Cinderella.pdf

Cinderella

The stepmother made her do the meanest jobs in the house: the girl

scoured the dishes and tables, and scrubbed the bathroom of her

Stepmother, and those of her daughters; she slept in a little attic, upon a

wretched straw bed, while her sisters lay upon beds with the softest

pillows, in fine rooms, with floors covered with beautiful carpets, and walls

on which hung looking-glasses so large that they might see themselves at

their full length from head to foot.

There are many versions of Cinderella. In the Chinese original, Cinderella

is remarkable for having the smallest feet of any woman alive. The

Brothers Grimm published their own Cinderella,and The Victorian Andrew

Lang followed the 17th Century version by Charles Perrault, which we present here. You will

find it is courtly and romantic in style.

Read by Natasha. Duration 19 Minutes.

Cinderella Ï Hello everybody, my name is Natasha, and his Royal Highness, Prince Bertie the

Frog, has commanded me to tell you the Storynory of Cinderella. As you probably know,

Bertie used to be a Royal prince, but now heÔs a frog and lives on a pond. This morning, I

heard Sadie the Swan sigh and say, ÑYou know Bertie, in her heart, every girl dreams that one

day she shall meet her handsome prince.Ò

ÑWell theyÔre are just silly,Ò interupted Colin the Carp, who is a very grumpy fish. ÑWhy canÔt

they ever wish to meet a handsome carp, thatÔs what i want to know.Ò

ÑBecause PrinceÔs are bave and fearless,Ò said Bertie. ÑAnd some of us can even do double

back-flips on our skateboards.Ò

Now, there is a very famous fairy tale about a girlÔs wish that did come true, and I expect you

know already that the story is called Cinderella, and itÔs time for me to tell it to you.

ONCE there was a gentleman who married, for his second wife, the proudest and most

haughty woman that was ever seen. She had been married before, and already had two

daughters who were exactly like her in all things. He had likewise, by his first wife, a young

daughter, but of unequalled goodness and sweetness of temper, which she took from her

mother, who was the best creature in the world. This sweet little girl missed her mother, who

had died, terribly much.

No sooner was the wedding ceremony over, than the new wife began to show herself in her

true colors. She could not bear the goodness of the gentlemanÔs pretty girl, and especially as

she made her own daughters appear the more horrid. She made her do the meanest jobs in

the house: the girl scoured the dishes and tables, and scrubbed the stepmotherÔs bathroom,

and those of her daughters; she slept in a little attic, upon a wretched straw bed, while her

sisters lay upon beds with the softest pillows, in fine rooms, with floors covered with

beautiful carpets, and walls on which hung looking-glasses so large that they might see

themselves at their full length from head to foot.

The poor girl bore all patiently, and dared not tell her father, who would have been angry

with her; for his new wife ruled him entirely. When the little girl had done her work, she used

to go into the chimney-corner, and sit down among cinders and ashes, which led her to be

called Cinderwench; but the youngest step-daughter, who was not quite so rude and unkind

as the eldest, called her Cinderella. However, Cinderella, even though she was dressed in

rags, was a hundred times prettier than her sisters, though they were always dressed very

richly.

It happened that the KingÔs son gave a ball, and invited all finest gentlemen and ladies of the

city. Our young misses were also invited, for they were always to be seen at fashionable

parties. They were truly delighted at this invitation, and wonderfully busy in choosing such

gowns, petticoats, and head-clothes as might suit them. This was a new trouble to

Cinderella; for it was she who washed and ironed her sistersÔ clothes and got all their things

ready. Meanwhile, the sisters talked all day long of nothing but what they should wear to the

ball.

ÑFor my part,Ò said the eldest, ÑI will wear my red velvet suit with French trimming.Ò

ÑAnd I,Ò said the youngest, Ñshall have my usual petticoat; but then, to make amends for that,

I will put on my gold-flowered gown, and my diamond belt, which is far from being the most

ordinary one in the world.Ò

But in truth, they were still not absolutely sure what would be best to wear to the ball, so

they sent for the best fashion designer they could find to advise on their evening dresses,

and they had their nails maniqured at Mademoiselle de la Poche.

Cinderella was likewise called up to them for advice, for she had excellent judgement, and

advised them always for the best, indeed, and offered her services to make up their hair,

which they were very willing she should do. As she was doing this, they said to her:

ÑCinderella, would you not be glad to go to the ball?Ò

ÑAlas!Ò said she, Ñyou only jeer me; it is not for a poor girl like me to go there.Ò

ÑYouÔre quite right,Ò replied they; Ñit would make the people laugh to see a Cinderwench at a

ball.Ò

Anyone but Cinderella would have dressed their heads all wrong, but she was very good, and

dressed them perfectly well.

