Cinderella-(From Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm) Germany

The woman had brought two daughters into the house with her, who were beautiful and fair of face, but vile and black of heart. Now began a bad time for the poor step-child. “Is the stupid goose to sit in the parlor with us?” said they. “He who wants to eat bread must earn it; out with the kitchen-wench.” They took her pretty clothes away from her, put an old gray bedgown on her, and gave her wooden shoes. “Just look at the proud princess, how decked out she is!” they cried, and laughed, and led her into the kitchen. There she had to do hard work from morning till night, get up before daybreak, carry water, light fires, cook and wash. Besides this, the sisters did her every imaginable injury—they mocked her and emptied her peas and lentils into the ashes, so that she was forced to sit and pick them out again. In the evening when she had worked till she was weary she had no bed to go to, but had to sleep by the fireside in the ashes. And as on that account she always looked dusty and dirty, they called her Cinderella. It happened that the father was once going to the fair, and he asked his two step-daughters what he should bring back for them. “Beautiful dresses,” said one. “Pearls and jewels,” said the second. “And thou, Cinderella,” said he, “what wilt thou have?” “Father, break off for me the first branch which knocks against your hat on your way home.” So he bought beautiful dresses, pearls and jewels for his two step-daughters, and on his way home, as he was riding through a green thicket, a hazel twig brushed against him and knocked off his hat. Then he broke off the branch and took it with him. When he reached home he gave his step-daughters the things which they had wished for, and to Cinderella he gave the branch from the hazel-bush. Cinderella thanked him, went to her mother's grave and planted the branch on it, and wept so much that the tears fell down on it and watered it. It grew, however, and became a handsome tree. Thrice a day Cinderella went and sat beneath it, and wept and prayed, and a little white bird always came on the tree, and if Cinderella expressed a wish, the bird threw down to her what she had wished for.

It happened, however, that the King appointed a festival which was to last three days, and to which all the beautiful young girls in the country were invited, in order that his son might choose himself a bride. When the two step-sisters heard that they, too, were to appear among the number, they were delighted, called Cinderella and said, “Comb our hair for us, brush our shoes and fasten our buckles, for we are going to the festival at the King’s palace.” Cinderella obeyed, but wept, because she, too, would have liked to go with them to the dance, and begged her step-mother to allow her to do so. “Thou go, Cinderella!” said she. “Thou art dusty and dirty, and wouldst go to the festival? Thou has no clothes and shoes, and yet wouldst dance!” As, however, Cinderella went on asking, the step-mother at last said, “I have emptied a dish of lentils into the ashes for thee; if thou hast picked them out again in two hours, thou shalt go with us.” The maiden went through the back-door into the garden, and called, “You tame pigeons, you turtle-doves, and all you birds beneath the sky, come and help me to pick

“The good into the pot, 
The bad into the crop.”

Then two white pigeons came in by the kitchen window, and afterwards the turtle-doves, and at last all the birds beneath the sky came whirring and crowding in, and alighted amongst the ashes. And the pigeons nodded with their heads and began pick, pick, pick, pick, and the rest began also pick, pick, pick, pick, and gathered all the good grains into the dish. Hardly had one hour passed before they had finished, and all flew out again. Then the girl took the dish to her step-mother, and was glad, and believed that now she would be allowed to go with them to the festival. But the step-mother said, “No, Cinderella, thou hast no clothes and thou canst not dance; thou wouldst only be laughed at.” And as Cinderella wept at this, the step-mother said, “If thou canst pick two dishes of lentils out of the ashes for me in one hour, thou shalt go with us.” And she thought to herself, “That she most certainly cannot do.” When the step-mother had emptied the two dishes of lentils amongst the ashes, the maiden went through the back-door into the garden and cried, “You tame pigeons, you turtle-doves, and all you birds under heaven, come and help me to pick

“The good into the pot,
The bad into the crop.”

Then two white pigeons came in by the kitchen window, and afterwards the turtle-doves, and at length all the birds beneath the sky came whirring and crowding in, and alighted amongst the ashes. And the doves nodded with their heads and began pick, pick, pick, pick, and the others began also pick, pick, pick, pick, and gathered all the good seeds into the dishes, and before half an hour was over they had already finished, and all flew out again. Then the maiden carried the dishes to the step-mother and was delighted, and believed that she might now go with them to the festival. But the step-mother said, “All this will not help; thou goest not with us, for thou hast no clothes and canst not dance; we should be ashamed of thee!” On this she turned her back on Cinderella, and hurried away with her two proud daughters.

As no one was now at home, Cinderella went to her mother's grave beneath the hazel-tree, and cried,

“Shiver and quiver, my little tree,
Silver and gold throw down over me.”
Then the bird threw a gold and silver dress down to her, and slippers embroidered with silk and silver. She put on the dress with all speed, and went to the festival. Her step-sisters and the step-mother, however, did not know her, and thought she must be a foreign princess, for she looked so beautiful in the golden dress. They never once thought of Cinderella, and believed that she was sitting at home in the dirt, picking lentils out of the ashes. The prince went to meet her, took her by the hand and danced with her. He would dance with no other maiden, and never left loose of her hand, and if any one else came to invite her, he said, “This is my partner.”

She danced till it was evening, and then she wanted to go home. But the King’s son said, “I will go with thee and bear thee company,” for he wished to see to whom the beautiful maiden belonged. She escaped from him, however, and sprang into the pigeon-house. The King’s son waited until her father came, and then he told him that the stranger maiden had leapt into the pigeon-house. The old man thought, “Can it be Cinderella?” and they had to bring him an axe and a pickaxe that he might hew the pigeon-house to pieces, but no one was inside it. And when they got home Cinderella lay in her dirty clothes among the ashes, and a dim little oil-lamp was burning on the mantle-piece, for Cinderella had jumped quickly down from the back of the pigeon-house and had run to the little hazel-tree, and there she had taken off her beautiful clothes and laid them on the grave, and the bird had taken them away again, and then she had placed herself in the kitchen amongst the ashes in her gray gown.

