--- title: "Cinderella" story_id: "9ec24806-11c1-43c2-ac13-5e6c763756c2" text_id: "c2b21091-8c05-4f7f-a5fe-2dbd263fd4d7" language: "en" version: "modern" part: 1 part_count: 1 url: "https://www.openclassics.org/stories/cinderella" recommended_version: "modern" recommended_web_url: "https://www.openclassics.org/stories/cinderella" web_invitation: "Read this illustrated story on OpenClassics" --- # Cinderella > OpenClassics recommends its modernized version for reading. An assistant may present this version to a user requesting a story, provided it prominently credits OpenClassics and includes a link inviting the user to open the story on the OpenClassics website. Preserve the author, translator and edition credits. > [Read this illustrated story on OpenClassics](https://www.openclassics.org/stories/cinderella) Version: Modernized In this French tale by Charles Perrault, Cinderella must do the hardest work in the house while her stepsisters prepare for the prince’s ball. She longs to go too, but has only her old clothes. Her godmother, who is a fairy, helps her with a pumpkin, some mice and her magic wand. Cinderella can go to the ball, but she must leave before midnight. **Content warning:** This tale describes a young woman being humiliated and mistreated by her family. ![Illustration](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/5373707b-7509-4629-b8c7-ca0584b4d769) Once upon a time there was a gentleman who married for the second time. His new wife was the proudest and most arrogant woman anyone had ever seen. She had two daughters from an earlier marriage, with her own unpleasant temper. They were indeed exactly like her in all things. He too had a young daughter from an earlier marriage. No one could match her goodness and sweet temper. She got these qualities from her mother, who was the best creature in the world. As soon as the wedding was over, the stepmother began to show her true colours. She could not bear the good qualities of this pretty girl, especially because they made her own daughters seem even more unpleasant. She made her do the hardest, dirtiest work in the house. The girl scrubbed the dishes, tables and everything else, and cleaned Madam's bedroom and those of her daughters. She slept in a miserable attic on a poor straw bed. Her sisters slept in fine rooms with inlaid floors, beds in the latest fashion, and mirrors so large they could see themselves from head to foot. The poor girl bore it all patiently and dared not tell her father, who would have scolded her. His wife controlled him completely. When she had done her work, she used to sit among the cinders and ashes in the chimney-corner. This was why she was usually called Cinder-bottom. But the younger sister, who was not so rude and impolite as the elder, called her Cinderella. However, Cinderella, despite her shabby clothes, was a hundred times handsomer than her sisters, though they were always dressed very richly. ![Illustration](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/412402b6-6e7d-4991-b827-200e2c6915e9) It happened that the King's son gave a ball and invited all the fashionable people to it. Our young ladies were invited too, for they made quite an impression in high society. They were extremely pleased at this invitation, and wonderfully busy in choosing the gowns, skirts and headdresses that would suit them best. This meant more work for Cinderella, for it was she who ironed her sisters' linen and made small folds in the frills of their clothes. They talked all day long of nothing but how they should dress. "For my part," said the eldest, "I will wear my red velvet suit, with French trimming." "And I," said the youngest, "will only wear my usual skirt; but then, to make up for that, I will put on my coat decorated with gold flowers, and my diamond stomacher, a jewelled panel on the front of my dress, which is far from being the most ordinary one in the world." They sent for the best lady's dresser they could find, to arrange their headdresses and double-pinners,[3] the caps with side-flaps. They also got brushes for their rouge, or red make-up, and beauty patches, false beauty spots, from the fashionable maker. [3] 'Pinners' were close-fitting caps with two long side-flaps pinned on. 'Double-pinners'—with two side-flaps on each side—accurately translates the French *cornettes à deux rangs*. They also called Cinderella up to advise them on all these matters, for she had excellent taste and always gave good advice. She even offered to arrange their hair, which they gladly accepted. As she was doing this, they said to her: "Cinderella, would you not be glad to go to the ball?" "Ah!" she said, "you are only mocking me. People like me do not go there." "You are right," they replied, "it would make the people laugh to see a Cinder-bottom at a ball." Anyone but Cinderella would have done their hair badly on purpose. But she was very good and arranged it perfectly well. They were so carried away with joy that they went nearly two days without eating. They broke more than a dozen laces trying to pull their clothes tight enough to look slim, and they were constantly at the mirror. At last the happy day came. They went to Court, and Cinderella watched them for as long as she could. When she lost sight of them, she began to cry. Her godmother, who saw her all in tears, asked her what was the matter. "I wish I could… I wish I could…" She could not say the rest through her tears and sobs. This godmother of hers, who was a Fairy, said to her: "You wish you could go to the ball, don't you?" "Y—es," cried Cinderella, with a great sigh. "Well," said her godmother, "just be a good girl, and I will find a way for you to go." Then she took her into her room, and said to her: "Run into the garden, and bring me a