Longago,inalandfaraway,therelivedabeautifulyounggirl.

Shewasverysad.Hermotherhaddiedandherfatherhadmarriedagain.Hisnewwifehadtwouglydaughters,EsmereldaandGriselda.

Soonafter,herfatheralsodiedandlifeimmediatelychangedforthegirl.

"Youwillbeourservant,"saidherstepmother."Youwilldoeverythingwesay."

"Youmustsleepinthekitchens,bythefire,"saidthestepsisters.

Aftertendingthefire,andcookingandleaning,thegirl'sclotheswereverydirty.Shewascalledtoclearawaydishes.

"Therearecindersalloveryourclothes!"exclaimedthestepmother."CindersforCinderella.That'syournewname.Clearthesethingsaway,Cinderella."

"Cinderella!Cinderella!"sangEsmereldaandGriselda."Oh,howcleveryouare,Mama!"

Cinderellahadtoworkveryhard,asalltheotherservantsweredismissed.

Oneday,aninvitationarrivedfromthepalace.

"Girls,listentothis,"saidthestepmother.Cinderellawasservingthebreakfast.Shelistenedasherstepmotherreadtheinvitation.

"TheKingishavingaball,"shesaid,excitedly."HeislookingforawifeforthePrince!Oh,mydears,thisiswonderful.Hewillprobablychooseoneofyou,butitwillbesuchahardchoicetomake.

"AmIinvitedtoo,stepmother?"askedCinderella.

"You!Certainlynot!"exclaimedherstepmother."Thethoughtofsuchathing.Ascruffyservantgoingtoaball,whenonlybeautifulladiesareinvited!"

"Hah!Hah!"laughedthestepsisters."Beautiful!Thatdoesn'tincludeyou,Cinderella!"

"Youmayhelpmytwolovelygirlstogetready,"saidherstepmother.

"Oh,"saidCinderella,sadly.

"Weshallallhavenewdresses,girls,andweshallgoshoppingtoday.Clearawaythesethings,Cinderella."

'Oh,IwishIcouldgototheball,'thoughtCinderella.

ThedayoftheballarrivedandthewholedaywasspentpreparingEsmereldaandGriselda.Cinderelladidherbesttomakethesisterslookpretty,butitwasanimpossibletask.

Finally,thecoacharrivedtocollectthegirlsandtheirmother.

Cinderellawasverytiredandshewanderedbacktothekitchens.

"Oh,Ididsowanttogo,"shesighedasshesatdownbythefire.

"What'stostopyou?"askedavoice.

"Who'sthat?"askedCinderella,lookingaround.

"I'mherebythedoor."AstrangewomanwalkeduptoCinderella."Iheardyoutheotherday,wishingyoucouldgototheball.Well,theballisthisevening,andyou'regoing."

"Buthow?"askedCinderella."Whatcanyoudo?"

"AnythingIwantto,"saidthewoman."I'myourfairygodmother,andI'mheretosendyoutotheball.

Shesatdown.

"Comenow,"shesaid."Drythosetears.Wehaveworktodo.Ineedalargepumpkin,tworats,twomiceandafrog.Canyoufindthese?"

"Yes,"saidCinderella,mystifiedbytherequest.

"Offyougo,then."

WhenCinderellafoundallthethings,herfairygodmothertookthemalloutside.

"Nowforthemagic,"shesaid.Shewavedherhandsandtheairbegantotwinkleandsparkle.Thepumpkinbegantogrowandchange,untilstandingtherewasaglitteringcoach.

Themicechangedintotwofinefootmen,thefrogintothedriver,andtheratsintotwobeautifulhorsestopullthecoach.

Cinderellaclappedherhands."It'sbeautiful!"shecried.

"Inyouget,"saidherfairygodmother.

"ButIcan'tgolikethis,"saidCinderella.

"Likewhat?"askedthefairygodmother."Youlooklovelytome."

Cinderellalookedatherself.Whilethemagichadbeenworkingonthepumpkin,ithadalsobeenworkingonher.Insteadofherraggeddresssheworeabeautifulballgown,withglassslippersonherfeet.

"Oh,fairygodmother,"saidCinderella."It'slovely.HowcanIthankyou?"

"Bygoingtotheball,"saidthefairygodmother."Offyougo,butremember,themagicstopsworkingatmidnight.Everythingwillchangebackthen.Nowgoandenjoyyourself."

"Good-bye,fairygodmother,"calledCinderella,asthecoachsweptoff.

Cinderellaarrivedatthepalaceandwalkedintotheballroom.Everyonestoppedandstared.

"Whoisshe?"peopleasked,includingherstepmotherandstepsisters.

ThePrincesawher,andhadeyesfornooneelsefortherestoftheevening.CinderelladancedonlywiththePrince,andastheeveningpassed,hefellinlovewithher.

AclockchimingremindedCinderellaofherfairygodmother'swarning.'Itmustbeeleveno'clock,'shethought,butsheaskedthePrince."Whattimeisit?"

"Almostmidnight,"heanswered.

"Oh,no!"criedCinderella."Imustgo!"

"Youcan't.Notnow,"saidthePrince.

"Imust."AndCinderellasweptoutoftheroom,andranoutofthepalace.Assheran,theclockfinishedchiming.Cinderella'sclotheschangedbackintorags,andthecoachandhorseswerenowheretobeseen.

ThePrincetriedtofollow,buthecouldn'tcatchup.Whenhereachedthedoor,allhefoundwasoneglassslipper.Herantothemaingate.

"Wasabeautifulgirljustdrivenoutofhere?"heaskedtheguard.

"No,yourHighness.I'veonlyseenascruffyservantgirl,"theguardanswered.

"I'velosther,"saidthePrince,andhereturnedsadlytothepalace.