Mother goose's fairy tales/Cinderilla; or, the Little Glass Slipper

TALE III.

Cinderilla: or the Little Glaſs Slipper.

THERE was a gentleman who married for his ſecond wife, the proudeſt and moſt haughty woman ever ſeen. She had by former huſband two daughters of her own, that were indeed exactly like her in all things. He had likewiſe, by another wife, a young daughter, but of unparalleled goodneſs of temper, which ſhe took from her mother, who was the beſt creature in the world.

No ſooner were the ceremonies of the wedding over, than the mother-in-law began to ſhow herſelf in her colours She could not bear the good qualities of this prety girl; and the leſs becauſe they made her own daughters appear the more odious. She employed her in the meaneſt work in the houſe; ſhe ſcoured the diſhes, tables, &c. and rubbed madam's chamber, and thoſe of the miſſes her daughters; ſhe lay up in a ſorry garret, upon a wretched ſtraw-bed, while her ſiſters lay in fine rooms, with floors all in-laid, upon beds of the very neweſt faſhions, and where they had 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 to tell her father, who would have rattled her off, for his wife governed him entirely. When ſhe had done her work, ſhe went into the chimney corner, and ſat down among the cinders and aſhes, which made her commonly be called Cinder-breech, but the youngeſt, who was not ſo rude and uncivil as the eldeſt, called her Cinderilla. However, Cinderilla, notwithſtanding her mean apparel, was an hundred times handſomer than her ſiſters, though they were always dreſſed very richly.

It happened that the king's ſon gave a ball, and invited all perſons of faſhion to it: Our young miſſes were alſo iuvited; for they cut a very grand figure among the quality. They were mightily delighted at this invitation, and wonderfully buſy in chuſing out ſuch gowns, petticoats, and head clothes as might beſt become then. This was a new trouble to Cinderilla; for it was ſhe who ironed her ſiſters' linen, aud plaited their ruffles; they talked all day long of nothing but how they ſhould be dreſſed. "For my part, ſaid the eldeſt, I will wear my red velvet ſuit, with French trimming." "And I, ſaid the youngeſt, ſhall only have my uſual petticoat, but then to make amends for that, I will put on my gold flowered mantua, and my diamond ſtomacher, which is far from being the moſt ordinary one in the world." They ſent for the beſt tire-woman they could get, to make up their head-dreſſes, and adjuſt their double pinners, and they had their red bruſhes and patches from Madamoiſelle de la Poche.

Cinderilla was likewiſe called up to them to be conſulted in all thoſe matters, for ſhe had excellent notions, and adviſed them always for the beſt; nay, and offered her ſervice to dreſs their heads, which they willingly accepted. As ſhe was doing this, they ſaid to her, Cinderilla, would you not be glad to go to the ball? Ah! ſaid ſhe, you only jeer me, it is not for ſuch as I am to go thither. Thou art in the right of it, replied they; I would make the people laugh to ſee a Cinder breech at a ball. Any one but Cinderilla would have dreſſed their heads awry; but ſhe was good, and dreſſed them perfectly well. They were almoſt two days without eating, being ſo much tranſported with joy. They broke above a dozen of laces, in trying to he laced up cloſe, 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 Cinderilla looked after them as long as ſhe could, and when ſhe loſt ſight of them, ſhe fell a crying

Her grandmother, who ſaw her all in tears, aſked her what was the matter? I wiſh I could--I wiſh I cou--ld; ſhe was not able to ſpeak the reſt, being interrupted by her tears and ſobbing. Her godmother, who was a Fairy, ſaid to her, Thou wiſhest thou couldſt go to the ball: is it not ſo? Y--es, cried Cinderella, with a great ſigh. Well, ſaid her godmother, be but a good girl, and I will contrive that you ſhall go. Then ſhe took her into her chamber, and ſaid to her, run into the garden, and bring me a pompion. Cinderilla went immediately to gather the fineſt ſhe could get, aud brought it to her godmother, not being able to imagine how this pompion could make her go to the ball. Her godmother ſcooped out all the inſide of it, having left nothing but the rind, which done, ſhe ſtruck it with her wand, and the pompion was inſtantly turned into a fine coach gilded all over with gold.

She then went and look'd into the mouſe-trap, where ſhe found ſix mice all alive, and ordered Cinderilla to lift up a little the trap-door, when giving each mouſe as it went out a little tap with her wand, the mouſe was that moment turned into a fair horſe, which altogether made a very fine ſet of ſix horſes, of a beautful mouſe-coloured, dapple grey. Being at a loſe for a coachman, "I will go and ſee, ſays Cinderilla, if there be never a rat in the rat-trap, we may make a coachman of him." "Thou art in the right, replied her godmother, go and look." Cinderilla 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 coachman, who had the ſmarteſt whiſkers and eyes ever beheld.

