, she made herself so hated, that her own mother drove
her from the house. The miserable girl, having gone about in vain trying
to find someone who would take her in, crept away into the corner of a
wood, and there died.

Of higher worth are gentle words
Than diamonds or gold,
And even o'er the minds of men
A great power they hold.

* * * * *

It costs some pains to be polite,
And needs some kindly thought,
But soon or late, as here you see,
Reward will come unsought.

CINDERELLA; OR, THE LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER

Once upon a time the