they replied that she had, but that she had fled at c

the stroke of twelve and had left behind a glass
slipper—the most lovely that could be conceived ;
that the king’s son had picked it up, and that he
had been quite disconsolate after she had dis-
appeared, and had refused to dance or to eat or
drink anything, but had sat in a corner sighing
and looking at the glass slipper.

On the following morning the town was aroused
by the blowing of trumpets, and, upon the people
coming out to know the occasion, they found the
royal heralds with a chamberlain and guards, and
an attendant carrying a crimson velvet cushion,
upon which was placed the glass slipper. The
chamberlain announced that all single ladies were
to try on the glass slipper, and that the prince had
gerlated he would marry the one whom it would

The slipper was tried first on the princesses,
then on all the noble ladies, then on all the court
ladies, but in vain ; their feet were too large. Then
it was tried on in the town by the daughters of
the citizens, and the chamberlain brought it to the
house of the sisters. The eldest saw at a glance
that her foot would not go in, so she made an
excuse, ran into the kitchen and cut off her toes.
But even so her foot would not fit into the shoe,
and she was obliged to abandon the attempt.
Then it was offered to the second sister. She saw
at a glance that it was too small for her foot, so
she ran into the kitchen and cut off her heel.
But even so she could not get her foot into the
glass slipper.

The chamberlain was about to leave when he
caught sight of Cinderella in the chimney corner,
and he requested her to try on the glass slipper.
The sisters set up a loud laugh, and said the
idea was ridiculous! However, the chamber-
lain insisted on it, and no sooner was the glass

31

INDER-
ELLA