CINDERELLA, OR THE LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER

Once upon a time there was a gentleman who married, for his second wife, the proudest and most haughty woman that ever was seen. She had two daughters of her own, who were, indeed, exactly like her in all things. The gentleman had also a young daughter, of rare goodness and sweetness of temper, which she took from her mother, who was the best creature in the world.

The wedding was scarcely over, when the stepmother’s bad temper began to show itself. She could not bear the goodness of this young girl, because it made her own daughters appear the more odious. The stepmother gave her the meanest work in the house to do; she had to scour the dishes, tables, etc., and to scrub the floors and clean out the bedrooms. The poor girl had to sleep in the garret, upon a wretched straw bed, while her sisters lay in fine rooms with inlaid floors, upon beds of the very newest fashion, and where they had looking-glasses so large that they might see themselves at their full length. The poor girl bore all patiently, and dared not complain to her father, who would have scolded her if she had done so, for his wife governed him entirely.
When she had done her work, she used to go into the chimney corner, and sit down among the cinders, hence she was called Cinderwench. The younger sister of the two, who was not so rude and uncivil as the elder, called her Cinderella. However, Cinderella, in spite of her mean apparel, was a hundred times more handsome than her sisters, though they were always richly dressed.
It happened that the King’s son gave a ball, and invited to it all persons of fashion. Our young misses were also invited, for they cut a very grand figure among the people of the country-side. They were highly delighted with the invitation, and wonderfully busy in choosing the gowns, petticoats, and head-dresses which might best become them. This made Cinderella’s lot still harder, for it was she who ironed her sisters’ linen and plaited their ruffles. They talked all day long of nothing but how they should be dressed.
‘For my part,’ said the elder, ‘I will wear my red velvet suit with French trimmings.’
‘And I,’ said the younger, ‘shall wear my usual skirt; but then, to make amends for that I will put on my gold-flowered mantle, and my diamond stomacher, which is far from being the most ordinary one in the world.’ They sent for the best hairdressers they could get to make up their hair in fashionable style, and bought patches for their cheeks. Cinderella was consulted in all these matters, for she had good taste. She advised them always for the best, and even offered her services to dress their hair, which they were very willing she should do.
As she was doing this, they said to her:—
‘Cinderella, would you not be glad to go to the ball?’
‘Young ladies,’ she said, ‘you only jeer at me; it is not for such as I am to go there.’
‘You are right,’ they replied; ‘people would laugh to see a Cinderwench at a ball.’
Any one but Cinderella would have dressed their hair awry, but she was good-natured, and arranged it perfectly well. They were almost two days without eating, so much were they transported with joy. They broke above a dozen laces in trying to lace themselves tight, that they might have a fine, slender shape, and they were continually at their looking-glass.
At last the happy day came; they went to Court, and Cinderella followed them with her eyes as long as she could, and when she had lost sight of them, she fell a-crying.
Her godmother, who saw her all in tears, asked her what was the matter.
‘I wish I could—I wish I could—‘ but she could not finish for sobbing.
Her godmother, who was a fairy, said to her, ‘You wish you could go to the ball; is it not so?’
‘Alas, yes,’ said Cinderella, sighing.
‘Well,’ said her godmother, ‘be but a good girl, and I will see that you go.’ Then she took her into her chamber, and said to her, ‘Run into the garden, and bring me a pumpkin.’
Cinderella went at once to gather the finest she could get, and brought it to her godmother, not being able to imagine how this pumpkin could help her to go to the ball. Her godmother scooped out all the inside of it, leaving nothing but the rind. Then she struck it with her wand, and the pump kin was instantly turned into a fine gilded coach.
She then went to look into the mouse-trap, where she found six mice, all alive. She ordered Cinderella to lift the trap-door, when, giving each mouse, as it went out, a little tap with her wand, it was that moment turned into a fine horse, and the six mice made a fine set of six horses of a beautiful mouse-colored, dapple gray.
Being at a loss for a coachman, Cinderella said, ‘I will go and see if there is not a rat in the rat-trap—we may make a coachman of him.’
