the window of her house, a dove came flying and perched upon a wall,
and said to her, "Whenever you need anything send the request to the
Dove of the Fairies in the Island of Sardinia, and you will instantly
have what you wish."

For five or six days the new stepmother overwhelmed Zezolla with
caresses, seating her at the best place at table, giving her the
choicest morsels to eat, and clothing her in the richest apparel. But
ere long, forgetting entirely the good service she had received (woe to
him who has a bad master!), she began to bring forward six daughters of
her own, for she had never before told any one that she was a widow
with a bunch of girls; and she praised them so much, and talked her
husband over in such a fashion, that at last the stepdaughters had all
his favour, and the thought of his own child went entirely from his
heart. In short, it fared so ill with the poor girl, bad to-day and
worse to-morrow, that she was at last brought down from the royal
chamber to the kitchen, from the canopy of state to the hearth, from
splendid apparel of silks and gold to dishclouts, from the sceptre to
the spit. And not only was her condition changed, but even her name,
for, instead of Zezolla, she was now called Cenerentola.

It happened that the Prince had occasion to go to Sardinia upon affairs
of state, and, calling the six stepdaughters, he asked them, one by
one, what they would like him to bring them on his return. Then one
wished for splendid dresses, another to have head-ornaments, another
rouge for the face, another toys and trinkets: one wished for this and
one for that. At last the Prince said to his own daughter, as if in
mockery, "And what would you have, child?" "Nothing, father," she
replied, "but that you commend me to the Dove of the Fairies, and bid
her send me something; and if you forget my request, may you be unable
to stir backwards or forwards; so remember what I tell you, for it will
fare with you accordingly."

Then the Prince went his way and did his business in Sardinia, and
procured all the things that his stepdaughters had asked for; but poor
Zezolla was quite out of his thoughts. And going on board a ship he set
sail to return, but the ship could not get out of the harbour; there it
stuck fast just as if held by a sea-lamprey. The captain of the ship,
who was almost in despair and fairly tired out, laid himself down to
sleep, and in his dream he saw a fairy, who said to him, "Know you