The step-sisters were almost two days without eating, so much were they thrilled and

excited. They broke above a dozen corsettes in trying to be laced up tightly, so that they

might have a fine slender shape, and they were continually at their looking-glass. At last the

happy day came; they went to Court, and Cinderella followed them with her eyes as long as

she could, and when she had lost sight of them, she fell a-crying.

Just then, her fairy-godmother, who used to watch-over her secretly, saw her all in tears, and

appeared at her side and asked her what was the matter.

ÑI wish I couldÏI wish I couldÏÒ; she was not able to speak the rest, being interrupted by her

tears and sobbing.

This fairy godmother of hers said to her, ÑYou wish you could go to the ball; is it not so?Ò

ÑYÏes,Ò cried Cinderella, with a great sigh.

ÑWell,Ò said her godmother, Ñbe but a good girl, and I will see that you shall go to the ball.Ò

Then she took her into her secret room, and said to her, ÑRun into the garden, and bring me

a pumpkin.Ò

Cinderella went immediately to gather the finest she could get, and brought it to her

godmother, not being able to imagine how this pumpkin could make her go to the ball. Her

godmother scooped out all the inside of the big vegitable, leaving nothing but the rind;

which done, she struck it with her wand, and the pumpkin was instantly turned into a fine

coach, gilded all over with gold.

She then went to look into her mouse-trap, where she found six mice, all alive, and ordered

Cinderella to lift up a little the trapdoor. As each mouse went out, she gave it a little tap with

her wand, and the mouse was that moment turned into a fine horse, which altogether made

a very fine set of six horses of a beautiful mouse-colored dapple-gray. But they still needed a

coachman,

ÑI will go and see,Ò says Cinderella, Ñif there is a rat in the rat-trapÏwe may make a coachman

of him.Ò

ÑYouÔre a smart one,Ò replied her godmother; Ñgo and look.Ò

Cinderella brought the trap to her, and in it there were three huge rats. The fairy made

choice of one of the three which had the largest beard, and, having touched him with her

wand, he was turned into a fat, jolly coach- man, who had the smartest whiskers eyes ever

beheld. After that, she said to her:

ÑGo again into the garden, and you will find six lizards behind the watering-pot, bring them

to me.Ò

She had no sooner done so but her godmother turned them into six footmen, who skipped

up immediately behind the coach, with their uniforms all bedaubed with gold and silver, and

clung as close behind each other as if they had done nothing else their whole lives. The Fairy

then said to Cinderella:

ÑWell, you have here transport fit to take you to the ball; are you not pleased with it?Ò

ÑOh! yes,Ò cried she; Ñbut must I go there as I am, in these nasty rags?Ò

Her godmother only just touched her with her wand, and, at the same instant, her clothes

were turned into cloth of gold and silver, all beset with jewels. This done, she gave her a pair

of glass slippers, the prettiest in the whole world. Being thus decked out, she got up into her

coach; but her godmother, above all things, commanded her not to stay till after midnight,

telling her, at the same time, that if she stayed one moment longer, the coach would be a

pumpkin again, her horses mice, her coachman a rat, her footmen lizards, and her clothes

become just as they were before.

She promised her godmother she would not fail of leaving the ball before midnight; and then

away she drives, scarce able to contain herself for joy. The KingÔs son who was told that a

great princess, whom nobody knew, was come, ran out to receive her; he gave her his hand

as she alighted out of the coach, and led her into the ball, among all the company. There

was immediately a profound silence, they left off dancing, and the violins ceased to play, so

attentive was everyone to contemplate the singular beauties of the unknown new-comer.

Nothing was then heard but a confused noise of:

ÑHa! how lovey she is! Ha! how lovely she is!Ò

The King himself, old as he was, could not help watching her, and telling the Queen softly

that it was a long time since he had seen so beautiful and lovely a creature.

All the ladies were busied in considering her clothes and headdress, that they might have

some made next day after the same pattern, provided they could meet with such fine

material and as able hands to make them.

The KingÔs son led her to the most honorable seat, and afterward took her out to dance with

him; she danced so very gracefully that they all more and more admired her. A fine banquet

was served up, of which the young prince ate not a morsel, so intently was he busied in

gazing on her.

