[Illustration] HEWET'S HOUSEHOLD STORIES FOR LITTLE FOLKS ILLUSTRATED W. H. THWAITE ENGRAVED BY THE BEST ARTISTS. VOL I. CINDERELLA 1855 [Illustration: Frontispiece] CINDERELLA; Or, THE LITTLE GLASS SLIPPER. There once lived a gentleman and his wife, who were the parents of alovely little daughter. When this child was only nine years of age, her mother fell sick. Finding her death coming on, she called her child to her and said toher, "My child, always be good; bear every thing that happens to youwith patience, and whatever evil and troubles you may suffer, you willbe happy in the end if you are so. " Then the poor lady died, and herdaughter was full of great grief at the loss of a mother so good andkind. The father too was unhappy, but he sought to get rid of his sorrow bymarrying another wife, and he looked out for some prudent lady who mightbe a second mother to his child, and a companion to himself. His choicefell on a widow lady, of a proud and tyrannical temper, who had twodaughters by a former marriage, both as haughty and bad-tempered astheir mother. No sooner was the wedding over, than the step-mother beganto show her bad temper. She could not bear her step-daughter's goodqualities, that only showed up her daughters' unamiable ones still moreobviously, and she accordingly compelled the poor girl to do all thedrudgery of the household. It was she who washed the dishes, andscrubbed down the stairs, and polished the floors in my lady's chamberand in those of the two pert misses, her daughters; and while the latterslept on good feather beds in elegant rooms, furnished with full-lengthlooking-glasses, their sister lay in a wretched garret on an old strawmattress. Yet the poor thing bore this ill treatment very meekly, anddid not dare complain to her father, who thought so much of his wifethat he would only have scolded her. When her work was done, she used to sit in the chimney-corner amongstthe cinders, which had caused the nickname of _Cinderella_ to be givenher by the family; yet, for all her shabby clothes, Cinderella was ahundred times prettier than her sisters, let them be dressed ever somagnificently. The poor little Cinder-wench! this harsh stepmother was a sore trial toher; and how often, as she sate sadly by herself, did she feel thatthere is no mother like our own, the dear parent whose flesh and bloodwe are, and who bears all our little cares and sorrows tenderly as inthe apple of her eye! It happened that the king's son gave a ball, to which he invited all thenobility; and, as our two young ladies made a great figure in the world, they were included in the list of invitations. So they began to be verybusy choosing what head-dress and which gown would be the most becoming. Here was fresh work for poor Cinderella: for it was she, forsooth, whowas to starch and get up their ruffles, and iron all their fine linen;and nothing but dress was talked about for days together. "I, " said theeldest, "shall put on my red velvet dress, with my point-lacetrimmings. " "And I, " said the younger sister, "shall wear my usualpetticoat, but shall set it off with my gold brocaded train and mycirclet of diamonds. " [Illustration: CINDERELLA DRESSING HER SISTER'S HAIR. ] They sent for a clever tire-woman to prepare the double rows of quillingfor their caps, and they purchased a quantity of fashionably cutpatches. They called in Cinderella to take her advice, as she had suchgood taste, and Cinderella not only advised them well, but offered todress their hair, which they were pleased to accept. While she was thusbusied, the sisters said to her: "And pray, Cinderella, would you liketo go to the ball?" "Nay, you are mocking me, " replied the poor girl; "it is not for such asI to go to balls. " "True enough, " rejoined they; "folks would laugh tosee a Cinderella at a court ball. " These two step-sisters were very cruel to Cinderella, and ill-used hermuch. Ah! what sweet friends are our own born sisters!--there can be nosubstitutes like them in the whole wide world. Any other but Cinderella would have dressed their hair awry to punishthem for their impertinence, but she was so good-natured that shedressed them most becomingly. Although they disdained her, and whilethey would themselves make a great figure in the world, sought todegrade and lower her, see how the lovely disposition of Cinderellashines out. Although she was not allowed to go to the ball of the king'sson, she not only advised them well how they could array themselves toappear to the best advantage, but she even--what greatness of heart todo that!