looked more like a peasant than
a young lady.

When her two sisters returned from the ball, Cinderella asked them if
they had again enjoyed themselves, and if the beautiful lady had been
there. They told her that she was present, but had fled away when
midnight sounded, and in such haste that she had let fall one of her
little glass slippers, the prettiest thing in the world. They added that
the king's son, who picked it up, had done nothing but gaze at it for
the rest of the ball, from which it was plain that he was deeply in love
with its beautiful owner.

They spoke the truth. A few days later, the king's son caused a
proclamation to be made by trumpeters, that he would take for wife the
owner of the foot which the slipper would fit.

They tried it first on the princesses, then on the duchesses and the
whole of the Court, but in vain. Presently they brought it to the home
of the two sisters, who did all they could to squeeze a foot into the
slipper. This, however, they could not manage.

Cinderella was looking on and recognised her slipper:

'Let me see,' she cried, laughingly, 'if it will not fit me.'

[Illustration: '_They tried it first on the princesses_']

Her sisters burst out laughing, and began to gibe at her, but the
equerry who was trying on the slipper looked closely at Cinderella.
Observing that she was very beautiful he declared that the claim was
quite a fair one, and that his orders were to try the slipper on every
maiden. He bade Cinderella sit down, and on putting the slipper to her
little foot he perceived that the latter slid in without trouble, and
was moulded to its shape like wax.

Great was the astonishment of the two sisters at this, and greater still
when Cinderella drew from her pocket the other little slipper. This she
likewise drew on.

At that very moment her godmother appeared on the scene. She gave a tap
with her wand to Cinderella's clothes, and transformed them into a dress
even more magnificent than her previous ones.

The two sisters recognised her for the beautiful person whom they had
seen at the ball, and threw themselves at her feet, begging her pardon
for all the ill-treatment she had suffered at their hands.

Cinderella raised them, and declaring as she embraced them that she
pardoned them with all her heart, bade them to love her well in future.

She was taken to the palace of the young prince in all her new array. He
found her more beautiful than ever, and was