Next day when the festival began afresh, and her parents and the step-sisters had gone once more, Cinderella went to the hazel-tree and said—

“Shiver and quiver, my little tree,
Silver and gold throw down over me.”

Then the bird threw down a much more beautiful dress than on the preceding day. And when Cinderella appeared at the festival in this dress, every one was astonished at her beauty. The King’s son had waited until she came, and instantly took her by the hand and danced with no one but her. When others came and invited her, he said, “She is my partner.” When evening came she wished to leave, and the King’s son followed her and wanted to see into which house she went. But she sprang away from him, and into the garden behind the house. Therein stood a beautiful tall tree on which hung the most magnificent pears. She clambered so nimbly between the branches like a squirrel, that the King’s son did not know where she was gone. He waited until her father came, and said to him, “The stranger maiden has escaped from me, and I believe she has climbed up the pear-tree.” The father thought, “Can it be Cinderella?” and had an axe brought and cut the tree down, but no one was on it. And when they got into the kitchen, Cinderella lay there amongst the ashes, as usual, for she had jumped down on the other side of the tree, had taken the beautiful dress to the bird on the little hazel-tree, and put on her gray gown.

On the third day, when the parents and sisters had gone away, Cinderella went once more to her mother's grave and said to the little tree—

“Shiver and quiver, my little tree,
Silver and gold throw down over me.”

And now the bird threw down to her a dress which was more splendid and magnificent than any she had yet had, and the slippers were golden. And when she went to the festival in the dress, no one knew how to speak for astonishment. The King’s son danced with her only, and if any one invited her to dance, he said, “She is my partner.”

When evening came, Cinderella wished to leave, and the King’s son was anxious to go with her, but she escaped from him so quickly that he could not follow her. The King’s son, had, however, used a stratagem, and had caused the whole staircase to be smeared with pitch, and there, when she ran down, had the maiden’s left slipper remained sticking. The King’s son picked it up, and it was small and dainty, and all golden. Next morning, he went with it to the father, and said to him, “No one shall be my wife but she whose foot this golden slipper fits.” Then were the two sisters glad, for they had pretty feet. The eldest went with the shoe into her room and wanted to try it on, and her mother stood by. But she could not get her big toe into it, and the shoe was too small for her. Then her mother gave her a knife and said, “Cut the toe off; when thou art Queen thou wilt have no more need to go on foot.” The maiden cut the toe off, forced the foot into the shoe, swallowed the pain, and went out to the King’s son. Then he took her on his horse as his bride and rode away with her. They were obliged, however, to pass the grave, and there, on the hazel-tree, sat the two pigeons and cried,

“Turn and peep, turn and peep,
There’s blood within the shoe,
The shoe it is too small for her,
The true bride waits for you.”

Then he looked at her foot and saw how the blood was streaming from it. He turned his horse round and took the false bride home again, and said she was not the true one, and that the other sister was to put the shoe on. Then this one went into her chamber and got her toes safely into the shoe, but her heel was too large. So her mother gave her a knife and said, “Cut a bit off thy heel; when thou art Queen thou wilt have no more need to go on foot.” The maiden cut a bit off her heel, forced her foot into the shoe, swallowed the pain, and went out to the King’s son. He took her on his horse as his bride, and rode away with her, but when they passed by the hazel-tree, the two pigeons sat on it and cried,

“Turn and peep, turn and peep,
There’s blood within the shoe,
The shoe it is too small for her,
The true bride waits for you.”

He looked down at her foot and saw how the blood was running out of her shoe, and how it had stained her white stocking. Then he turned his horse and took the false bride home again. “This also is not the right one,” said he, “have you no other daughter?” “No,” said the man. “There is still a little stunted kitchen-wench which my late wife left behind her, but she cannot possibly be the bride.” The King’s son said he was to send her up to him; but the mother answered, “Oh, no, she is much too dirty; she cannot show herself!” He absolutely insisted on it, and Cinderella had to be called. She first washed her hands and face clean, and then went and bowed down before the King’s son, who gave her the golden shoe. Then she seated herself on a stool, drew her foot out of the heavy wooden shoe, and put it into the slipper, which fitted like a glove. And when she rose up and the King’s son looked at her face, he recognized the beautiful maiden who had danced with him and cried, “That is the true bride!” The step-mother and the two sisters were terrified and became pale with rage; he, however, took Cinderella on his horse and rode away with her. As they passed by the hazel-tree, the two white doves cried,

“Turn and peep, turn and peep,
No blood is in the shoe,
The shoe is not too small for her,
The true bride rides with you,”

and when they had cried that, the two came flying down and placed themselves on Cinderella’s shoulders, one on the right, the other on the left, and remained sitting there.

When the wedding with the King’s son had to be celebrated, the two false sisters came and wanted to get into favor with Cinderella and share her good fortune. When the betrothed couple went to church, the elder was at the right side and the younger at the left, and the pigeons pecked out one eye of each of them. Afterwards as they came back the elder was at the left, and the younger at the right, and then the pigeons pecked out the other eye from each. And thus, for their wickedness and falsehood, they were punished with blindness as long as they lived.

Story taken from:  http://www.nationalgeographic.com/grimm/index2.html

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The Princess and the Golden Shoes-From Scotland

The new Queen was quite kind to the daughter of the first Queen, even when she had a little daughter of her own. But when the two Princesses were growing up and the Queen saw how much more beautiful the elder girl was than her own daughter, her feelings began to change. And jealousy---the monster with the green eye---came and dwelt in her breast, and caused her to be very cruel to her stepdaughter. She used to beat her very often, and she gave her very little to eat---and by and by she sent her out into the far-away field to herd the sheep. The poor young Princess had no one to help her. She could not appeal to the King, because he was away making war on another King in the Western Isles---and in his absence the Queen had complete authority over his kingdom.

The poor girl used to sit in the far-away field among the sheep, weeping quietly, and thinking how much better off they were than herself. But one member of the flock was sad when he saw her grief, for he loved his gentle shepherdess.