--with her own hands dresses their hair, and in the mostbecoming manner her delicate taste can suggest. The two sisters were so delighted, that they scarcely ate a morsel for acouple of days. They spent their whole time before a looking-glass, andthey would be laced so tight, to make their waists as slender aspossible, that more than a dozen stay-laces were broken in the attempt. The long-wished-for evening came at last, and these proud misses steppedinto the carriage and drove away to the palace. Cinderella looked afterthe coach as far as she could see, and then returned to the kitchen intears; where, for the first time, she bewailed her hard and crueldegradation. She continued sobbing in the corner of the chimney, until arapping at the kitchen-door roused her, and she got up to see what hadoccasioned, it. She found a little old beggar-woman hobbling oncrutches, who besought her to give her some food. "I have only part ofmy own supper for you, Goody, which is no better than a dry crust. Butif you like to step in and warm yourself, you can do so, and welcome. ""Thank you, my dear, " said the old woman in a feeble, croaking voice. She then hobbled in and took her seat by the fire. "Hey! dearee me! what are all these tears, my child?" said the oldwoman. And then Cinderella told the old woman all her griefs; how hersisters had gone to the ball, and how she wished to go too, but had noclothes, or means to do so. "But you _shall_ go, my darling, " said the old woman, "or I am notQueen of the Faëries or your Godmother. Dry up your tears like a goodgod-daughter and do as I bid you, and you shall have clothes and horsesfiner than any one. " Cinderella had heard her father often talk of her godmother, and tellher that she was one of those good faëries who protect children. Herspirits revived, and she wiped away her tears. The faëry took Cinderella by the hand, and said, "Now, my dear, go intothe garden and fetch me a pumpkin. " Cinderella bounded lightly toexecute her commands, and returned with one of the finest and largestpumpkins she could meet with. It was as big as a beer barrel, andCinderella trundled it into the kitchen, wondering what her godmotherwould do with it. Her godmother took the pumpkin, and scooped out theinside of it, leaving nothing but rind; she then struck it with herwand, and it instantly became one of the most elegant gilt carriagesever seen. She next sent Cinderella into the pantry for the mouse-trap, bidding herbring six little mice alive which she would find in the trap. Cinderellahastened to the pantry, and there found the mice as the faëry had said, which she brought to the old lady, who told her to lift up the door ofthe trap but a little way and very gently, so that only one of the micemight go out at a time. Cinderella raised the mouse-trap door, and as the mice came out one byone, the old woman touched them with her wand, and transformed them intofine prancing dapple-gray carriage horses with long manes and tails, which were tied up with light-blue ribands. "Now, my dear good child, " said the faëry, "here you have a coach andhorses, much handsomer than your sisters', to say the least of them; butas we have neither a postilion nor a coachman to take care of them, runquickly to the stable, where the rat-trap is placed, and bring it tome. " Cinderella was full of joy, and did not lose a moment; and soon returnedwith the trap, in which there were two fine large rats. These, too, weretouched with the wand, and immediately the one was changed into a smartpostilion, and the other into a jolly-looking coachman in full finery. Her godmother then said, "My dear Cinderella, you must go to the gardenagain before I can complete your equipage; when you get there, keep tothe right side, and close to the wall you will see the watering-potstanding; look behind it, and there you will find six lizards, which youmust bring to me immediately. " Cinderella hastened to the garden as she was desired, and found the sixlizards, which she put into her apron and brought to the faëry. Anothertouch of the wonderful wand soon converted them into six spruce footmenin dashing liveries, with powdered hair and pig-tails, three-corneredcocked hats and gold-headed canes, who immediately jumped up behind thecarriage as nimbly as if they had been footmen and nothing else alltheir lives. The coachman and postilion having likewise taken their places, the faërysaid to Cinderella, "Well, my dear girl, is not this as fine an equipageas you could desire to go to the ball with? Tell me, now, are youpleased with it?" "O yes, dear godmother, " replied Cinderella; and