After that, ſhe ſaid to her, Go again into the garden, and you will find ſix lizards behind the watering pot; bring them to me. She had no ſooner done ſo, but her godmother turned them into ſix footmen, who ſkipped up immediately behind the coach, with their liveries 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 Cinderilla, well, you ſee here an equippage, fit to go to the ball with: are you pleaſed with it? O yes, cried ſhe, but muſt I go thither as I am, in these poiſonous naſty rags? Her godmother only 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 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 at the ball one moment longer, her coach would be a pompion 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 king's 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 hall among all the company. There was immediately a profound ſilence, they left off dancing, and the muſic ceaſed to play, ſo attentive was every one to contemplate the beauties of this new comer. Nothing was then heard but confuſed noiſe of, Ha! how handsome ſhe is! Ha! how handsome she is! The king himſelf, old as he was, could not help ogling 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 head dreſs, that they might have ſome made the next day after the ſame pattern, providing they could meet with ſo fine materials, and as able hands to make them

The king's ſon conducted her to the moſt honourable ſeat, and afterwards took her out to dance with him: She danced ſo very gracefully, that they all more and more admired her. A fine collation was ſerved up, whereof the young prince cat not a morsel, ſo intently was he buſied in gazing on her. She went and ſat down by her ſiſters, ſhowing them a thouſand civilities, giving them part of the oranges and citrons which the prince had preſented her with: Which very much ſurprized them, for they did not know her. While Cinderilla was thus amuſing her ſiſters, she heard the clock ſtrike eleven and three quarters, whereupon ſhe immediately made a courteſy to the companys and haſted away as faſt as ſhe could.

Being get 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 king's 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 Cinderilla ran and opened. How long you have ſtaid, cried ſhe, gaping, rubbing her eyes, and ſtretching herſelf, as if ſhe had just awaked out of her ſleep; ſhe had not, however, any manner of inclination to ſleep ſince they went from home. "If thou hadſt been at the ball, ſays one of her ſiſters, thou wouldſt not have been tired with it; there came thither the fineſt princeſs, the most beautiful ever was ſeen with mortal eyes, ſhe ſhewed us a thouſand civilities, and gave us oranges and citrons." Cinderilla ſeemed very indifferent in the matter, indeed ſhe aſked the name of that princeſs; but they told her, "they did not know it, and that the king's ſon was uneaſy on her account, and would give all the world to know where ſhe was." At this Cinderilla ſmiling, replied, "She muſt be very beautiful indeed; O! how happy yon have been; could I not ſee her! Ah! dear Miſs Charlotte, do lend me your yellow ſuit of clothes which you wear every day." "Ay, to be ſure!" cried Miſs Charlotte, "lend my clothes to ſuch a dirty Cinder breech as thou art: who's the fool then?" Cinderilla indeed expected ſome 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 jeſtlingly.

The next day the two ſiſters were at the ball, and ſo was Cinderilla, but dreſſed more magnificently than before. The king's ſon was always by her and never ceaſed his compliments and amorous ſpeeches to her; to whom all this was ſo far from being tireſome, that ſhe quitc forgot what her godmother had recommended to her, ſo 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 her one of her glaſs ſlippers, which the prince took up moſt carefully. She got home, but quite out of breath, without coach or foot man, and in the naſty old clothes, having nothing left 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 ſeen a princeſs go out? Who ſaid they had ſeen no body go out? but a young girl, very meanly dreſſed, who had more the air of a poor country wench, than a gentlewoman.

When the two ſiſters returned from the ball, Cinderilla 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 the clock ſtruck twelve, and with ſo much haſte that ſhe dropped one of her little glaſs ſlippers, the prettieſt in the world, and which king's ſon had taken up: that he had done nothing but looked at her all the time of the ball, and that moſt certainly he was very much in love with the beautiful perſon that owed the little ſlipper.

What they ſaid was very true; for a few days after the king's ſon cauſed it to be proclaimed by ſound of trumpet, that he would marry her whoſe foot this ſlipper would juſt fit. They whom he employed 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 did all they poſſibly could to thruſt their foot into the ſlipper, but they could not effect it. Cinderilla, who ſaw all this, and knew her ſlipper, ſaid to them laughing, let me ſee if it will not fit me: Her ſiſters burſt out a laughing, and began to banter her. The gentleman who was ſent to try the ſlippers, looked earneſtly at Cinderilla, and finding her very handſome, ſaid, It was but juſt that ſhe ſhould try, and that he had orders to make every one make trial. He obliged Cinderilla to ſit down, and putting the ſlipper to her foot, he found it went in 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 Cinderilla 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, Cinderilla's 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 the ill-treatment they made her undergo. Cinderilla took them up, and, as ſhe embraced, cried, That ſhe forgave them with all her heart, and deſired them always to love her. She was conducted to the young prince, dreſſed as ſhe was, he thought her more charming than ever, and a few days after married her. Cinderilla, who was no leſs good than beautiful, gave her two ſiſters lodging in the palace, and matched them with two great lords of the court.