'Whoever wants to eat bread must earn it; go and sit with the kitchenmaid.' They took away her pretty clothes, and made her put on an old grey frock, and gave her wooden clogs. 'Just look at the proud Princess, how well she's dressed,' they laughed, as they led her to the kitchen. There, the girl was obliged to do hard work from morning till night, to get up at daybreak, carry water, light the fire, cook, and wash. Not content with that, the sisters inflicted on her every vexation they could think of; they made fun of her, and tossed the peas and lentils among the ashes, so that she had to sit down and pick them out again. In the evening, when she was worn out with work, she had no bed to go to, but had to lie on the hearth among the cinders. And because, on account of that, she always looked dusty and dirty, they called her Ashenputtel. It happened one day that the Father had a mind to go to the Fair. So he asked both his step-daughters what he should bring home for them. 'Fine clothes,' said one. 'Pearls and jewels,' said the other. 'But you, Ashenputtel?' said he, 'what will you have?' 'Father, break off for me the first twig which brushes against your hat on your way home.' Well, for his two step-daughters he brought beautiful clothes, pearls and jewels, and on his way home, as he was riding through a green copse, a hazel twig grazed against him and knocked his hat off. Then he broke off the branch and took it with him. When he got home he gave his step-daughters what they had asked for, and to Ashenputtel he gave the twig from the hazel bush. Ashenputtel thanked him, and went to her mother's grave and planted the twig upon it; she wept so much that her tears fell and watered it. And it took root and became a fine tree. Ashenputtel went to the grave three times every day, wept and prayed, and every time a little white bird came and perched upon the tree, and when she uttered a wish, the little bird threw down to her what she had wished for. Now it happened that the King proclaimed a festival, which was to last three days, and to which all the beautiful maidens in the country were invited, in order that his son might choose a bride. When the two step-daughters heard that they were also to be present, they were in high spirits, called Ashenputtel, and said: 'Brush our hair and clean our shoes, and fasten our buckles, for we are going to the feast at the King's palace.' Ashenputtel obeyed, but wept, for she also would gladly have gone to the ball with them, and begged her Step-mother to give her leave to go. 'You, Ashenputtel!' she said. 'Why, you are covered with dust and dirt. You go to the festival! Besides you have no clothes or shoes, and yet you want to go to the ball.' As she, however, went on asking, her Step-mother said: 'Well, I have thrown a dishful of lentils into the cinders, if you have picked them all out in two hours you shall go with us.'