then, with a good dealof hesitation, added, "but how can I make my appearance among so manyfinely-dressed people in these mean-looking clothes?" "Give yourself no uneasiness about that, my dear; the most laboriouspart of our task is already accomplished, and it will be hard if Icannot make your dress correspond with your coach and servants. " On saying this, the old woman, assuming her character of Queen of theFaëries, touched Cinderella with the magic wand, and her clothes wereinstantly changed into a most magnificent ball dress, ornamented withthe most costly jewels. The faëry took from her pocket a beautiful pairof elastic glass slippers, which she caused Cinderella to put on, andthen desired her to get into the carriage with all expedition, as theball had already commenced. Two footmen opened the carriage door, and assisted the now beautifullydressed Cinderella into it. Her godmother, before she took leave, strictly charged her, on no account whatever to stay at the ball afterthe clock had struck twelve; and then added, that if she stopped but asingle moment beyond that time, her fine coach, horses, coachman, postilion, and footmen, and fine apparel, would all return to theiroriginal shapes of pumpkin, mice, rats, lizards, and mean-lookingclothes. Cinderella promised faithfully to attend to every thing that the faëryhad mentioned; and then, quite overjoyed, gave the direction to thefootman, who bawled out in a loud and commanding tone to the coachman, "To the Royal Palace. " The coachman touched his prancing horses lightlywith his whip, and swiftly the carriage started off, and in a short timereached the palace. [ILLUSTRATION: CINDERELLA'S ARRIVAL AT THE PALACE IN HER ELEGANT GILTCARRIAGE, WHICH ATTRACTS GENERAL NOTICE AS IT DRIVES UP TO THE MARBLEPORTICO; OF WHICH INFORMATION IS COMMUNICATED TO THE PRINCE, WHO HASTENSTO THE DOOR AND WELCOMES CINDERELLA, HANDS HER OUT OF THE CARRIAGE, ANDGRACEFULLY LEADS HER INTO THE PALACE, WHERE THE NOBLES WELCOME HER AS APRINCESS. ] The arrival of so splendid an equipage as Cinderella's could not fail toattract general notice at the palace gates; and as it drove up to themarble portico, the servants in great numbers came out to see it. Information was quickly taken to the king's son, that a beautiful younglady, evidently some princess, was in waiting. His Royal Highnesshastened to the door, welcomed Cinderella, and handed her out of thecarriage. He then led her gracefully into the ball-room, and introducedher to his father, the king. The moment she appeared, all conversationwas hushed, the violins ceased playing, and the dancing stopped short, so great was the sensation produced by the stranger's beauty. A confusedmurmur of admiration fluttered through the crowd, and each was fain toexclaim, "How surpassingly lovely she is!" The ladies were all busyexamining her head-dress and her clothes, in order to get similar onesthe very next day, if, indeed, they could meet with stuffs of such richpatterns, and find workwomen clever enough to make them up. "What alovely creature! so fair!--so beautiful!--What a handsome figure!--howelegantly she is dressed!" Even the prince's father, old as he was, could not behold her with indifference, but wiped his eye-glass and usedit very much, and said very often to the queen, that he had never seenso sweet a being. [Illustration: CINDERELLA IS PRESENTED BY THE PRINCE TO THE KING ANDQUEEN, WHO WELCOME HER WITH THE HONORS DUE TO A GREAT PRINCESS, AND ISTHEN LED INTO THE ROYAL BALL-ROOM. ] The king's son handed Cinderella to one of the most distinguished seatson the daïs at the top of the Hall, and begged she would allow him tohand her some refreshments. Cinderella received them with great grace. When this was over, the prince requested to have the honour of dancingwith her. Cinderella smiled consent; and the delighted princeimmediately led her out to the head of the dance, just about tocommence. The eyes of the whole company were fixed upon the beautifulpair. The trumpets sounded and the music struck up, and the dance commenced;but if Cinderella's beauty, elegant figure, and the splendor of herdress, had before drawn the attention of the whole room, theastonishment at her dancing was still greater. Gracefulness seemed to play in all her motions; the airy lightness withwhich she floated along--as buoyant as thistle-down--drew forth ageneral murmur of admiration. The hall rang with the loudestacclamations of applause, and the company, all in one voice, pronouncedher the most elegant creature that had ever been seen. And this was thelittle girl who had