This was an old grey-horned sheep, but for whom she would certainly have starved, for he used to bring her food every day. And it greatly puzzled the cruel Queen to see that, although she gave her stepdaughter no food, she was not wasting away. So the Queen asked the henwife of the Palace---and a wicked creature she was!---to try and find out whether someone was bringing food to the Princess; and the henwife sent her daughter into the far-away field to spy on her. This girl, who was very sly and ugly, had---over and above the usual two eyes of other people---an invisible eye in the back of her head.

All day long she stayed out in the far-away field watching the Princess, who was growing hungrier and hungrier! But she dared not ask the grey-horned sheep for food, in case the henwife's daughter should see.

At last the latter began to yawn widely, and the Princess said to her: "Oh, poor girl, how tired you are! Do lie down and put your head on my knee and I will stroke your hair. And you will have a lovely sleep!"

The henwife's daughter, who was not a bit sleepy but only very bored, said she would do as the Princess proposed. And she laid her head on the Princess's knee and let her stroke her ugly hair. And presently her eyes closed and she pretended to be sleeping.

But her invisible eye was watching, and it saw the Princess beckon gently to the grey-horned sheep; and when the sheep came trotting up with food for her the eye saw that also. So the henwife's daughter went home and told it to the henwife, who told it to the Queen, that the grey-horned sheep was giving food to the Princess.

The Queen was very angry, and she sent the henwife for the Palace butcher, and gave him this order: "Go at once and kill the grey-horned sheep that is in the far-away field. Bring his flesh to be used in the Palace, but leave his skin and his bones in the field as a warning to the rest of the flock."

When the Princess saw the butcher coming she was very much distressed for her friend's sake, but the grey-horned sheep said: "You need not weep because I am going to be killed. Only wait until the butcher has gone away, then gather up my bones and roll them in my skin. You will see that I will come alive again and continue to help you."

And the Princess did what he told her, except that she forgot to put the sheep's trotters into his skin, so when he came alive again he was lame! But in spite of that he hobbled to meet her every day with food. And the Princess grew prettier and prettier, and the Queen grew more and more jealous for her own daughter.

One day a handsome young Prince from the southwest of Scotland came to hunt in the Western Highlands, and he saw a beautiful young girl herding sheep in a field. He stopped, enchanted, and he said to the nobles who were with him: "Find out who that beautiful girl is. I have never seen anyone so lovely!" 

When the nobles asked the country people about her they were told that the lovely shepherdess was a Princess whose stepmother was very unkind to her; and that while everyone was sorry for her, no one had the right to interfere with her stepmother's treatment of her.

By this time the young Prince had fallen deeply in love with the Princess, and he came again and again to the far-away field where she was herding, in order to look at her and talk to her. He told his nobles that---stepmother or no stepmother---he had made up his mind to marry her!

When it came to the knowledge of the henwife that a rich and handsome Prince was courting the Princess, she ran and told the Queen, who, furious at the idea of her stepdaughter making a good match, declared that the affair must be stopped forthwith. So the Princess was ordered to leave the far-away field, and the Queen sent her own daughter there in place of her. She hoped that the Prince might prefer her to her stepsister---which, of course, was absurd!

She sent her stepdaughter to work as a servant in the Palace kitchen, and she gave her clothes of the servants to wear. The Princess missed the fresh air of the fields very badly, and perhaps she missed the Prince also ! Anyhow, she took every chance of stealing out for a little while into the fresh evening air, and she generally found the Prince waiting on the chance of seeing her.

One day he brought her a present---a pair of beautiful golden shoes, which fitted her dainty feet to perfection. She was so pleased with them---and with their giver--- that she stayed longer than usual with him; and when she realized how time had passed she took fright and started to run back to the Palace as quickly as possible. In her haste she dropped one of her golden shoes, and she was afraid to wait to pick it up. So the Prince picked up the little golden shoe and he ran after her; but when he reached the Palace the great gate was closed. On the following day he took the golden shoe with him and went boldly to the Palace. He was just about to knock on the gate when it opened to let the Queen come out.

"Well?" she said graciously to the handsome young man. "Well, who are you, and what do you want?"

Showing her the little olden shoe in his hand he said to her: "Do you see this shoe? Its fellow is already within your gates, and I will marry the one whose foot it fits."

The Queen did a bit of quick thinking, and then--- taking the shoe from his hand---she said to the Prince: "Come along into the Palace then, and I shall help you to find the one whose foot this shoe will fit."

She led him indoors, and after inviting him to wait in one of the reception rooms she ran to the kitchen. There her stepdaughter was cooking the dinner, and the Queen hustled her into a curious sort of niche at the back of the fire-place and told her that on no account was she to come out until she was given permission to do so.

Then she sent for her own daughter, and when she came the Queen told her to try on the little golden shoe.

"Oh mother!" the girl said, "I could never wear this shoe. It is far too small! No one except my sister has such tiny feet!"

"Stuff and nonsense!" the Queen said angrily. "Are you going to allow a little discomfort to stand in your own light? You must put on this shoe!"

And she called the henwife to come in, saying to her: "My daughter is to get that shoe on as quickly as possible. If the shoe will not fit the foot, make the foot fit the shoe!"

So the henwife seized the younger Princess's foot, and, regardless of her cries, she cut off the points of her toes and succeeded in thrusting her foot into the golden shoe.

"There you are!" she said. "It is a perfect fit!"

And the Queen went and fetched the Prince, saying to him: "Here is your bride ! See how perfectly the shoe fits her!"

The poor Prince was naturally much taken aback at this turn of affairs ! He had not imagined that there could be another foot in the whole world small enough to wear the little golden shoe! He did not know what to do, for he had definitely told the Queen that he would marry the one whose foot the shoe would fit---and there was no sign anywhere of his shepherdess.

