Cinderella was full of joy, and did not lose a moment; and soon returned
with the trap, in which there were two fine large rats. These, too, were
touched with the wand, and immediately the one was changed into a smart
postilion, and the other into a jolly-looking coachman in full finery.
Her godmother then said, "My dear Cinderella, you must go to the garden
again before I can complete your equipage; when you get there, keep to
the right side, and close to the wall you will see the watering-pot
standing; look behind it, and there you will find six lizards, which you
must bring to me immediately."
Cinderella hastened to the garden as she was desired, and found the six
lizards, which she put into her apron and brought to the faëry. Another
touch of the wonderful wand soon converted them into six spruce footmen
in dashing liveries, with powdered hair and pig-tails, three-cornered
cocked hats and gold-headed canes, who immediately jumped up behind the
carriage as nimbly as if they had been footmen and nothing else all
their lives.
The coachman and postilion having likewise taken their places, the faëry
said to Cinderella, "Well, my dear girl, is not this as fine an equipage
as you could desire to go to the ball with? Tell me, now, are you
pleased with it?"
"O yes, dear godmother," replied Cinderella; and then, with a good deal
of hesitation, added, "but how can I make my appearance among so many
finely-dressed people in these mean-looking clothes?"
"Give yourself no uneasiness about that, my dear; the most laborious
part of our task is already accomplished, and it will be hard if I
cannot make your dress correspond with your coach and servants."
On saying this, the old woman, assuming her character of Queen of the
Faëries, touched Cinderella with the magic wand, and her clothes were
instantly changed into a most magnificent ball dress, ornamented with
the most costly jewels. The faëry took from her pocket a beautiful pair
of elastic glass slippers, which she caused Cinderella to put on, and
then desired her to get into the carriage with all expedition, as the
ball had already commenced.
Two footmen opened the carriage door, and assisted the now beautifully
dressed Cinderella into it. Her godmother, before she took leave,
strictly charged her, on no account whatever to stay at the ball after
the clock had struck twelve; and then added, that if she stopped but a
single moment beyond that time, her fine coach, horses, coachman,
postilion, and footmen, and fine apparel, would all return to their
original shapes of pumpkin, mice, rats, lizards, and mean-looking
clothes.
Cinderella promised faithfully to attend to every thing that the faëry
had mentioned; and then, quite overjoyed, gave the direction to the
footman, who bawled out in a loud and commanding tone to the coachman,
"To the Royal Palace." The coachman touched his prancing horses lightly
with his whip, and swiftly the carriage started off, and in a short time
reached the palace.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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