Cinderella

One of the most popular versions of Cinderella was written by Charles Perrault in 1697. This was due to the popularity of his additions of; the pumpkin, the fairy-godmother and the introduction of glass slippers.

Once there was a widower who for his second wife married a proud woman. She had two daughters, who were equally vain. By his first wife, he had a beautiful young daughter who was a girl of goodness and sweet temper. The Stepmother and her daughters forced the first daughter to complete all the housework. When the girl had done her work, she sat in the cinders, which caused her to be called "Cinderella". The poor girl bore it patiently, but she dared not tell her father, who would have scolded her; his wife controlled him entirely.

One day, the King’s herald read aloud that all the young ladies in the land are invited to a ball so the Prince could choose a wife. As the two Stepsisters were invited, they excitedly planned their wardrobes. Although Cinderella helped them with their gowns and dreamed of going to the ball, they taunted her by saying a maid could never attend a ball.

As the sisters swept away to the ball, Cinderella cried in misery. Soon she was startled by her Fairy Godmother who magically appeared and vowed to assist Cinderella in attending the ball. She turned a pumpkin into a coach, mice into horses, a rat into a coachman, and lizards into footmen. She then turned Cinderella's rags into a beautiful gown, complete with a delicate pair of glass slippers. The Godmother told her to enjoy the ball, but return before midnight for the spells would be broken.

At the ball she was completely unrecognized by her sisters. However, she lost track of time and left only at the final stroke of midnight, losing one of her glass slippers on the steps of the palace. The Prince chased her, but outside the palace, the guards had seen only a simple country wench leave. The Prince kept the slipper and vowed to find and marry the girl to whom it belonged. Meanwhile, Cinderella kept the other slipper, which had not disappeared when the spell had broken.

The Prince tried the slipper on all the young women in the land. When the Prince arrived at Cinderella's villa, the Stepsisters tried in vain. When Cinderella asked if she might try, the Stepsisters taunted her. Naturally, the slipper fit perfectly, and Cinderella produced the other slipper for good measure.

Cinderella returned to the palace where she married the Prince, and the Stepsisters also married two lords.