The Queen insisted on sending out invitations to the Prince's wedding with her daughter, which she decided was to take place on the following day. The Prince could not sleep all night for perplexity, and when morning came the wedding guests began to arrive, and there seemed to be no escape for him! Soon a large and brilliant company was assembled; and the priest was just about to begin the marriage service when a bird came and alighted on the window sill, and said: "The blood's in the shoe, and the pretty foot's in the niche at the back of the fire!"

"What is that bird saying?" the young bridegroom asked.

"Never mind the bird---a horrid, beaky, lying creature!" replied the Queen. "Let the wedding go on!"

But, though she tried to chase it away, the bird returned again and yet again to the window sill; and the third time the Prince said: "I must hear what this bird is trying to tell us." And he went to the window, where he heard the bird say plainly, " The blood's in the shoe, and the pretty foot's in the niche at the back of the fire."

Then he turned to the Queen and said: "I am going to find out what he means by the niche at the back of the fire." And he left the room, to the chagrin of the Queen and the amazement of all the guests.

Room after room of the Palace he searched without success, but when he came to the kitchen he found the niche at the back of the fire, and standing in it, with a little golden shoe on one foot, was his beautiful shepherdess!

The Queen stamped and raged at the failure of her scheming, and she was still more angry when her own daughter---who had suffered agony when her toes were cut---kicked off the golden shoe that she wore, and said: "There you are! Take it away! I cannot bear it any longer."

And indeed it was little wonder that she wanted to get rid of the shoe, for it was full of blood!

The Prince's servants took and cleaned all the blood off it, and it slipped sweetly over the elder Princess's foot alongside of its fellow.

Never had such beautiful little feet been seen, and the Prince knelt down and kissed first one little golden shoe and then the other. Then, rising, he took the Princess by the hand and said:

"Thanks to the bird, I have found in the niche at the back of the fire my beautiful Princess with the dainty feet; there is now no blood in the shoes of gold!"

He took her away to his kingdom in the south-west, and there they were married and lived happily ever after. And the Princess always wore golden shoes.

Story taken from:  http://www.darsie.net/talesofwonder/ptgs.html

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There was once a King in the Western Highlands whose Queen died, leaving with him a baby daughter.
The Queen had been good and kind and beautiful and the King grieved long and sorely for her; and, indeed, all his subjects in the west country shared his sorrow. But as time went on everyone was agreed that it would be much better for the King as well as for the little Princess that he should take to himself a new Queen. And in due time the King saw that for himself, and he married again.

The new Queen was quite kind to the daughter of the first Queen, even when she had a little daughter of her own. But when the two Princesses were growing up and the Queen saw how much more beautiful the elder girl was than her own daughter, her feelings began to change. And jealousy---the monster with the green eye---came and dwelt in her breast, and caused her to be very cruel to her stepdaughter. She used to beat her very often, and she gave her very little to eat---and by and by she sent her out into the far-away field to herd the sheep. The poor young Princess had no one to help her. She could not appeal to the King, because he was away making war on another King in the Western Isles---and in his absence the Queen had complete authority over his kingdom.

The poor girl used to sit in the far-away field among the sheep, weeping quietly, and thinking how much better off they were than herself. But one member of the flock was sad when he saw her grief, for he loved his gentle shepherdess.

This was an old grey-horned sheep, but for whom she would certainly have starved, for he used to bring her food every day. And it greatly puzzled the cruel Queen to see that, although she gave her stepdaughter no food, she was not wasting away. So the Queen asked the henwife of the Palace---and a wicked creature she was!---to try and find out whether someone was bringing food to the Princess; and the henwife sent her daughter into the far-away field to spy on her. This girl, who was very sly and ugly, had---over and above the usual two eyes of other people---an invisible eye in the back of her head.

All day long she stayed out in the far-away field watching the Princess, who was growing hungrier and hungrier! But she dared not ask the grey-horned sheep for food, in case the henwife's daughter should see.

At last the latter began to yawn widely, and the Princess said to her: "Oh, poor girl, how tired you are! Do lie down and put your head on my knee and I will stroke your hair. And you will have a lovely sleep!"

The henwife's daughter, who was not a bit sleepy but only very bored, said she would do as the Princess proposed. And she laid her head on the Princess's knee and let her stroke her ugly hair. And presently her eyes closed and she pretended to be sleeping.

But her invisible eye was watching, and it saw the Princess beckon gently to the grey-horned sheep; and when the sheep came trotting up with food for her the eye saw that also. So the henwife's daughter went home and told it to the henwife, who told it to the Queen, that the grey-horned sheep was giving food to the Princess.

The Queen was very angry, and she sent the henwife for the Palace butcher, and gave him this order: "Go at once and kill the grey-horned sheep that is in the far-away field. Bring his flesh to be used in the Palace, but leave his skin and his bones in the field as a warning to the rest of the flock."

When the Princess saw the butcher coming she was very much distressed for her friend's sake, but the grey-horned sheep said: "You need not weep because I am going to be killed. Only wait until the butcher has gone away, then gather up my bones and roll them in my skin. You will see that I will come alive again and continue to help you."

And the Princess did what he told her, except that she forgot to put the sheep's trotters into his skin, so when he came alive again he was lame! But in spite of that he hobbled to meet her every day with food. And the Princess grew prettier and prettier, and the Queen grew more and more jealous for her own daughter.

One day a handsome young Prince from the southwest of Scotland came to hunt in the Western Highlands, and he saw a beautiful young girl herding sheep in a field. He stopped, enchanted, and he said to the nobles who were with him: "Find out who that beautiful girl is. I have never seen anyone so lovely!" 

When the nobles asked the country people about her they were told that the lovely shepherdess was a Princess whose stepmother was very unkind to her; and that while everyone was sorry for her, no one had the right to interfere with her stepmother's treatment of her.

By this time the young Prince had fallen deeply in love with the Princess, and he came again and again to the far-away field where she was herding, in order to look at her and talk to her. He told his nobles that---stepmother or no stepmother---he had made up his mind to marry her!

