The Junior Classics, Volume 1: Fairy and wonder tales
General
The Junior Classics, Volume 1: Fairy and wonder tales
Children's literature
At last the herald came to the house of the two sisters, and though
they well knew neither of themselves was the beautiful lady, they made
every attempt to get their clumsy feet into the glass slipper, but in
vain.
“Let me try it on,” said Cinderella from the chimney corner.
“What, you?” cried the others, bursting into shouts of laughter; but
Cinderella only smiled, and held out her hand.
Her sisters cou1d not prevent her, since the command was that every
young maiden in the city should try on the slipper, in order that no
chance might be left untried, for the prince was nearly breaking his
heart; and his father and mother were afraid that though a prince, he
would actually die for love of the beautiful unknown lady.
So the herald bade Cinderella sit down on a three-legged stool in the
kitchen, and himself put the slipper on her pretty little foot, which
it fitted exactly; she then drew from her pocket the fellow slipper,
which she also put on, and stood up—for with the touch of the magic
shoes all her dress was changed likewise—no longer the poor despised
cinder wench, but the beautiful lady whom the king’s son loved.
Her sisters recognized her at once. Filled with astonishment, mingled
with no little alarm, they threw themselves at her feet, begging her
pardon for all their former unkindness. She raised and embraced them;
told them she forgave them with all her heart, and only hoped they
would love her always. Then she departed with the herald to the king’s
palace, and told her whole story to his majesty and the royal family,
who were not in the least surprised, for everybody believed in fairies,
and everybody longed to have a fairy godmother.
For the young prince, he found her more lovely and lovable than ever,
and insisted upon marrying her immediately. Cinderella never went home
again, but she sent for her two sisters to the palace, and with the
consent of all parties married them shortly after to two rich gentlemen
of the court.
LITTLE RED RIDING-HOOD
By Charles Perrault
Once upon a time there lived in a certain village a little country
girl, the prettiest creature ever seen. Her mother was very fond of
her, and her grandmother doted on her still more. This good woman had
made for her a little red riding-hood, which became the girl so well
that everybody called her Little Red Riding-Hood.
One day her mother, having made some custards, said to her:
“Go, my dear, and see how thy grandmamma does, for I hear she has been
very ill; carry her a custard and this little pot of butter.”
Little Red Riding-Hood set out immediately to go to her grandmother,
who lived in another village.
As she was going through the wood she met with Gaffer Wolf, who had a
very great mind to eat her up, but he durst not, because of some fagot
makers hard by in the forest. He asked her whither she was going. The
poor child, who did not know that it was dangerous to stop and listen
to a wolf, said to him:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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