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.