passed a great part of her life in the kitchen, andhad always been called a "Cinder-wench. " When the dance was ended, a magnificent feast was served up, consistingof all delicacies: so much was the young prince engaged with Cinderella, that he did not eat one morsel of the supper. Cinderella drew near her sisters, and frequently spoke to them; and inher goodness of heart she offered them the delicacies which she hadreceived from the prince: but they did not know she was their sister. When Cinderella heard the clock strike three-quarters past eleven, shemade a low courtesy to the whole assembly and retired in haste. You see how fortune befriends the good-hearted, and even out of suchunpromising material as a pumpkin and mice, can make a coach and six, with which to honor her worthy favorite. So Cinderella goes to the ball;but to teach her to be diligent and faithful in her engagements, herfaëry godmother enjoins upon her that she return home at twelve. Nativebeauty and grace attract the princely heart; and while the king's sonpays no heed to her pretentious sisters, he is all grace andcondescension to little Cinderella. Obedient to her engagement with hergodmother, she returns in all the splendor and honor of the coach andsix. On reaching home, she found her godmother; and after thanking her forthe treat she had enjoyed, she ventured to express a wish to return tothe ball on the following evening, as the prince had requested her todo. She was still relating to her godmother all that had happened at court, when her two sisters knocked at the door. Cinderella went and let themin, pretending to yawn and stretch herself, and rub her eyes, andsaying, "How late you are!" just as if she was waked up out of a nap, though, truth to say, she had never felt less disposed to sleep in herlife. "If you had been to the ball, " said one of the sisters, "you wouldnot have thought it late. There came the most beautiful princess everseen, who loaded us with polite attentions, and gave us oranges andcitrons. " Cinderella could scarcely contain her delight, and inquired the name ofthe princess. But they replied that nobody knew her name, and that theking's son was in great trouble about her, and would give the world toknow who she could be. "Is she, then, so very beautiful?" saidCinderella, smiling. "Oh, my! how I should like to see her! Oh, do, myLady Javotte, lend me the yellow dress you wear every day, that I may goto the ball and have a peep at this wonderful princess. " "A likelystory, indeed!" cried Javotte, tossing her head disdainfully, "that Ishould lend my clothes to a dirty Cinderella like you!" Cinderella expected to be refused, and was not sorry for it, as shewould have been puzzled what to do, had her sister really lent her thedress she begged to have. On the following evening the sisters again went to the court ball, andso did Cinderella, dressed even more magnificently than before. Theking's son never left her side, and kept paying her the most flatteringattentions. The young lady was nothing loth to listen to him; so it cameto pass that she forgot her godmother's injunctions, and, indeed, losther reckoning so completely, that before she deemed it could be eleveno'clock, she was startled at hearing the first stroke of midnight. Sherose hastily, and flew away like a startled fawn. The prince attemptedto follow her, but she was too swift for him; only, as she flew shedropped one of her glass slippers, which he picked up very eagerly. Cinderella reached home quite out of breath, without either coach orfootmen, and with only her shabby clothes on her back; nothing, inshort, remained of her recent magnificence, save a little glass slipper, the fellow to the one she had lost. [Illustration: CINDERELLA DANCING WITH THE PRINCE IS ADMIRED FOR HERGRACEFULNESS. THE CLOCK STRIKES TWELVE: SHE HAVING FORGOT HERGOD-MOTHER'S INSTRUCTIONS, IS ALARMED, FLIES OUT OF THE BALL-ROOM--HERGORGEOUS APPAREL IS CHANGED INTO THE DRESS OF A CINDER-WENCH, AND HERSPLENDID EQUIPAGE INTO A PUMPKIN, RATS, MICE AND LIZARDS. ] The sentinels at the palace gate were closely questioned as to whetherthey had not seen a princess coming out; but they answered they had seenno one except a shabbily dressed girl, who appeared to be a peasantrather than a young lady. On this second night, as you have taken notice, dazzled by worldly showand the pleasing flattery of her royal lover, Cinderella over-stays hertime, and is compelled to make her way back to her father's house onfoot and in rags--an everlasting lesson to all the pretty littleCinderellas in the world to keep