When it came to the knowledge of the henwife that a rich and handsome Prince was courting the Princess, she ran and told the Queen, who, furious at the idea of her stepdaughter making a good match, declared that the affair must be stopped forthwith. So the Princess was ordered to leave the far-away field, and the Queen sent her own daughter there in place of her. She hoped that the Prince might prefer her to her stepsister---which, of course, was absurd!

She sent her stepdaughter to work as a servant in the Palace kitchen, and she gave her clothes of the servants to wear. The Princess missed the fresh air of the fields very badly, and perhaps she missed the Prince also ! Anyhow, she took every chance of stealing out for a little while into the fresh evening air, and she generally found the Prince waiting on the chance of seeing her.

One day he brought her a present---a pair of beautiful golden shoes, which fitted her dainty feet to perfection. She was so pleased with them---and with their giver--- that she stayed longer than usual with him; and when she realized how time had passed she took fright and started to run back to the Palace as quickly as possible. In her haste she dropped one of her golden shoes, and she was afraid to wait to pick it up. So the Prince picked up the little golden shoe and he ran after her; but when he reached the Palace the greatgate was closed. On the following day he took the golden shoe with him and went boldly to the Palace. He was just about to knock on the gate when it opened to let the Queen come out.

"Well?" she said graciously to the handsome young man. "Well, who are you, and what do you want?"

Showing her the little olden shoe in his hand he said to her: "Do you see this shoe? Its fellow is already within your gates, and I will marry the one whose foot it fits."

The Queen did a bit of quick thinking, and then--- taking the shoe from his hand---she said to the Prince: "Come along into the Palace then, and I shall help you to find the one whose foot this shoe will fit."

She led him indoors, and after inviting him to wait in one of the reception rooms she ran to the kitchen. There her stepdaughter was cooking the dinner, and the Queen hustled her into a curious sort of niche at the back of the fire-place and told her that on no account was she to come out until she was given permission to do so.

Then she sent for her own daughter, and when she came the Queen told her to try on the little golden shoe.

"Oh mother!" the girl said, "I could never wear this shoe. It is far too small! No one except my sister has such tiny feet!"

"Stuff and nonsense!" the Queen said angrily. "Are you going to allow a little discomfort to stand in your own light ? You must put on this shoe!"

And she called the henwife to come in, saying to her: "My daughter is to get that shoe on as quickly as possible. If the shoe will not fit the foot, make the foot fit the shoe!"

So the henwife seized the younger Princess's foot, and, regardless of her cries, she cut off the points of her toes and succeeded in thrusting her foot into the golden shoe.

"There you are!" she said. "It is a perfect fit!"

And the Queen went and fetched the Prince, saying to him: "Here is your bride ! See how perfectly the shoe fits her!"

The poor Prince was naturally much taken aback at this turn of affairs ! He had not imagined that there could be another foot in the whole world small enough to wear the little golden shoe! He did not know what to do, for he had definitely told the Queen that he would marry the one whose foot the shoe would fit---and there was no sign anywhere of his shepherdess.

The Queen insisted on sending out invitations to the Prince's wedding with her daughter, which she decided was to take place on the following day. The Prince could not sleep all night for perplexity, and when morning came the wedding guests began to arrive, and there seemed to be no escape for him! Soon a large and brilliant company was assembled; and the priest was just about to begin the marriage service when a bird came and alighted on the window sill, and said: "The blood's in the shoe, and the pretty foot's in the niche at the back of the fire!"

"What is that bird saying?" the young bridegroom asked.

"Never mind the bird---a horrid, beaky, lying creature!" replied the Queen. "Let the wedding go on!"

But, though she tried to chase it away, the bird returned again and yet again to the window sill; and the third time the Prince said: "I must hear what this bird is trying to tell us." And he went to the window, where he heard the bird say plainly, " The blood's in the shoe, and the pretty foot's in the niche at the back of the fire."

Then he turned to the Queen and said: "I am going to find out what he means by the niche at the back of the fire." And he left the room, to the chagrin of the Queen and the amazement of all the guests.

Room after room of the Palace he searched without success, but when he came to the kitchen he found the niche at the back of the fire, and standing in it, with a little golden shoe on one foot, was his beautiful shepherdess!

The Queen stamped and raged at the failure of her scheming, and she was still more angry when her own daughter---who had suffered agony when her toes were cut---kicked off the golden shoe that she wore, and said: "There you are! Take it away! I cannot bear it any longer."

And indeed it was little wonder that she wanted to get rid of the shoe, for it was full of blood!

The Prince's servants took and cleaned all the blood off it, and it slipped sweetly over the elder Princess's foot alongside of its fellow.

Never had such beautiful little feet been seen, and the Prince knelt down and kissed first one little golden shoe and then the other. Then, rising, he took the Princess by the hand and said:

"Thanks to the bird, I have found in the niche at the back of the fire my beautiful Princess with the dainty feet; there is now no blood in the shoes of gold!"

He took her away to his kingdom in the south-west, and there they were married and lived happily ever after. And the Princess always wore golden shoes.

Story taken from:  Tales of Wonder- http://www.darsie.net/talesofwonder/ttc.html

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The Story of Tam and Cam-From Vietnam

Things grew worse when a new baby girl was born in the house. The step-mother adored Cam--for Cam was the name of the baby girl--and she told her husband so many lies about poor Tam that he would not have anything more to do with the latter.

"Go and stay away in the kitchen and take care of yourself, you naughty child," said the wicked woman to Tam.

And she gave the little girl a dirty wretched place in the kitchen, and it was there that Tam was to live and work. At night, she was given a torn mat and a ragged sheet as bed and coverlet. She had to rub the floors, cut the wood, feed the animals, do all the cooking, the washing up and many other things. Her poor little soft hands had large blisters, but she bore the pain without complaint. Her step-mother also sent her to deep forests to gather wood with the secret hope that the wild beasts might carry her off. She asked Tam to draw water from dangerously deep wells so that she might get drowned one day. The poor little Tam worked and worked all day till her skin became swarthy and her hair entangled. But Sometimes she went to the well to draw water, looked at herself in it, and was frightened to realize how dark and ugly she was. She then got some water in the hollow of her hand, washed her face and combed her long smooth hair with her fingers, and the soft white skin appeared again, and she looked very pretty indeed.

