Let's settle in for a night of deep sleep with this story, Cinderella by Henry W. Hewitt. There once lived gentlemen and his wife who were the parents of a lovely 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 to her, "My child, always be good.

Bear everything that happens to you with patience. And whatever evil and troubles you may suffer, you will be happy in the end if you are so." Then the lady died and her daughter was filled with grief at the loss of her mother so good and kind. The father too was grieving and unhappy and sought to get rid of his sorrow by marrying another wife. He looked out for a prudent lady who might be a second mother to his child and a companion to himself. His choice fell on a lady of a proud and tyrannical temper who had two daughters by a former marriage.

Both as arrogant and bad tempered as their mother. No sooner was the wedding over, the stepmother began to show her bad temper. She could not bear her stepdaughter's good qualities that only showed up her daughters unamiable ones more obviously. And accordingly, compelled the young girl to do all the drudgery of the household. It was she who washed the dishes and scrubbed down the stairs and polished the floors in her stepmother's chamber and in those of her two daughters, While the two unpleasant stepsisters slept on comfortable feather beds in elegant rooms furnished with full length mirrors, their youngest stepsister laid in and wretched attic on an old straw mattress.

Yet the sweet girl bore this ill treatment very meekly and did not dare complain to her father who thought so much of his wife, in fear that he would only have scolded her. When her work was done, she used to sit in the chimney corner amongst the cinders, which had caused the nickname of Cinderella to be given to her by the family. Yet for all her shabby clothes, Cinderella was a hundred times prettier and more charming than her sisters, even when they were dressed ever so magnificently. It happened that the King's son was hosting a ball to which he invited all the nobility. And luckily for the two young ladies, they were included in the list of invitations.

They began to be very busy choosing what headdress and which gown would be the most becoming. This meant more work for poor Cinderella. For it was she who had to press and prepare the ruffles and iron all their fine linen. Between the two young ladies, there was nothing but talk about gowns for days. "I," said the eldest, "shall put on my red velvet dress with my pointe lace trimmings." "And I," said, the younger sister, "shall wear my usual petticoat, but shall set it off with my gold brocaded train and my circlets of diamonds." They sent for a clever dressmaker to prepare the double rows of quilting for their caps.

And they purchased a quantity of fashionably cut patches. They called in Cinderella to take her advice as she had such good taste. And Cinderella not only advise them well, but offered to style their hair, which they were pleased to accept. While she was busy helping them, the sisters said to her, "Cinderella, would you like to go to the ball?" "No. You are mocking me," replied the poor girl.

"Attending balls is not for me." "True enough," they said. "Folks would laugh to see a Cinderella at a court ball." These two stepsisters were very cruel to Cinderella and took advantage of her wherever they could. Anyone other than Cinderella would have refused to be helpful in order to punish them for their lack of respect. But she was so good natured that she still dressed them beautifully. Although they sought to degrade and lower her, Cinderella's lovely disposition, still shone bright.

Although she was not allowed to go to the ball of the King's son, she not only advised them well on how they could hold themselves to appear to the best advantage. But she, even with her own hands styled their hair and in the most becoming manner her delicate tastes could suggest. The two sisters were so delighted that they spent their whole time in front of the mirror admiring themselves. The long wished for evening came at last. And these excited sisters stepped into the carriage and drove away to the palace.

Cinderella watched the coaches far as she could see and then returned to the kitchen in tears, where for the first time she expressed sadness for her hard and cruel degradation. She continued sobbing in the corner of the chimney until a tapping at the kitchen door roused her and she got up to see who had caused it. She found a little old woman hobbling on crutches who asked her to give her some food. "I have only part of my own supper for you which is no better than a dry crust, but if you like to step in and warm yourself, you can do so." "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, deary me. What are all these tears, my child?" said the old woman. And then Cinderella told the old woman all her griefs. How her sisters had gone to the ball and how she wished to go too, but had no clothes or means to do so. "But you shall go, my darling," said the old woman.

"Or I am not the queen of the fairies or your godmother. Dry up your tears like a good goddaughter and do as I tell you. And you shall have clothes and horses finer than anyone." Cinderella had heard her father often talk of her godmother and tell her that she was one of those good fairies who protect children. Her spirits revived, and she wiped away her tears. The fairy took Cinderella by the hand and said, "Now, my dear, go into the garden and fetch me a pumpkin." Cinderella bounded lightly to execute her commands and returned with one of the finest and largest pumpkins she could meet with.

