Story Hour Readers, book 3 | Page 8

door. He led her to the ball room and again would dance with no one else.
This time Cinderella was enjoying the ball so much that she forgot the warning of the Fairy Godmother.
Suddenly the clock began to strike twelve. With a cry of alarm she fled from the ball room, dropping one of her glass slippers in her haste.
The prince hurried after her, but by the time he reached the royal courtyard the beautiful maiden had disappeared.
As Cinderella arrived at her own gate, the coach became a pumpkin; the horses became mice; the coachman became a rat and the footmen lizards.
Cinderella was again clothed in rags, but in her hand she carried one of the glass slippers that she had worn at the prince's ball.
The mother and sisters came home soon afterwards. They could talk of nothing but the sudden disappearance of the beautiful princess.
On the following morning, there was a noise of trumpets and drums.
The king's messengers passed through the town, crying, "The king's son will marry the fair maiden whose foot the glass slipper exactly fits."
The prince rode behind in his coach. He was followed by a company of attendants, who carried the glass slipper upon a velvet cushion.
At last the procession arrived at the home of Cinderella.
The mother and sisters saw the prince coming.
They at once hid pretty Cinderella under a tub in the kitchen.
The prince tried to fit the glass slipper to the foot of the oldest daughter. The foot was too long and too thin at the heel.
"You can pare off the heel," said the mother.
But the prince only laughed.
He tried the glass slipper on the foot of the second daughter. Her foot was too short and too fat at the toe.
"You can pare off the toe," said the mother.
But the prince only laughed.
Suddenly the parrot called, from his cage by the kitchen window,
"You may pare off the heels, Or pare off the toes, But under the tub The slipper goes."
The prince ordered his attendants to lift the tub. Crouching under it sat Cinderella, clothed in rags but wearing on one foot the mate to the glass slipper.
The prince knelt upon the velvet cushion, and tried on Cinderella's foot the little glass slipper which he had found in the ball room. It fitted exactly. It was like the slipper that Cinderella had on the other foot.
At that moment, the Fairy Godmother appeared. She touched Cinderella's clothes with her wand.
There stood Cinderella, dressed in a costume even more beautiful than those she had worn at the palace.
Then the prince saw that Cinderella was indeed the lovely maiden for whom he was searching. He arose and kissed her, and begged her to become his wife.
The prince and Cinderella were married, and in time they became king and queen. They ruled the kingdom long and well.

THE WIND
I saw yon toss the kites on high And blow the birds about the sky; And all around I heard you pass, Like ladies' skirts across the grass-- O wind, a-blowing all day long! O wind, that sings so loud a song!
I saw the different things you did, But always you yourself you hid. I felt you push, I heard you call, I could not see yourself at all-- O wind, a-blowing all day long! O wind, that sings so loud a song!
O you that are so strong and cold, O blower, are you young or old? Are you a beast of field and tree, Or just a stronger child than me? O wind, a-blowing all day long! O wind, that sings so loud a song!
ROBERT LOUIS STEVENSON.

THE BAG OF WINDS
The great caves of an island, far away in the midst of the sea, were the home of the Winds.
Eolus was ruler of the Winds. He kept them imprisoned in the caves. Sometimes he allowed them to go free for a time, to have a frolic or take exercise.
Although the Winds were often unruly and were fond of mischief, they always obeyed the voice of Eolus.
North Wind was the roughest of all. He would go from his cave on the wildest errands.
Sometimes he would pile the waves mountains high and would lash them into a tempest. He would tear the sails and break the masts of the vessels. He would uproot the forest trees and tear the roofs from the houses.
But at the command of Eolus, North Wind would cease his roaring and would go sullenly back to his cave.
"South Wind!" Eolus would call. "Send a gentle, playful breeze among the flowers. Bring gay sunshine and soft showers. Sing a song of spring.
"West Wind! Blow steadily against the sails of the ships and speed them on their journey.
"East Wind! Go forth in a jolly, merry mood. Whirl the leaves over the ground and scatter the seeds far and wide.
"North Wind! Cover the