It happened that the king's son gave a ball, and he invited all persons
of high degree. The two young ladies were invited amongst others, for
they cut a considerable figure in the country. Not a little pleased were
they, and the question of what clothes and what mode of dressing the
hair would become them best took up all their time. And all this meant
fresh trouble for Cinderella, for it was she who went over her sisters'
linen and ironed their ruffles. They could talk of nothing else but the
fashions in clothes. 'For my part,' said the elder, 'I shall wear my dress of red velvet,
with the Honiton lace.' 'I have only my everyday petticoat,' said the younger, 'but to make up
for it I shall wear my cloak with the golden flowers and my necklace of
diamonds, which are not so bad.' They sent for a good hairdresser to arrange their double-frilled caps,
and bought patches at the best shop. They summoned Cinderella and asked her advice, for she had good taste. Cinderella gave them the best possible suggestions, and even offered to
dress their hair, to which they gladly agreed. While she was thus occupied they said:

'Cinderella, would you not like to go to the ball?' 'Ah, but you fine young ladies are laughing at me. It would be no place
for me.' [Illustration: '_The haughtiest, proudest woman that had ever been
seen_']

'That is very true, people would laugh to see a cinder-slut in the
ballroom.' Any one else but Cinderella would have done their hair amiss, but she
was good-natured, and she finished them off to perfection. They were so
excited in their glee that for nearly two days they ate nothing. They
broke more than a dozen laces through drawing their stays tight in order
to make their waists more slender, and they were perpetually in front of
a mirror. At last the happy day arrived. Away they went, Cinderella watching them
as long as she could keep them in sight. When she could no longer see
them she began to cry. Her godmother found her in tears, and asked what
was troubling her. 'I should like--I should like----'

She was crying so bitterly that she could not finish the sentence. Said her godmother, who was a fairy:

'You would like to go to the ball, would you not?' 'Ah, yes,' said Cinderella, sighing. 'Well, well,' said her godmother, 'promise to be a good girl and I will
arrange for you to go.' She took Cinderella into her room and said:

'Go into the garden and bring me a pumpkin.' Cinderella went at once and gathered the finest that she could find. This she brought to her godmother, wondering how a pumpkin could help in
taking her to the ball. Her godmother scooped it out, and when only the rind was left, struck it
with her wand. Instantly the pumpkin was changed into a beautiful coach,
gilded all over. Then she went and looked in the mouse-trap, where she found six mice
all alive. She told Cinderella to lift the door of the mouse-trap a
little, and as each mouse came out she gave it a tap with her wand,
whereupon it was transformed into a fine horse. So that here was a fine
team of six dappled mouse-grey horses. But she was puzzled to know how to provide a coachman. 'I will go and see,' said Cinderella, 'if there is not a rat in the
rat-trap. We could make a coachman of him.' 'Quite right,' said her godmother, 'go and see.' Cinderella brought in the rat-trap, which contained three big rats. The
fairy chose one specially on account of his elegant whiskers. As soon as she had touched him he turned into a fat coachman with the
finest moustachios that ever were seen. 'Now go into the garden and bring me the six lizards which you will find
behind the water-butt.' No sooner had they been brought than the godmother turned them into six
lackeys, who at once climbed up behind the coach in their braided
liveries, and hung on there as if they had never done anything else all
their lives. Then said the fairy godmother:

'Well, there you have the means of going to the ball. Are you
satisfied?' 'Oh, yes, but am I to go like this in my ugly clothes?' Her godmother merely touched her with her wand, and on the instant her
clothes were changed into garments of gold and silver cloth, bedecked
with jewels. After that her godmother gave her a pair of glass slippers,
the prettiest in the world. [Illustration: '_Her godmother found her in tears_']

Thus altered, she entered the coach. Her godmother bade her not to stay
beyond midnight whatever happened, warning her that if she remained
at the ball a moment longer, her coach would again become a pumpkin, her
horses mice, and her lackeys lizards, while her old clothes would
reappear upon her once more. She promised her godmother that she would not fail to leave the ball
before midnight, and away she went, beside herself with delight. [Illustration: '_Away she went_']

The king's son, when he was told of the arrival of a great princess whom
nobody knew, went forth to receive her. He handed her down from the
coach, and led her into the hall where the company was assembled. At
once there fell a great silence. The dancers stopped, the violins played
no more, so rapt was the attention which everybody bestowed upon the
superb beauty of the unknown guest. Everywhere could be heard in
confused whispers:

'Oh, how beautiful she is!' The king, old man as he was, could not take his eyes off her, and
whispered to the queen that it was many a long day since he had seen any
one so beautiful and charming. All the ladies were eager to scrutinise her clothes and the dressing of
her hair, being determined to copy them on the morrow, provided they
could find materials so fine, and tailors so clever. The king's son placed her in the seat of honour, and at once begged the
privilege of being her partner in a dance. Such was the grace with which
she danced that the admiration of all was increased. A magnificent supper was served, but the young prince could eat nothing,
so taken up was he with watching her. She went and sat beside her
sisters, and bestowed numberless attentions upon them. She made them
share with her the oranges and lemons which the king had given
her--greatly to their astonishment, for they did not recognise her. While they were talking, Cinderella heard the clock strike a quarter to
twelve. She at once made a profound curtsey to the company, and departed
as quickly as she could. As soon as she was home again she sought out her godmother, and having
thanked her, declared that she wished to go upon the morrow once more to
the ball, because the king's son had invited her. While she was busy telling her godmother all that had happened at the
ball, her two sisters knocked at the door. Cinderella let them in. 'What a long time you have been in coming!' she declared, rubbing her
eyes and stretching herself as if she had only just awakened. In real
truth she had not for a moment wished to sleep since they had left.