Charles Perrault

“ Immediately the coach vanished, and nothing was to be seen but the hollow rind of a pumpkin lying on the flagstones; the coachman with the whiskers turned into a rat again, the horses became mice, and the footmen lizards. ”

“ I don’t like little girls who give themselves airs. Why do you not greet your sisters?”
Now this was hardly fair, for poor little Ella had not had time to greet anybody, or to do anything except answer questions, since her new relations had arrived. Nevertheless, she tried to smile and to appear friendly. “How do you do?” she said. “My father told me about you as we were coming home in the carriage. I think you’ve got such pretty names! But I don’t know yet which is Charlotte and which is Euphronia, so I can’t call you by them!” ”

“ At all hours of the day errand-boys came from the shops in the town carrying parcels—new shawls and lace kerchiefs and fancy shoes, bottles containing toilet-water and scent, boxes of black patches from the best makers and of the latest shape, fans and gloves and jewelled clasps—one would have thought that there were fifty people in the house who were going to the ball instead of only two. Cinderella was kept busy from morning till night, ironing the sisters’ linen and goffering their ruffles. ”

“ For a day or two she was left to do as she liked, and then one morning Euphronia came down to the kitchen and found her sitting at the window reading a book.
“Well I never!” cried Euphronia. “So that’s how you spend your time! Come here at once, and put on this coarse apron and then go down on your knees and scrub the floor.”
“I am doing no harm,” said Ella mildly. “Mother always used to let me read in the morning, after my lessons were done. As for the floor, it is quite clean, for the scullerv-maid has only just finished scrubbing it. Please, Euphronia, let me go on with my work.” ”

“ Now what would have happened to Cinderella if she had not profited by her dancing lessons at school? One never knows how soon the time may come when one will be glad of one’s accomplishments. As it was, there was no lady in the hall who could dance more gracefully than she. Her little feet, clad in their shim­mering glass slippers, tripped the measure as lightly as though they were treading on air. It was a joy to see her.
Meanwhile, all the guests were asking each other questions. ”

“ Last of all, she received a touch on the shoulder herself, and her rags gave place to a dress that was even more magnificent than the one she had worn on the previous night. This time it was of the palest yellow silk, shaded in colour like a tea-rose, and the glass shoes on her feet were delicately edged with gold. ”

“ If you remain even a minute longer, your coach will become a pumpkin, your horses mice, your coachman a rat, and your footmen lizards, while your pretty gown will change back again into your shabby old dress. That will not be nice for you, to have such things happening in everybody’s sight, so remember my warning.”
Cinderella promised her godmother that she would not fail to act upon her advice, and, stepping into her coach, drove off, almost beside herself with joy. ”

“ When this maid left, Ella was allowed to go into the drawing-room now and then to read to the sisters, or to do a bit of embroidery.
“I hope, child,” said Mistress Euphronia on one of these occasions, “that you realize how fortunate you are in being allowed to improve your mind by reading books and by listening to good music!” (By good music she meant her singing to Charlotte’s accompaniment on the harpsichord. She made the most dreadful noises.) “But I’ll warrant,” she went on, “that you are much happier downstairs with your pots and pans, or sitting among the cinders. ”

“ I wonder whether that brat of the Baron’s has come home?”
“That’s my stepmother,” thought Ella, “and the Baron’s brat is me ! Oh dear. I wish I ’d stayed at school!” She had half a thought of escaping through the French windows into the garden and running away; but before she could move a step the drawing-room door flew open, and in came the Baroness with her two daughters. ”

“ This would not have mattered very much if the clothes had been in good taste, for it is quite possible to look well even if one’s clothes are shabby, but both the sisters had a liking for violent colours and tasteless finery. Thus, for instance, Euphronia would come down in the evening in a gown of yellow covered with black stripes, which made her look like a zebra. You can imagine the effect of it, in contrast with her red hair and painted cheeks. Charlotte, on the other hand, loved purple and green, and she would produce the most astonishing effects by mixing these
two colours. ”

“ You will get on very well together, I’m sure, with a little give and take on both sides.”
“Just a minute, father,” pleaded Ella. “Do tell me some more about my new sisters. I cannot understand all the big words you use. Do you mean that they are grown up?”
Her father nodded. “In point of fact, adult,” he said, and his tone was so gloomy that Ella had to smile.
“Never mind,” she said. “Some grown-ups are very nice, especially if they know stories or can play pretend-games, as mother used to do. Can Charlotte and Euphronia play pretend-games, do you know?” ”

“ Now Cinderella realized that her godmother was a fairy, and if there was a more surprised and delighted girl in the whole country that night, I have yet to hear of her. She could not resist peeping inside the coach, which was upholstered with delicate rose-coloured silk, and she was so excited that her godmother had to touch her on the arm to bring her to herself.
“Come along,” said the old woman, “or the ball will be over before you get there. I want a mouse or two. Run and see if there are any in the trap.” ”

“ What does a little chit like you want of learning Italian and history and dancing! You will have to make yourself useful now, and do something to earn your keep!”
If anybody had told Ella a day or two before that she would have been miserable at the idea of not being allowed to go back to school, she would not have believed them; but at these words her heart sank. What further humiliations had Fate in store?
She was soon to learn, for Euphronia hustled her off into the kitchen and made her sit down at the table with the servants. ”

“ In fact, he hardly ever spoke to her or to anybody else. Every morning after breakfast he would go away to his library, and sit there reading, with a big pair of horn spectacles on his nose, or writing with a quill pen that made a funny, scratchy noise. ”

