The Fairy Book | Page 9

stir: so he
was forced to stretch himself out at full length, and wait for some one
to come and help him.

Now a good many faggot-makers passed near the place where the Ogre
lay; and, when they heard him groan, they went up to ask him what was
the matter. But the Ogre had eaten such a great number of children in
his lifetime, that he had grown so very big and fat that these men could
not even have carried one of his legs; so they were forced to leave him
there. At last night came on, and then a large serpent came out of a
wood just by, and stung him, so that he died in great pain.
By and by, Hop-o'-my-thumb, who had become the king's first
favourite, heard of the Ogre's death; and the first thing he did was to
tell his majesty all that the good-natured Ogress had done to save the
lives of himself and brothers. The king was so much pleased at what he
heard, that he asked Hop-o'-my-thumb if there was any favour he could
bestow upon her? Hop-o'-my-thumb thanked the king, and desired that
the Ogress might have the noble title of Duchess of Draggletail given to
her; which was no sooner asked than granted. The Ogress then came to
court, and lived very happily for many years, enjoying the vast fortune
she had found in the Ogre's chests. As for Hop-o'-my-thumb, he every
day grew more witty and brave; till at last the king made him the
greatest lord in the kingdom, and set him over all his affairs.

CINDERELLA
OR,
The Little Glass Slipper.
There was once an honest gentle man who took for his second wife a
lady, the proudest and most disagreeable in the whole country. She had
two daughters exactly like herself in all things. He also had one little
girl, who resembled her dead mother, the best woman in all the world.
Scarcely had the second marriage taken place, than the stepmother
became jealous of the good qualities of the little girl, who was so great
a contrast to her own two daughters. She gave her all the menial
occupations of the house; compelled her to wash the floors and
staircases, to dust the bed-rooms, and clean the grates; and while her

sisters occupied carpeted chambers hung with mirrors, where they
could see themselves from head to foot, this poor little damsel was sent
to sleep in an attic, on an old straw mattress, with only one chair and
not a looking-glass in the room.
She suffered all in silence, not daring to complain to her father, who
was entirely ruled by his new wife. When her daily work was done she
used to sit down in the chimney-corner among the ashes; from which
the two sisters gave her the nick-name of Cinderella. But Cinderella,
however shabbily clad, was handsomer than they were with all their
fine clothes.
It happened that the king's son gave a series of balls, to which were
invited all the rank and fashion of the city, and among the rest the two
elder sisters. They were very proud and happy, and occupied their
whole time in deciding what they should wear; a source of new trouble
to Cinderella, whose duty it was to get up their fine linen and laces, and
who never could please them however much she tried. They talked of
nothing but their clothes.
"I," said the elder, "shall wear my velvet gown and my trimmings of
English lace."
"And I," added the younger, "will have but my ordinary silk petticoat,
but I shall adorn it with an upper skirt of flowered brocade, and shall
put on my diamond tiara, which is a great deal finer than anything of
yours."
Here the elder sister grew angry, and the dispute began to run so high,
that Cinderella, who was known to have excellent taste, was called
upon to decide between them. She gave them the best advice she could,
and gently and submissively offered to dress them herself, and
especially to arrange their hair, an accomplishment in which she
excelled many a noted coiffeur. The important evening came, and she
exercised all her skill to adorn the two young ladies. While she was
combing out the elder's hair, this ill-natured girl said sharply,
"Cinderella, do you not wish you were going to the ball?"

"Ah, madam" (they obliged her always to say madam), "you are only
mocking me; it is not my fortune to have any such pleasure."
"You are right; people would only laugh to see a little cinder-wench at
a ball."
Any other than Cinderella would have dressed the hair all awry, but she
was good, and dressed it perfectly even and smooth, and as prettily as