CINDERELLA.
5
In former times, a rich man and his wife were the parents of a beautifullittle daughter; but before she had arrived at womanhood, her dearmother fell sick, and seeing that death was near, she called her little6child to her, and thus addressed her: “My child, always be good, andbear everything that occurs to you with patience; then, whatever toiland troubles you may suffer during life, happiness will be your lot inthe end.”
After uttering these words the poor lady died, and her daughter wasoverwhelmed with grief at the loss of so good and kind a mother.
The father, too, was very unhappy; but he sought to get rid of hissorrow by marrying another wife; and he looked for some amiable lady whomight be a second mother to his child, and a companion to himself.Unfortunately, his choice fell on a widow lady, of a proud andoverbearing temper, who had two daughters by a former marriage, both ashaughty and bad-tempered as herself.
Before marriage this woman had the cunning to conceal her bad qualitiesso well that she appeared to be very amiable; but the marriage was7scarcely over when her real character showed itself. She could notendure her amiable step-daughter, with all her charming qualifications;for they only made her own daughters appear more hateful. She gave herthe most degrading occupations, and compelled her to wash the dishes andclean the stairs, and to sweep her own rooms and those of hersisters-in-law.
When the poor girl had finished her work, she used to sit in the8chimney-corner amongst the cinders, which made her sisters giveher the name of “Cinderella.” However, in her shabby clothes Cinderellawas ten times handsomer than her sisters, let them be ever somagnificently dressed.
The poor girl slept in the garret, upon a wretched straw mattress,whilst the bed-chambers of her sisters were furnished with every luxuryand elegance, and provided with mirrors, in which they could surveythemselves from head to foot. The amiable creature bore this illtreatment with patience, and did not venture to complain to her father,who was so completely governed by his wife that he would only havescolded her.
It happened that the king's son sent invitations to a ball, which was tolast two nights, and to which all the great people of the land wereinvited, the two sisters among the rest. This delighted them extremely,and their thoughts were entirely occupied in selecting their mostbecoming dresses for the important occasion. Poor Cinderella had now9more work to do than ever, as it