Story Hour Readers, book 3 | Page 7

long black gloom
away; But good ones love the dark, and find The night as pleasant as
the day.
THOMAS HOOD.

CINDERELLA
Once upon a time, there was a proud, selfish woman who had three
daughters. The youngest was prettier than her sisters, and they were
jealous of her beauty. They made her do all the housework, while they
went to parties and balls.
The girl washed the dishes and swept the floors. She tended the fire and
fed the parrot whose cage hung by the kitchen window. She spent so
much time among the ashes and cinders, that her sisters called her
Cinderella.
Now it happened that the king was to give a ball, in honor of the young
prince. Cinderella's mother and sisters were invited.
How pleased they were to receive the invitation! They could think of
nothing but the fine clothes they intended to wear.
They sent for the best dressmaker they could find. The oldest sister

chose a pink silk gown. "I shall wear my red satin cloak trimmed with
swan's-down," said she.
The second sister chose a gown of green velvet, saying, "The green
velvet will show my diamonds to advantage."
The night of the great ball came at last. Cinderella helped her sisters to
dress.
"Do you not wish that you were going to the ball?" said one of them.
"Yes, indeed!" sighed poor Cinderella.
But her sisters only laughed.
Cinderella watched them from the kitchen window as they drove away
in their fine carriage. Then she sat down by the fire and began to cry.
"Why are you crying, Cinderella?" said some one gently.
There stood her Fairy Godmother.
"I wish I could--I wish I could--" sobbed Cinderella.
"You wish that you could go to the prince's ball," said the Fairy
Godmother.
"Yes," nodded Cinderella.
"Stop crying and you may go," said the Fairy Godmother. "Run into the
garden and bring me the largest pumpkin that you can find."
Cinderella could not think how a pumpkin would help her to go, but
she obeyed.
The Fairy Godmother scooped out the inside of the pumpkin, leaving
only the rind. She carried it to the kitchen door. Then she touched the
rind with her wand. Instantly there stood a great coach covered with
gold.
"Where shall we find horses for such a great coach?" cried Cinderella.
"Bring the mouse trap from the cellar," the Fairy Godmother replied.
"Here are six live mice in the trap," said Cinderella breathlessly.
The Fairy Godmother lifted the door of the trap. She touched each of
the mice with her wand as it ran out. The mice became six beautiful
white horses standing before the coach.
"Where shall we find a coachman to drive the horses?" asked
Cinderella.
"Bring the rat trap to me," replied the Fairy Godmother.
Cinderella brought the rat trap, and in it was a large gray rat.
At a touch of the wand, the rat was changed into a coachman. He sat in
state upon the coach.

"Now run into the garden again. You will find two lizards behind the
watering pot. Bring them to me."
The Fairy Godmother touched the lizards with her wand. In their place
stood two footmen in splendid livery.
They stepped to the back of the coach as if they had been footmen all
their lives.
Then the kind Fairy Godmother touched Cinderella's clothes with her
wand. The rags became a beautiful costume of satin, covered with
pearls. In place of her old shoes were glass slippers that had been made
by the fairies. They were the very prettiest little slippers in the world.
Never had Cinderella been so happy!
"Now you may go to the ball, but do not fail to leave before midnight,"
said the Fairy Godmother.
"If you stay until the clock strikes twelve," added the Fairy Godmother,
"your coach will again become a pumpkin; your horses will be mice;
your coachman will be a rat; your footmen will be lizards, and your
beautiful dress will become rags."
Cinderella stepped into the coach. A few minutes later, the white horses
dashed into the royal courtyard.
The door of the coach was flung open, and Cinderella stepped out.
As Cinderella entered the ball room, the prince hastened to meet her.
"Never," said he to himself, "have I seen anyone so lovely!"
Cinderella was so beautiful, so elegantly dressed, and she danced so
well, that the prince fell in love with her. He would dance with no one
else.
The evening passed away like a dream. Suddenly Cinderella heard a
clock chime three quarters past eleven.
She bade the prince good-night and was soon on her way home in the
pumpkin coach.
When Cinderella reached home, she found her Fairy Godmother
waiting to hear about the ball.
"It was fine!" said