e silk dresses.

Poor Cinderella, who had to stay behind, looked at her old ragged
clothes, and burst into tears.

"Alas," she cried, "why should I always have to stay in the kitchen
while my sisters dress in silks and satins?"

Hardly had she spoken when there stood before her a dear little old lady
with a golden wand in her hand.

"My child," she cried, "I am your fairy godmother, and you shall go to
the ball, too.

First go into the garden, Cinderella, and bring to me the largest
pumpkin you can find."

When Cinderella had done this, the fairy waved her golden wand over the
yellow pumpkin.

In a flash, it was not a pumpkin at all, but a beautiful yellow coach.

"Now bring me four white mice, two large ones and two small ones."

In a moment Cinderella brought a trap full of mice into the room.

The fairy waved her golden wand, and the two largest mice were turned
into two snow-white horses.

Two small mice became two men, one a coachman, the other a footman.

"But how am I to go in these clothes?" said Cinderella.

"Ah, let me see," said the fairy, and she slowly waved her wand over the
maiden's head.

[Illustration]

Oh, what a change!

The rags tumbled to the floor.

And, what do you think! in their place was a beautiful pink silk dress.

The ugly shoes fell off.

And, lo! a tiny pair of glass slippers were on Cinderella's little feet.

"Now listen to what I say," said the fairy godmother. "You must not stay
after the clock strikes twelve.

At that time your coach will again be a pumpkin, the men will be mice,
and you will have on your old ragged dress."

Cinderella said she would not forget.

Then she jumped into the coach, and away she drove to the king's ball.

CINDERELLA--II

The king's son was charmed with Cinderella.

She was so very beautiful that he would dance with her and with no one
else.

Cinderella had such a good time that she forgot about the clock.

It began to strike twelve--one, two, three.

Cinderella ran from the room.

Down the steps of the palace she flew.

She ran so fast that she lost one of her little glass slippers.

The clock finished striking.

Lo! the coach turned into a pumpkin.

The horses and men turned into mice.

Poor Cinderella had to walk home in her ragged clothes.

The next morning the prince found Cinderella's little glass slipper on
the stairs.

"There is only one maiden in all the world who can wear so tiny a
slipper," said