“ A few days of solitude and a diet of bread and water will do her all the good in the world.”
“Come along, you stuck-up little thing,” said Euphronia, seizing Ella’s wrist with her large bony hand. “You will have to be taught your proper place.”
And so Ella was dragged away. At the door she turned an appealing glance towards her father, but he was looking at his toes and made no movement to interfere.
The last thing Ella heard as she went up the stairs was the voice of the Baroness storming at her husband. ”

“ Cinderella opened it and showed the courier into the drawing-room, where the sisters were already sitting, dressed in their best. After she had shown him in she went into the kitchen again, for she had not received an invitation to stay.
The courier read the proclamation, and the servant knelt down to try the slipper on Charlotte’s foot, which was already extended towards him.
“No, no, I should be first,” cried Euphronia. “It is perfectly useless to try the slipper on Charlotte. Anybody can see with a glance it is much too small.” ”

“ The Princess would never speak to us again.” Cinderella made no reply—and, to tell the truth, she was delighted by Euphronia’s refusal to lend her the gown. If she had it, she would not have known what to do with it.
The next day the sisters slept very late, and even Cinderella did not rise till past her usual hour. When breakfast was over, another scene of excitement began, for the sisters had to dress themselves for the second ball, and both of them wanted their dresses altered as
much in the style of the strange Princess’s gown as possible. ”

“ The first thing he did was to go into the courtyard, for he thought he might just be in time to see her before her carriage drove away. When he got there, however, he was astonished to hear that the carriage, with all its horses and footmen, had absolutely disappeared. No one had seen the carriage drive away, yet not a sign of it was to be seen. ”

“ Did you find it airy and comfortable?”
“Why are you so horrid to me?” asked Ella. “I’m sure I’ve done nothing to deserve it. If you do not like to have me in the house I will go away and not trouble you any more. Let me go back to school and spend my holidays there, as I have done before.”
“A splendid idea,” mocked Euphronia, “and I’ve no doubt it is just what you would like. There is to be nomore school for you, miss. Too much money has been wasted on you already, and we will certainly spend no more. ”

“ They did not need to
be taught their duties, but jumped up behind the coach and held on to the rail there, just as if they had done nothing else all their lives. “So that is finished,” said the fairy godmother with a smile. “There is no lady at the Prince’s ball to-night
who will arrive in a finer equipage than you. Are you not pleased?” “Yes,” answered Cinderella, “but am I to go to the ball in these shabby old clothes? ”

“ She looked so lovely as she sat there that the courier fell on his knees and kissed her hand, as one kisses the hand of a queen.
Then the old godmother spoke, and her voice was very stern and hard.
“Proud and cruel girls,” she said, “look upon the sister whom you have despised and have used so spite­ fully. She is the daughter of the house, but you robbed her of all the joy that should have been hers. Now she shall be the greatest lady in the land, and you shall creep to her feet for forgiveness.”
And that is just what the stepsisters did, weeping and
crying for pardon ”

“ He’s no longer master in his own house, and he’s nagged at day and night. Why, the only peace the poor man can get is to shut himself up in his library, and even then the Baroness,” here Belinda gave a mighty scornful
sniff, “goes and disturbs him half a dozen times a day. The poor man wouldn’t even get his meals if I didn’t take them up to him, for he’d rather face a den of roar­ing lions than the Baroness” (another sniff) “and Miss Charlotte and Miss Euphronia across the dinner-table. ”

“ Once upon a time there was a nobleman who was married to a sweet and beautiful lady. They had one child, a little girl named Ella, and they lived in a big house in the country. What a fine house that was! ”

“ Have you ever noticed that there are some people whom you know you are not going to like the first time you set eyes on them? Well, the Baroness was one of those people, and so were the two sisters— for three more disagreeable-looking persons never walked into a room together. ”

“ So it was all in vain; and at last the courier, his trumpeters, and his blackamoor left the town and set off to try their fortune in the country houses.
By this time Cinderella’s stepsisters had heard the news and were almost beside themselves with excitement.
“Do you hear, Euphronia?” cried Charlotte, “the Prince has announced that he will marry the lady whom the slipper fits. I’m perfectly certain that it is just my size, for I took particular note of the lady’s shoes when she was dancing!” ”

“ What nonsense!” replied Euphronia with a giggle. “How do you get such fancies in your head? The Prince would be just as likely to choose Cinderslut here. Besides, he has dark hair and eyes, and it is well known that dark people always prefer women who are blonde, and have a touch of colour in their com­plexion.”
And in another minute they were at it again, quarrel­ling hammer and tongs, so that Cinderella’s head nearly burst with the din. ”

“ I never want to go upstairs again while my stepmother and my stepsisters are in the house. We can be quite cosy together, and I’ll help you all I can, and teach you some of the things I have learnt at school. ”

“ Dance succeeded dance, and the Prince never once left Cinderella’s side. He seemed to have no eyes for anybody else, and quite neglected his other guests. Half-way through the evening, Cinderella said to him:
“Tell me, Prince, who are those two ladies sitting over there in the alcove by the pillar? Poor things, they have not been asked to dance once the whole evening. ”

“ A week later they were married with great pomp and ceremony. The rejoicings lasted a full week, and all the town made holiday. Euphronia and Charlotte were at the wedding and they never uttered a single spiteful word, not even below their breath, for they were really sorry for their conduct. As soon as she was settled down, Cinderella sent for them and gave them each a suite of grand apartments at the palace. Not long after­ wards they married two gentlemen of the Court, and
Cinderella and the Prince lived very happily together for the rest of their lives. ”