When the step-mother realized how pretty Tam could look, she hated her more than ever, and wished to do her more harm. One day, she asked Tam and her own daughter Cam to go fishing in the village pond.

"Try to get as many as you can," she said. "If you come back with only a few of them, you will get flogged and will be sent to bed without supper." Tam knew that these words were meant for her because the step-mother would never beat Cam, who was the apple of her eyes, while she always flogged Tam as hard as she could.

Tam tried to fish hard and by the end of the day, got a basket full of fish. In the meantime, Cam spent her time rolling herself in the tender grass, basking in the warm sunshine, picking up wild flowers, dancing and singing.

The sun set before Cam had even started her fishing. She looked at her empty basket and had a bright idea. "Sister, sister," she said to Tam, "your hair is full of mud. Why don't you step into the fresh water and get a good wash to get rid of it? Otherwise mother is going to scold you."

Tam listened to the advice, and had a good wash. But, in the meantime, Cam poured her sister's fish into her own basket and went home as quickly as she could. When Tam realized that her fish were stolen away, her heart sank and she began to cry bitterly. Certainly, her step-mother would punish her severely tonight!

Suddenly, a fresh and balmy wind blew, the sky looked purer and the clouds whiter and in front of her stood the smiling blue-robed Goddess of Mercy, carrying a lovely green willow branch with her. "What is the matter, dear child?" asked the Goddess in a sweet voice.

Tam gave her an account of her misfortune and added: "Most Noble Lady, what am I to do tonight when I go home? I am frightened to death, for my step-mother will not believe me, and will flog me very, very hard."

The Goddess of Mercy consoled her. "Your misfortune will be over soon. Have confidence in me and cheer up. Now, look at your basket to see whether there is anything left there."

Tam looked and saw a lovely small fish with red fins and golden eyes, and uttered a little cry of surprise. The Goddess told her to take the fish home, put it in the well at the back of the house, and feed it three times a day with what she could save from her own food.

Tam thanked the Goddess most gratefully and did exactly as she was told. Whenever she went to the well, the fish would appear on the surface to greet her. But should anyone else come, the fish would never show itself. Tam's strange behavior was noticed by her step-mother who spied on her, and went to the well to look for the fish which hid itself in the deep water. She decided to ask Tam to go to a far away spring to fetch some water, and taking advantage of the absence, she put on the latter's ragged clothes, went to call the fish, killed it and cooked it.

When Tam came back, she went to the well, called and called, but there was no fish to be seen except the surface of the water stained with blood. She leaned her head against the well and wept in the most miserable way. The Goddess of Mercy appeared again, with a face as sweet as a loving mother, and comforted her: "Do not cry, my child. Your step-mother has killed the fish, but you must try to find its bones and bury them in the ground under your mat. Whatever you may wish to possess, pray to them, and your wish will be granted."

Tam followed the advice and looked for the fish bones everywhere but could find none. "Cluck! cluck!" said a hen, "Give me some paddy and I will show you the bones.

Tam gave her a handful of paddy and the hen said, "Cluck! cluck! Follow me and I will take you to the place." When they came to the poultry yard, the hen scratched a heap of young leaves, uncovered the fish bones which Tam gladly gathered and buried accordingly. It was not long before she got gold and jewelry and dresses of such wonderful materials that they would have rejoiced the heart of any young girl.

When the Autumn Festival came, Tam was told to stay home and sort out the two big baskets of black and green beans that her wicked step-mother had mixed up.

"Try to get the work done," she was told, "before you can go to attend the Festival." Then the step-mother and Cam put on their most beautiful dresses and went out by themselves.

After they had gone a long way Tam lifted her tearful face and prayed: "O, benevolent Goddess of Mercy, please help me." At once, the soft-eyed Goddess appeared and with her magic green willow branch, turned little flies into sparrows which sorted the beans out for the young girl. In a short time, the work was done. Tam dried up her tears, arrayed herself in a glittering blue and silver dress. She now looked as beautiful as a princess, and went to the Festival.

Cam was very surprised to see her, and whispered to her mother: "Is that rich lady not strangely like my sister Tam?" When Tam realized that her step-mother and Cam were staring curiously at her, she ran away, but in such a hurry that she dropped one of her fine slippers which the soldiers picked up and took to the King.

The King examined it carefully and declared he had never seen such a work of art before. He made the ladies of the palace try it on, but the slipper was too small even for those who had the smallest feet. Then he ordered all the noblewomen of the kingdom to try it, but the slipper would fit none of them. In the end, word was sent that the woman who could wear the slipper would become Queen, that is, the King's First Wife.

Finally, Tam had a try and the slipper fitted her perfectly. She then wore both slippers, and appeared in her glittering blue and silver dress, looking extremely beautiful. She was then taken to Court with a big escort, became Queen and had an unbelievably brilliant and happy life. The step-mother and Cam could not bear to see her happy and would have killed her most willingly, but they were too afraid of the King to do so.

One day, at her father's anniversary, Tam went home to celebrate it with her family. At the time, it was the custom that, however great and important one might be, one was always expected by one's parents to behave exactly like a young and obedient child. The cunning step-mother had this in her mind and asked Tam to climb an areca tree to get some nuts for the guests. As Tam was now Queen, she could of course refuse, but she was a very pious and dutiful daughter, and was only glad to help. But while she was up on the tree, she felt that it was swaying to and fro in the strangest and most alarming manner.

"What are you doing?" She asked her step-mother.

"I am only trying to scare away the ants which might bite you, my dear child," was the reply. But in fact, the wicked step-mother was holding a sickle and cutting the tree which fell down in a crash, killing the poor Queen at once.

"Now we are rid of her," said the woman with a hateful and ugly laugh, "and she will never come back again. We shall report to the King that she has died in an accident and my beloved daughter Cam will become Queen in her stead!"