It was as big as a beer barrel and Cinderella trundled it into the kitchen wondering what her godmother would do with it. Her godmother took the pumpkin and scooped out the inside of it, leaving nothing but rind. She then struck it with her wand and it instantly became one of the most elegant carriages ever seen. She next sent Cinderella into the pantry for the mouse trap. Requesting she bring six little mice alive, which she could find in the trap.

Cinderella ran to the pantry. And there she found the mice as the fairy had said, which she brought to the old lady who told her to lift up the door of the trap, but a little way in very gently so that only one of the mice might go out at a time. Cinderella raised the mouse trap door. And as the mice came out one by one, the old woman touched them with her wand and transformed them into fine prancing, dapple, gray carriage horses with long manes and tails, which were tied up with light blue ribbons. "Now, my dear good child," said the fairy.

"Here you have a coach and horses much nicer than your sisters. But as we have neither a postilion or a coachman to take care of them, run quickly to the stable where the rat trap is placed and bring it to me." 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 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 into the garden again before I can complete the transformation. When you get there, keep to the right side and close to the wall, you will see the water pot standing.

Look behind it and there you will find six lizards which you must bring to me immediately." Cinderella hurried to the garden as she was asked and found the six lizards, which she put into her apron and brought to the fairy. Another touch of the wonderful wand soon converted them into six foot men in dashing uniforms with powdered hair in pigtails, three cornered cocked hats, and gold headed canes who immediately jumped up behind the carriage as nimbly as if they'd been footmen and nothing else, all their lives. With the coachman and postilion having likewise taken their places, the fairy said to Cinderella, "Well, my dear girl, is this not the finest coach you could ever desire to go to the ball with? Tell me now, are you pleased with it?" "Oh yes, dear Godmother," replied Cinderella. And then with a good deal of hesitation added, "But how can I make my appearance amongst so many finally dressed people in these scruffy 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 fairies, 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 fairy took from her pocket a beautiful pair of elastic glass slippers, which she caused Cinderella to put on. And then told her to get into the carriage to set off quickly 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 left, strictly told her on no account, whatever to stay at the ball after the clock had struck 12. 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 scruffy looking clothes.

Cinderella promised faithfully to attend to everything that the fairy had mentioned. And then quite overjoyed, gave the direction to the footman who yelled out in a loud and commanding tone to the coachman, "To the royal palace." the coachman touched his prancing horses with his whip and swiftly the carriage started off and in a short time reached the palace. The arrival of such a splendid carriage as Cinderella's could not fail to attract the attention of the palace gates. And as it drove up to the marble entrance, the servants in great numbers came out to see it. Information was quickly taken to the King's son that a beautiful young lady, evidently a princess, was in waiting.

His Royal Highness rushed to the door, welcomed Cinderella and escorted her out of the carriage. He then led her gracefully into the ballroom and introduced her to his father, the King. The moment she appeared, all conversation was hushed. The violins ceased playing and the dancing stopped short. So great was the sensation produced by the stranger's beauty.

A confused murmur of admiration fluttered through the crowd. And each was compelled to exclaim, "How surpassingly lovely she is!" The ladies were all busy examining her headdress and her clothes in order to get similar ones the very next day, if indeed they could find seamstresses clever enough to make them up. What a lovely creature. So fair, so beautiful. What a handsome figure.

How is she so elegantly dressed? The King's son handed Cinderella to one of the most distinguished seats at the top of the hall and offered her some refreshments. Cinderella received them with great grace. When this was over, the prince requested to have the honor of dancing with her. Cinderella smiled with consent. And the delighted prince immediately led her out to the head of the dance, which was just about to commence.

The eyes of all the guests were fixed upon the beautiful pair. The trumpet sounded and the music struck up and the dance commenced. But if Cinderella's beauty, elegant figure and the splendor of her dress had before drawn attention of the whole room, the astonishment at her dancing was still greater. Gracefulness seem to play in all her motions. The airy lightness with which she floated along as buoyant, as thistledown generated a murmur of admiration.

The hall rang with the loudest exclamations of applause and the company all in one voice pronounced her the most elegant creature that had ever been seen. And this was the little girl who had passed a great part of her life in the kitchen and had always been called a cinder girl. When the dance ended, a magnificent feast was served up consisting of 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 in the goodness of her heart, she offered them the delicacies which she had received from the prince, but they did not know she was their sister.