She went and sat down by her sisters, showing them a thousand polite gestures, giving them

part of the oranges and lemon blosoms which the Prince had presented her with, which very

much surprised them, for they did not recognise her. While Cinderella was thus amusing her

sisters, she heard the clock strike eleven and three-quarters, whereupon she immediately

made a courtesy to the company and hasted away as fast as she could.

When she got home she ran to seek out her godmother, and, after having thanked her, she

said she could not but heartily wish she might go next day to the ball, because the KingÔs

son had desired her.

As she was eagerly telling her godmother whatever had passed at the ball, her two sisters

knocked at the door, which Cinderella ran and opened.

ÑHow long you have stayed!Ò cried she, gaping, rubbing her eyes and stretching herself as if

she had been just waked out of her sleep; she had not, however, any manner of inclination

to sleep since they went from home.

ÑIf you had been at the ball,Ò said one of her sisters, Ñyou would not have been tired with it.

There came there the finest princess, the most beautiful ever was seen with mortal eyes; she

was a thousand times nice to us, and gave us orange and lemon blossoms.Ò

Cinderella seemed very indifferent in the matter; indeed, she asked them the name of that

princess; but they told her they did not know it, and that the KingÔs son was very uneasy on

her account and would give all the world to know who she was. At this Cinderella, smiling,

replied:

ÑShe must, then, be very beautiful indeed; how happy you have been! Could not I see her?

Ah! dear Miss Charlotte, do lend me your yellow suit of clothes which you wear every day.Ò

ÑAy, to be sure!Ò cried Miss Charlotte; Ñlend my clothes to such a dirty Cinderwench as you! I

should be a fool.Ò

Cinderella, indeed, expected well such answer, and was very glad of the refusal; for she

would have been sadly put to it if her sister had lent her what she asked for jokingly.

The next day the two sisters were at the ball, and so was Cinderella, but dressed more

magnificently than before. The KingÔs son was always by her, and never ceased his

compliments and kind speeches to her; to whom all this was so far from being tiresome that

she quite forgot what her godmother had recommended to her; so that she, at last, counted

the clock striking twelve when she took it to be no more than eleven; she then rose up and

fled, as nimble as a deer. The Prince followed, but could not overtake her. She left behind

one of her glass slippers, which the Prince took up most carefully. She got home but quite

out of breath, and in her nasty old clothes, having nothing left her of all her finery but one of

the little slippers, fellow to that she dropped. The guards at the palace gate were asked: If

they had not seen a princess go out. They replied that had seen nobody go out but a young

girl, very meanly dressed, and who had more the air of a poor country wench than a

gentlewoman.

When the two sisters returned from the ball Cinderella asked them: If they had been well

diverted, and if the fine lady had been there.

They told her: Yes, but that she hurried away immediately when it struck twelve, and with so

much haste that she dropped one of her little glass slippers, the prettiest in the world, which

the KingÔs son had taken up; that he had done nothing but look at her all the time at the

ball, and that most certainly he was very much in love with the beautiful person who owned

the glass slipper.

What they said was very true; for a few days after the KingÔs son commanded it to be

proclaimed, by sound of trumpet, that he would marry the young woman whose foot would

perfectly fit the slipper. He sent out his most trusted advsiers from the palace, who began to

try it upon the princesses, then the duchesses and all the Court, but in vain; it was brought

to the two sisters, who each did all that she possibly could to thrust her foot into the slipper,

but neither sister could manage to do so. Cinderella, who saw all this, and knew her slipper,

said to them, laughing:

ÑLet me see if it will not fit me.Ò

Her sisters burst out a-laughing, and began to tease her. The gentleman who was sent to try

the slipper looked earnestly at Cinderella, and, finding her very handsome, said: it was only

right that that she should try, and that he had orders to let every girl try.

He asked Cinderella to sit down, and, putting the slipper to her foot, he found it went on

very easily, and fitted her as if it had been made of wax. The astonishment her two sisters

were in was excessively great, but still abundantly greater when Cinderella pulled out of her

pocket the other slipper, and put it on her foot. Thereupon, in came her godmother, who,

having touched with her wand CinderellaÔs clothes, made them richer and more magnificent

than any of those she had before.

And now her two sisters found her to be that fine, beautiful lady whom they had seen at the

ball. They threw themselves at her feet to beg pardon for all the ill- treatment they had

dished out to her. Cinderella took them up, and, as she embraced them, cried:

That she forgave them with all her heart, and desired them always to love her.

She was brought by carriage to the young prince, dressed as she was; he thought her more

charming than ever, and, a few days after, married her. Cinderella, who was no less good

than beautiful, gave her two sisters rooms in the palace, and that very same day matched

them with two great lords of the Court.

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