their word, and to act in good faith bysuch as befriend them. Never mind--her heart is in the right place--sheis a charming good creature; and although virtue goes home in rags, itwill leave some token behind--some foot-print by which it can be knownand traced wherever it has once walked. We shall hear from that littlelost glass slipper again! [Illustration: CINDERELLA RETURNED SHABBILY DRESSED. ] When the two sisters returned from the ball, Cinderella asked themwhether they had been well entertained; and whether the beautiful ladywas there? They replied, that she was; but that she had run away as soonas midnight had struck, and so quickly as to drop one of her daintyglass slippers, which the king's son had picked up, and was looking atmost fondly during the remainder of the ball; indeed, it seemed beyond adoubt that he was deeply enamored of the beautiful creature to whom itbelonged. They spoke truly enough; for, a few days afterwards, the king's soncaused a proclamation to be made, by sound of trumpet all over thekingdom, to the effect that he would marry her whose foot should befound to fit the slipper exactly. So the slipper was first tried on byall the princesses; then by all the duchesses; and next by all thepersons belonging to the court; but in vain. It was then carried to thetwo sisters, who tried with all their might to force their feet into itsdelicate proportions, but with no better success. Cinderella, who waspresent, and recognized her slipper, now laughed, and said, "Suppose Iwere to try?" Her sisters ridiculed such an idea; but the gentleman whowas appointed to try the slipper, having looked attentively atCinderella, and perceived how beautiful she was, said that it was butfair she should do so, as he had orders to try it on every young maidenin the kingdom. Accordingly, having requested Cinderella to sit down, she no sooner put her little foot to the slipper, than she drew it on, and it fitted like wax. The sisters were quite amazed; but theirastonishment increased tenfold when Cinderella drew the fellow slipperout of her pocket, and put it on. Her godmother then made herappearance; and, having touched Cinderella's clothes with her wand, madethem still more magnificent than those she had previously worn. [Illustration: THE HERALDS OF THE COURT ANNOUNCE THE PROCLAMATION THATTHE PRINCE WOULD MARRY THE LADY WHOM THE GLASS SLIPPER FITTED. CINDERELLA TRIES ON THE SLIPPER, WHICH FITS HER DELICATE FOOT, TO THEGREAT ASTONISHMENT OF HER FAMILY. ] Her two sisters now recognized her for the beautiful stranger they hadseen at the ball; and, falling at her feet, implored her forgiveness fortheir unworthy treatment, and all the insults they had heaped upon herhead. Cinderella raised them, saying, as she embraced them, that she notonly forgave them with all her heart, but wished for their affection. She was then taken to the palace of the young prince, in whose eyes sheappeared yet more lovely than before, and who married her shortly after. Cinderella, who was as good as she was beautiful, allowed her sisters tolodge in the palace, and gave them in marriage, that same day, to twolords belonging to the court. [Illustration: MARRIAGE OF THE PRINCE AND CINDERELLA. ] The amiable qualities of Cinderella were as conspicuous after as theyhad been before marriage. * * * * * This series of FAIRY STORIES has for generations been listened to andread by Children with an inexpressible delight, which other books havefailed to afford them. The extravagance of the Stories--the attractive manner of tellingthem--the picturesque scenery described--the marvellous deedsrelated--the reward of virtue and punishment of vice, upon principlesstrictly in accordance with ethical laws, as applied to the formation ofcharacter, render them peculiarly adapted to induce children to acquirea love for reading, and to aid them to cultivate the affections, sympathies, fancy, and imagination. The principle, that good examples only should be imitated, has been lostsight of in the Pictorial embellishment of these standard Fairy Stories, upon the assumption that indifferent pictures are good enough to givefirst impressions of Art to Children. If this holds true then languageand morals of a questionable cast will subserve the same ends; but thefallacy of this dogma notwithstanding, no one upon reflection willdeny. That this edition of these Stories may be more perfect than any otherextant, the publisher has embellished it with exquisite specimens ofhigh Pictorial Art, from which Children may derive those correct ideasthat will mature into the beautiful and grand.