e, the sisters tried to squeeze their feet into the slipper,
but it was of no use--they were much too large. Then Cinderella shyly
begged that she might try. How the sisters laughed with scorn when the
Prince knelt to fit the slipper on the cinder-maid's foot; but what
was their surprise when it slipped on with the greatest ease, and the
next moment Cinderella produced the other from her pocket. Once more
she stood in the slippers, and once more the sisters saw before them
the lovely Princess who was to be the Prince's bride. For at the touch
of the magic shoes, the little gray frock disappeared for ever, and in
place of it she wore the beautiful robe the fairy Godmother had given
to her.

The sisters hung their heads with sorrow and vexation; but kind little
Cinderella put her arms round their necks, kissed them, and forgave
them for all their unkindness, so that they could not help but love
her.

The Prince could not bear to part from his little love again, so
he carried her back to the palace in his grand coach, and they were
married that very day. Cinderella's stepsisters were present at the
feast, but in the place of honor sat the fairy Godmother.

So the poor little cinder-maid married the Prince, and in time they
came to be King and Queen, and lived happily ever after.

* * * * *

THE THREE BROTHERS

There was once a man who had three sons, but no fortune except the
house he lived in. Now, each of them wanted to have the house after
his death; but their father was just as fond of one as of the other,
and did not know how to treat them all fairly. He did not want to sell
the house, because it had belonged to his forefathers, or he might
have divided the money between them.

At last an idea came into his head, and he said to his sons: "Go out
into the world, and each learn a trade, and when you come home, the
one who makes best use of his handicraft shall have the house."

The sons were quite content with this plan, and the eldest decided
to be a farrier, the second a barber, and the third a fencing master.
They fixed a time when they would all meet at home again, and then
they set off.

It so happened that they each found a clever master with whom they
learned their business thoroughly. The farrier shod the King's horses,
and he thought, "I shall certainly be the one to have the house."

The barber shaved nobody but grand gentlemen, so he thought it would
fall to