When Cinderella heard the clock strike three quarters past 11, she made a low curtsy to the whole assembly and left the ball very quickly. On reaching home, she found her Godmother. And after thanking her for the treat she had enjoyed, she ventured to express a wish to return to the ball on the following evening, as the prince had requested her to do. She was still relating to her godmother all that had happened at the ball when her two sisters knocked at the door. Cinderella went and let them in.

Pretending to yawn and stretch herself and rub her eyes and saying, "How late you are." Just as if she was woken up out of a nap. Though, truth to say, she had never felt less disposed to sleep in her life. "If you had been to the ball," said one of the sisters, "you would not have thought it late. There came the most beautiful princess ever seen who loaded us with polite attentions and gave us oranges and citrons." Cinderella could scarcely contain her delight and inquired as to the name of the princess, but they replied that nobody knew her name. Yet the King's son was very taken by her and would give the world to know who she could be.

"Is she then so very beautiful?" said Cinderella smiling. "Oh my, how I wish I could see her. Oh my, Lady J'ouvert lend me the yellow dress you wear every day so that I may go to the ball and have a peep at this wonderful princess?" "A likely story indeed," cried her sister, tossing her head disdainfully, "that I should lend my clothes to a dirty Cinderella like you?" Cinderella expected to be refused and was not sorry for it as she would have been puzzled, what to do had her sister really lent her the dress she begged to have. On the following evening, the sisters again went to the ball. And so did Cinderella dressed even more magnificently than before.

The King's son never left her side and kept paying her the most flattering compliments. The young lady was enjoying the attention. So it came to pass that she forgot her godmother's instructions and indeed lost track of time so completely that she was startled at hearing the first stroke of midnight. She rose hastily and flew away like a startled fawn. The prince attempted to follow her, but she was too swift for him.

Only as she rushed away, she dropped one of her glass slippers, which he picked up very eagerly. Cinderella reached home quite out of breath without either coach or footman and with only her shabby clothes on her back. Nothing in short remained of her recent magnificence except for the little glass slipper, the match to the one she had lost. Security at the palace gate were closely questioned as to whether they had not seen a princess coming out. But they answered they had seen no one except a shabbily dressed girl who appeared to be a peasant rather than a young lady.

When the two sisters returned from the ball, Cinderella asked them whether they had been well entertained and whether the beautiful lady was there. They replied that she was, but that she had run away as soon as midnight had struck. And so quickly that she dropped one of her dainty glass slippers which the King's son had picked up and was looking at most fondly during the remainder of the ball. Indeed, it seemed beyond a doubt that he was deeply enamored of the beautiful creature to whom it belonged. A few days afterwards, the King's son caused a proclamation to be made by a sound of trumpet all over the kingdom, to the effect that he would marry her whose foot should be found to fit the slipper exactly.

So the slipper was first tried on by all the princesses, then by all the duchesses, and next by all the persons belonging to the court. But in vain. It was then carried to the two sisters who tried with all their might to force their feet into its delicate proportions, but with no better success. Cinderella who was present and recognized her slipper now laughed and said, "Suppose I were to try?" Her sister's ridiculed such an idea, but the gentleman who was appointed to try the slipper said that it was but fair she should do so as he had orders to try it on every young maiden in the kingdom. Accordingly having requested Cinderella to sit down, she no sooner put her little foot to the slipper, then she drew it on and it fitted like wax.

The sisters were quite amazed, but their astonishment increased tenfold when Cinderella drew the fellow slipper out of her pocket and put it on. Her Godmother then made her appearance and having touched Cinderella's clothes with her wand made them still more magnificent than those she had previously worn. Her two sisters now recognized her for the beautiful stranger they had seen at the ball. And falling at her feet, begging her forgiveness for their unworthy treatment and all the insults they had heaped upon her. Cinderella raised them saying as she embraced them that she forgave them with all her heart.

She was then taken to the palace of the young prince in whose eyes she appeared yet more lovely and kind than before. And only a few days later, they married. Cinderella, who was as good as she was beautiful, allowed her sisters to lodge in the palace, making them feel very welcome. And she even went on to introduce them to two lords of the court. And together they all lived happily ever after.