‘You are right,’ replied her godmother; ‘go and look.’
Cinderella brought the rat-trap to her, and in it there were three huge rats. The fairy chose the one which had the largest beard, and, having touched him with her wand, he was turned into a fat coachman with the finest mustache and whiskers ever seen.
After that, she said to her:—
‘Go into the garden, and you will find six lizards behind the watering-pot; bring them to me.’
She had no sooner done so than her godmother turned them into six footmen, who skipped up immediately behind the coach, with their liveries all trimmed with gold and silver, and they held on as if they had done nothing else their whole lives.
The fairy then said to Cinderella, ‘Well, you see here a carriage fit to go to the ball in; are you not pleased with it?’
‘Oh, yes!’ she cried; ‘but must I go as I am in these rags?’
Her godmother simply touched her with her wand, and, at the same moment, her clothes were turned into cloth of gold and silver, all decked with jewels. This done, she gave her a pair of the prettiest glass slippers in the whole world. Being thus attired, she got into the carriage, her godmother commanding her, above all things, not to stay till after midnight, and telling her, at the same time, that if she stayed one moment longer, the coach would be a pumpkin again, her horses mice, her coachman a rat, her footmen lizards, and her clothes would become just as they were before.
She promised her godmother she would not fail to leave the ball before midnight. She drove away, scarce able to contain herself for joy. The King’s son, who was told that a great princess, whom nobody knew, was come, ran out to receive her. He gave her his hand as she alighted from the coach, and led her into the hall where the company were assembled. There was at once a profound silence; every one left off dancing, and the violins ceased to play, so attracted was every one by the singular beauties of the unknown newcomer. Nothing was then heard but a confused sound of voices saying:—
‘Ha! how beautiful she is! Ha! how beautiful she is!’
The King himself, old as he was, could not keep his eyes off her, and he told the Queen under his breath that it was a long time since he had seen so beautiful and lovely a creature.
All the ladies were busy studying her clothes and head-dress, so that they might have theirs made next day after the same pattern, provided they could meet with such fine materials and able hands to make them.
The King’s son conducted her to the seat of honor, and afterwards took her out to dance with him. She danced so very gracefully that they all admired her more and more. A fine collation was served, but the young Prince ate not a morsel, so intently was he occupied with her.
She went and sat down beside her sisters, showing them a thousand civilities, and giving them among other things part of the oranges and citrons with which the Prince had regaled her. This very much surprised them, for they had not been presented to her.
Cinderella heard the clock strike a quarter to twelve. She at once made her adieus to the company and hastened away as fast as she could.
As soon as she got home, she ran to find her godmother, and, after having thanked her, she said she much wished she might go to the ball the next day, because the King’s son had asked her to do so. As she was eagerly telling her godmother all that happened at the ball, her two sisters knocked at the door; Cinderella opened it. ‘How long you have stayed!’ said she, yawning, rubbing her eyes, and stretching herself as if she had been just awakened. She had not, however, had any desire to sleep since they went from home.
‘If you had been at the ball,’ said one of her sisters, ‘you would not have been tired with it. There came thither the finest princess, the most beautiful ever was seen with mortal eyes. She showed us a thousand civilities, and gave us oranges and citrons.’
Cinderella did not show any pleasure at this. Indeed, she asked them the name of the princess; but they told her they did not know it, and that the King’s son was very much concerned, and would give all the world to know who she was. At this Cinderella, smiling, replied:—
‘Was she then so very beautiful? How fortunate you have been! Could I not see her? Ah! dear Miss Charlotte, do lend me your yellow suit of clothes which you wear every day.’
‘Ay, to be sure!’ cried Miss Charlotte; ‘lend my clothes to such a dirty Cinderwench as thou art! I should be out of my mind to do so.’
