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CINDERELLA. |
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also went into another room with her mother, and found that she could not get the slipper over her heel.
" Cut a piece off," said her mother, offering her a knife ; " when you are queen you will not have to use your feet much."
The maiden cut a piece off her heel, and fitted on the slipper in spite of the pain, and then went to the prince. They also had to pass the grave of Cinderella's mother, in which the two doves still sat and cried—
" Go back, go back, There is blood in the shoe, The shoe is too small, That bride will not do."
So the messenger examined the shoe and found the white stocking quite red with blood. He took the false bride back to the house, and this time the king's son went with him.
"Hast thou not another daughter?"asked the prince of Cinderella's father.
" None," he said, " excepting the child of my first wife, a little Cinderella; she could not possibly be your bride." "Send for her," said the prince.
But the step-mother answered, " Oh, no; I dare not let you see her, she is much too dirty."
But the prince insisted that Cinderella should be sent for, so at last they called her in.
After washing her hands and face, she made her appearance, and bowed to the prince, who offered her the golden shoe. She seated herself on a footstool, took off the heavy wooden shoe from her left foot, and slipped on the golden slipper, which fitted her exactly. Then, as she lifted up her head and looked at the king, he recognised the beautiful maiden who had danced with him at the ball, and exclaimed, " That is the right bride V
The step-mother and her two daughters were in a dreadful rage when they heard this, and turned white with anger.
But the prince disregarded their anger, and taking Cinderella on his horse, rode away with her. As they passed the hazel-tree on the grass, the two white doves cried—
M Fair maid and true, No blood in her shoe ; She is the bride, With the prince by her side.* |
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