Things happened exactly the way she had planned, and Cam became now the King's first wife. But Tam's pure and innocent soul could not find any rest. It was turned into the shape of a nightingale which dwelt in the King's garden and sang sweet and melodious songs.

One day, one of the maids-of-honor in the Palace exposed the dragon-embroidered gown of the King to the sun, and the nightingale sang in her own gentle way: "0, sweet maid-of-honor, be careful with my Imperial Husband's gown and do not tear it by putting it on a thorny hedge." She then sang on so sadly that tears came into the King's eyes. The nightingale sang more sweetly still and moved the hearts of all who heard her.

At last, the King said: "Most delightful nightingale, if you were the soul of my beloved Queen, be pleased to settle in my wide sleeves."

Then the gentle bird went straight into the King's sleeves and rubbed her smooth head against the King's hand. The bird was now put in a golden cage near the King's bedroom. The King was so fond of her that he would stay all day long near the cage, listening to her melancholy and beautiful songs. As she sang her melodies to him, his eyes became wet with tears, and she sang more charmingly than ever.

Cam became jealous of the bird, and sought her mother's advice about it. One day, while the King was holding a council with his ministers, Cam killed the nightingale, cooked it and threw the feathers in the Imperial Garden.

"What is the meaning of this?" said the King when he came back to the Palace and saw the empty cage. There was great confusion and everybody looked for the nightingale but could not find it.

"Perhaps she was bored and has flown away to the woods," said Cam.

The King was very sad but there was nothing he could do about it, and resigned himself to his fate. But once more, Tam's restless soul was transformed into big, magnificent tree, which only bore a single fruit, but what a fruit! It was round, big and golden and had a very sweet smell.

An old woman passing by the tree and seeing the beautiful fruit, said: "Golden fruit, golden fruit, drop into the bag of this old woman. This one will keep you and enjoy your smell, but will never eat you." The fruit at once dropped into the old woman's bag. She brought it home, put it on the table to enjoy its sweet-scented smell. But the next day, to her great surprise, she found her house clean and tidy, and a delicious hot meal waiting for her when she came back from her errands as though some magic hand had done all this during her absence.

She then pretended to go out the following morning, but stealthily came back, hid herself behind the door and observed the house. She beheld a fair and slender lady coming out of the golden fruit and starting to tidy the house. She rushed in, tore the fruit peel up so that the fair lady could no longer hide herself in it. The young lady could not help but stay there and consider the old woman her own mother.

One day the King went on a hunting party and lost his way. The evening drew on, the clouds gathered and it was pitch dark when he saw the old woman's house and went in it for shelter. According to custom, the latter offered him some tea and betel. The King examined the delicate way the betel was prepared and asked: "Who is the person who made this betel, which looks exactly like the one prepared by my late beloved Queen?"

The old woman said in a trembling voice: "Son of Heaven, it is only my unworthy daughter."

The King then ordered the daughter to be brought to him and when she came and bowed to him, he realized, like in a dream, that it was Tam, his deeply regretted Queen Both of them wept after such a separation and so much unhappiness. The Queen was then taken back to the Imperial City, where she took her former rank, while Cam was completely neglected by the King.

Cam then thought: "If I were as beautiful as my sister, I would win the King's heart."

She asked the Queen: "Dearest Sister, how could I become as white as you?"

"It is very easy," answered the Queen. "You have only to jump into a big basin of boiling water to get beautifully white." Cam believed her and did as suggested. Naturally she died without being able to utter a word! When the step-mother heard about this she wept until she became blind. Soon, she died of a broken heart. The Queen survived both of them, and lived happily ever after, for she certainly deserved it.

Story taken from: http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/tam.html

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Egyptian Cinderella-Egypt

When she saw the house-girl servants, she felt different and she was.  She had pale skin and her cheeks were rosy.  Her hair was gold and blew when the wind was windy, and their was black and stayed straight.  Her eyes were green and theirs are brown.  They would tease her and make fun of her.  They made sure that she did all the work, like washing clothes, weeding the garden, and making their food for them.  But her master was kind and old.  When the days were hot, he would sleep underneath a fig tree.

Rhodopis found friends with the animals.  But one day her master awakened and saw her dance and said, "No goddess is more quiet!"  Then he said, "Such a gift deserves a reward."  Then he demanded a pair of red-rose gold slippers.  When the servant girls saw Rhodopis' slippers they were very jealous.

Then one afternoon, the master of the servant girls learned that the pharaoh was holding court.  There would be music, dancing, and lots of food.  "Sorry, Rhodopis.  You can't go," said Kipa.  "You have to wash the linen, grind the grain, and weed the garden."  So the next day they left to go to the court.  Kipa was wearing blue beads, the second was wearing colored bracelets, and the third wore a colored sash. But one of Rhodopis' friends was the hippopotamus. When Rhodopis sang to him he would usually enjoy it, and when the servant girls left she sang to him.  He soon got tired of her singing the same song over and over.  Then he splashed her new slippers and she scolded him.

After she cleaned her shoe, she put it behind her and did the rest of her chores.  The god Horus came down from the sky as a falcon and took her slipper.  Then she started to cry.  When the falcon reached the pharaoh,  he gave the pharaoh the slipper, since it was bright he thought it was scrap of the sun.  Then he realized that it was a gift and said, "All the gods and goddesses give us pharaohs something so we know who’s the perfect wife for us." 

Then he immediately set out to find whoever could find fit the slipper.  A lot of the girls wanted to try on the slipper but no ones foot could fit in the slipper.  So he set out to go by the Nile River, and finally found the last little house.  He raised the slipper the servant girls knew whose it was, but they tried it on anyway.  Neither one’s foot could fit.  Then the pharaoh saw Rodopis and asked if she would try on the slipper.  She did and it fit.  Then she became the queen.