Cinderella, indeed, expected such an answer and was very glad of the refusal; for she would have been sadly troubled if her sister had lent her what she jestingly asked for. The next day the two sisters went to the ball, and so did Cinderella, but dressed more magnificently than before. The King’s son was always by her side, and his pretty speeches to her never ceased. These by no means annoyed the young lady. Indeed, she quite forgot her godmother’s orders to her, so that she heard the clock begin to strike twelve when she thought it could not be more than eleven. She then rose up and fled, as nimble as a deer. The Prince followed, but could not overtake her. She left behind one of her glass slippers, which the Prince took up most carefully. She got home, but quite out of breath, without her carriage, and in her old clothes, having nothing left her of all her finery but one of the little slippers, fellow to the one she had dropped. The guards at the palace gate were asked if they had not seen a princess go out, and they replied they had seen nobody go out but a young girl, very meanly dressed, and who had more the air of a poor country girl than of a young lady.
When the two sisters returned from the ball, Cinderella asked them if they had had a pleasant time, and if the fine lady had been there. They told her, yes; but that she hurried away the moment it struck twelve, and with so much haste that she dropped one of her little glass slippers, the prettiest in the world, which the King’s son had taken up. They said, further, that he had done nothing but look at her all the time, and that most certainly he was very much in love with the beautiful owner of the glass slipper.
What they said was true; for a few days after the King’s son caused it to be proclaimed, by sound of trumpet, that he would marry her whose foot this slipper would fit exactly. They began to try it on the princesses, then on the duchesses, and then on all the ladies of the Court; but in vain. It was brought to the two sisters, who did all they possibly could to thrust a foot into the slipper, but they could not succeed. Cinderella, who saw this, and knew her slipper, said to them, laughing:—
‘Let me see if it will not fit me.’
Her sisters burst out a-laughing, and began to banter her. The gentleman who was sent to try the slipper looked earnestly at Cinderella, and, finding her very handsome, said it was but just that she should try, and that he had orders to let every lady try it on.
He obliged Cinderella to sit down, and, putting the slipper to her little foot, he found it went on very easily, and fitted her as if it had been made of wax. The astonishment of her two sisters was great, but it was still greater when Cinderella pulled out of her pocket the other slipper and put it on her foot. Thereupon, in came her godmother, who, having touched Cinderella’s clothes with her wand, made them more magnificent than those she had worn before.
And now her two sisters found her to be that beautiful lady they had seen at the ball. They threw themselves at her feet to beg pardon for all their ill treatment of her. Cinderella took them up, and, as she embraced them, said that she forgave them with all her heart, and begged them to love her always.
She was conducted to the young Prince, dressed as she was. He thought her more charming than ever, and, a few days after, married her. Cinderella, who was as good as she was beautiful, gave her two sisters a home in the palace, and that very same day married them to two great lords of the Court.

PETER PAN

Wendy, John, and Michael Darling lived in London. One night, Wendy woke to find a strange boy sitting on the floor who was crying.
“My name is Wendy,” she said. “Who are you? Why are you crying?
“I’m Peter Pan,” the boy replied. “I’m crying because my shadow won’t stick to me.”
“Don’t cry,” Wendy said. “We can fix that.” And she sewed Peter’s shadow to the tips of his shoes. Peter was delighted.
“Fly back to Neverland with me and my fairy, Tinker Bell,” Peter begged. “You could be our mother and take care of us.”
“Can you teach me to fly?” Wendy asked. Peter nodded.
“Let’s wake John and Michael,” Wendy said. “You can teach us all to fly and then we
will leave for Neverland !”
The children were soon flying around the room. then—Swoosh ! Out the window they all flew.
Wendy, John, and Michael flew behind Peter Pan and Tinker Bell, following the golden arrows that pointed the way to Neverland. Finally, they were flying over the island.
“The lost boys live with me and Tinker Bell. I’m their captain,” Peter said. “The Indians live over there, and the mermaids live in the lagoon. And there are pirates too, led by Captain Hook.”
“Pirates?” exclaimed Wendy, John, and Michael, all in the same breath. Wendy was frightened, but Michael and John wanted to see the pirates right away.
“Hook’s the meanest pirate ever,” Peter warned. “But he’s afraid of the crocodile. The crocodile bit off Hook’s hand and liked the taste so much that it follows him, hoping for more. Luckily for Hook, the crocodile swallowed a clock. It goes ‘Tick, Mock, and warns Hook when the crocodile is nearby”
“Oh, my” cried Wendy, not sure if she really wanted to stay in Neverlanc: after all.
Peter led Wendy, John, and Michael to his house under the woods. They entered through a door hidden in an old tree stump. When the lost boys saw Wendy, they shouted, “Hooray ! Will you be our mother?”
“I’m only a little girl,” Wendy answered. “I have no experience.” But the lost boys looked so sad that she said, “I’ll do my best.”
That night Wendy tucked the boys into bed and told them the tale of Cinderella.
Life was pleasant in the cosy house under the woods.
Wendy took care of the boys, who explored the island during the day. At night, they gathered for meals, played make- believe games, and listened while Wendy told them stories.
One day, Peter and the children went exploring near the mermaids’ lagoon. Suddenly Peter yelled, “Pirates ! Take cover.” The boys ran away, and Peter and Wendy hid.
Peter and Wendy could see that the pirates had tied up Tiger Lily, the Indian princess. The pirates had left her on a rock in the lagoon.
Peter was afraid that Tiger Lily would drown when the tide came in. He had to save her ! In a voice that sounded just like Captain Hook’s, he shouted, “Set her free !”
“But, Captain,” the pirates yelled, “you ordered us to bring her here !”
“Let her go !’ Peter roared, still sounding like Hook. “Aye, aye,” the pirates said, and set Tiger Lily free. She swam quickly back to the Indian camp.
When Captain Hook found out what had happened, he knew Peter had tricked his pirates. Hook became furious!
That night, Wendy told the boys a story about three children who left their parents and flew to Neverland. Their mother and father missed them very much. The children loved Neverland, but they never forgot their home.
“Did they ever go back?” the lost boys asked.
“Oh, yes,” Wendy replied. “They flew home to their mummy and daddy, and everyone was happy.”
The story made Wendy, John, and Michael homesick. They decided to fly home the next morning. “If you come back with us,” Wendy told the lost boys, I’m sure our mother and father would adopt you.”
“Hooray !” shouted the boys, jumping with joy.
Wendy asked Peter if he and Tinker Bell would come home with them too. But Peter didn’t want to live where grown-ups could tell him what to do.
Peter was sad that his friends were leaving. Still, he wanted the children to arrive home safely, so he asked Tinker Bell to guide them on their trip.
Early the next morning, Tinker Bell and the children left the house under the woods. But Captain Hook’s pirates were hiding nearby. They captured all the children, tied them up, and marched them towards the pirate’s ship.
Tinker Bell escaped, and hurried back to tell Peter what had happened.
“It’s Hook or me this time !” yelled Peter to Tinker Bell as they flew off to save Wendy and the boys.
On the pirate’s ship, Captain Hook demanded, “Who wants to become a pirate?” The boys shook their heads.
“Then make them walk the plank !” Hook roared. The boys tried to look brave, but they were afraid.
Suddenly, they heard the “Tick, Tock” of the crocodile. Now it was Captain Hook’s turn to be afraid.
But the “Tick, Tock” was only Peter, imitating the crocodile-. He flew onto the deck and shouted, “I’ve got you now, Hook !” Captain Hook jumped up and swung at Peter with his sword. Peter was quick, and stepped away. He slashed at Hook with his own sword until they came close to the edge of the ship.
Peter lunged with his sword, and Hook fell into the sea, where the crocodile was waiting for him. And that was the end of Captain. I-look!
When Peter was certain that Hook was gone forever, he and Tinker Bell set off for London with Wendy and the boys.
Wendy’s parents were happy to see their children again. Mr. and Mrs. Darling hugged Wendy, John, and Michael, and agreed to adopt the lost boys. They asked Peter to stay with them also, but he said, “I’m going to stay in Neverland where I never have to grow up.”
“Goodbye then, Peter. We’ll miss you,” everyone called. Peter Pan and Tinker Bell waved goodbye and flew home to Neverland.