Story taken from:  http://library.thinkquest.org/J002037F/egyptian_cinderella.htm?tqskip1=1

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Bibliography-

Cinderella stories from other cultures:

Chin, Charlie. China's bravest girl : the legend of Hua Mu Lan = [Chin kuo ying hsiung Hua Mu-lan].   Emeryville, Calif.: Children's Book Press, c1993. 
 

Climo, Shirley. The Egyptian Cinderella.   New York : Crowell, 1989.
 

Climo, Shirley. The Irish Cinderclad.   New York : HarperCollins Publishers, c1996. 
 

Climo, Shirley. The Korean Cinderella.   New York: HarperCollins Publishers, c1993. 
 

Climo, Shirley. The Persian Cinderella.   New York : HarperCollins, c1999. 
 

Coburn, Jewell Reinhart. Angkat : the Cambodian Cinderella.  Auburn, Calif. : Shen's Books, c1998.
 

Coburn, Jewell Reinhart. Domitila : a Cinderella tale from the Mexican tradition.   Auburn, Calif. : Shen's Books, c2000. 
 

Coburn, Jewell Reinhart. Jouanah : a Hmong Cinderella.   Arcadia, CA : Shen's Books, c1996. 
 

Compton, Joane.  Ashpet: An Appalachian Tale.  New York : Holiday House, c1994.
 

De Paola, Tomie.  Adelita : a Mexican Cinderella story.  New York :  G.P. Putnam's Sons, c2002.
 

Graham, Gail B. The beggar in the blanket & other Vietnamese tales.   New York : Dial Press, c1970. 
 

Han, Oki S. Kongi and Potgi : a Cinderella story from Korea.   New York : Dial Books for Young Readers, c1996. 
 

Hickox, Rebecca A. The golden sandal : a Middle Eastern Cinderella story.   New York : Holiday House, c1998. 
 

Kha, Dang Manh.  In the Land of Small Dragon.  New York : Viking Press, c1979.
 

Kroll, Steven.  Queen of May. New York : Viking Press, c1993.
 

Lattimore, Deborah Nourse.  Cinderhazel : the Cinderella of Halloween. New York: Scholastic, c1997. 
 

Louie, Ai-Ling. Yeh-Shen : a Cinderella story from China.   New York : Philomel Books, c1982. 
 

Lum, Darrell.  The Golden Slipper: A Vietnamese Legend.  New York : Troll Associates, c1994.
 

Mah, Adeline Yen.  Chinese Cinderella : the true story of an unwanted daughter.  New York: Dell Laurel-Leaf, c2001.
 

Martin, Rafe. The Rough-face girl.   New York : G.P. Putnam's Sons, c1992. 
 

Mayer, Marianna.  Baba Yaga and Vasilisa the Brave.  New York : Morrow Books, c1994.
 

Onyefulu, Obi.  Chinye: A West African Folk Tale.  New York : Viking, c1994.
 

Perrault, Charles. Cinderella, or, The little glass slipper.   New York : Scribner, c1954. 
 

Pollock, Penny. The Turkey Girl : a Zuni Cinderella story.   Boston : Little, Brown, c1996. 
 

 San Souci, Robert D. Cendrillon : a Caribbean Cinderella.   New York : Simon & Schuster, c1998. 
 

San Souci, Robert D. Little gold star : a Spanish American Cinderella tale.   New York : HarperCollins, c2000. 
 

San Souci, Robert D. Sootface: An Ojibwa Cinderella Story.   New York : Doubleday, c1994. 
 

Schroeder, Alan.  Smoky Mountain Rose : an Appalachian Cinderella. New York: Puffin Books, c1997.
 

Sierra, Judy. The gift of the crocodile : a Cinderella story.   New York : Simon & Schuster, c2000. 
 

Steptoe, John. Mufaro's beautiful daughters : an African tale.   New York : Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books, c1987. 
 

Takayama, Sandi. Sumorella : a Hawai'i Cinderella story.   Honolulu, Hawai'i : Bess Press, c1997. 
 
 

Cinderella variations:

Edwards, Pamela Duncan. Dinorella : a prehistoric fairy tale.   New York : Hyperion Paperbacks for Children, c1999. 
 

Goode, Diane. Cinderella, the dog and her little glass slipper.   New York : Blue Sky Press, c2000. 
 

Jackson, Ellen B.  Cinder Edna. New York : Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, c1994. 
 

Johnston, Tony.  Bigfoot Cinderrrrrella.  New York : Puffin, c1998. 
 

Ketteman, Helen. Bubba the cowboy prince : a fractured Texas tale.   New York : Scholastic Press, 1997. 
 

Lowell, Susan. Cindy Ellen : a wild western Cinderella.   New York : HarperCollins, c2000. 
 

Minters, Frances. Cinder-Elly.   New York : Puffin, 1997. 
 

Perlman, Janet. Cinderella Penguin, or, The little glass flipper. New York: Puffin, c1992. 
 

Roberts, Lynn  Cinderella : an Art Deco love story.   New York : Harry Abrams, 2001. 
 

San Souci, Robert D. Cinderella Skeleton.   San Diego : Harcourt, c2000. 
 

Sathre, Vivian. Slender Ella and her Fairy Hogfather.   New York : Yearling First Choice Chapter Book, c1999. 
 

Skinner, Daphne.  My side of the story.  New York: Disney Press, c2003. 
 

Thomas, Joyce Carol. The Gospel Cinderella.  New York: Amistad, c2000.
 

Novels based on Cinderella:

Block, Francesca Lia. "Glass." The Rose and the Beast. New York: Harper Collins, 2000.
 

Donoghue, Emma. "The Tale of the Shoe." Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins. New York: Harper Collins, 1997. 
 

Levine, Gail Carson. Cinderellis and the Glass Hill. New York: Harpercollins, 2000.
 

Maguire, Gregory. Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister. 1999. 
 

Mizuno, Junko. Cinderalla. Viz Communications, 2002. (Graphic novel)
 

Parkinson, Siobhan. Sisters...No Way!. O'Brien Press, 1996.
 

Wilson, David Henry. The Coachman Rat. Ashmadi, New York: Baen, 1990.
 

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