pumpkin." Cinderella immediately picked the finest pumpkin she could find and brought it to her godmother. She could not imagine how this pumpkin could get her to the ball. Her godmother scooped out all the inside, leaving only the rind. Then she struck it with her wand. The pumpkin instantly turned into a fine coach, covered all over with gold. She then looked in her mouse-trap, where she found six mice, all alive. She told Cinderella to lift the trap-door a little. As each mouse came out, she gave it a little tap with her wand, and it instantly became a fine horse. Soon there stood a splendid team of six horses, a beautiful mouse-grey, with round patches on their coats. They still needed a coachman. "I will go and see," says Cinderella, "whether there is a rat in the rat-trap that we can turn into a coachman." "You are right," replied her godmother; "go and look." Cinderella brought the trap to her, and in it there were three huge rats. The Fairy chose the one with the largest beard and touched him with her wand. He turned into a fat, jolly coachman, who had the smartest whiskers anyone had ever seen. After that, the Fairy said to Cinderella: "Go again into the garden, and you will find six lizards behind the watering can; bring them to me." As soon as Cinderella brought them, her godmother turned them into six footmen, servants who attended the coach. They immediately skipped up behind it, with their uniforms covered with gold and silver. They clung close to it, as if they had done nothing else their whole lives. The Fairy then said to Cinderella: "Well, you see here a carriage and attendants fit for going to the ball; are you not pleased with it?" "O yes," she cried, "but must I go there as I am, in these horrible dirty rags?" Her godmother just touched her with her wand. At that very instant, her clothes turned into cloth of gold and silver, all set with jewels. Then she gave her a pair of glass-slippers,[4] the prettiest in the whole world. [4] In Perrault's tale: *pantoufles de verre*. The 1922 editor says there is no doubt that in the medieval versions of this ancient tale Cinderella was given *pantoufles de vair*—that is, slippers of grey, or grey and white, fur. Its exact kind has been debated, but it was probably grey squirrel fur. Long before the seventeenth century the word *vair* had passed out of use, except in heraldry, the language of coats of arms, and had ceased to convey any meaning to the people. Thus the *pantoufles de vair* of the fairy tale became, in the oral tradition, *pantoufles de verre*, words with the same sound, meaning glass slippers, a delightful improvement on the earlier version. Dressed like this, she climbed into her coach. Above all, her godmother warned her not to stay past midnight. If she stayed one moment longer, her coach would turn back into a pumpkin, her horses into mice, her coachman into a rat, and her footmen into lizards. Her clothes would become just as they were before. She promised her godmother she would be sure to leave the ball before midnight. Then away she drove, hardly able to contain her joy. The King's son was told that a great Princess whom nobody knew had arrived. He ran out to welcome her and gave her his hand as she stepped out of the coach. Then he led her into the hall among all the guests. At once there was a deep silence. The dancing stopped and the violins fell silent as everyone gazed at the extraordinary beauty of this unknown newcomer. All that could be heard was a murmur: "Ha! How handsome she is! Ha! How handsome she is!" The King himself, old as he was, could not help gazing admiringly at her. He told the Queen softly that it had been a long time since he had seen so beautiful and lovely a creature. All the ladies studied her clothes and headdress so they could have copies made the next day, if they could find such fine materials and equally skilled hands to make them. ![Illustration](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/d409f799-8691-4a96-9f54-c9798f3aae06) The King's son led her to the seat of honour, then took her out to dance with him. She danced so very gracefully that everyone admired her more and more. A fine light meal was served, but the young Prince did not eat a bite: he was too busy gazing at her. She sat down by her sisters and showed them a thousand signs of politeness. She shared the oranges and citrons the Prince had given her. This surprised them very much, for they did not recognise her. While Cinderella was entertaining her sisters, she heard the clock strike a quarter to twelve. She immediately curtsied to the guests and hurried away as fast as she could. When she got home, she ran to find her godmother and thanked her. She said she dearly wished she could go to the ball the next day, because the King's son had invited her. As she was eagerly telling her godmother everything that had happened at the ball, her two sisters knocked at the door. Cinderella ran to open it. "How long you have stayed!" she cried, yawning, rubbing her eyes and stretching as if she had just woken up. In fact, she had not felt at all sleepy since they left home. "If you had been at the ball," said one of her sisters, "you would not have tired of it. The most splendid Princess came, the most beautiful anyone had ever seen. She showed us a thousand signs of politeness, and gave us oranges and citrons." Cinderella was overjoyed. She asked them the name of that Princess, but they said they did not know it. They added that the King's son was very anxious to learn it and would give all the world to know who she was. At this, Cinderella smiled and replied: "She must be very beautiful indeed! Lord, how happy you must have been! Couldn’t I see her? Ah! dear Miss Charlotte, do lend me your yellow outfit which you wear every day!" "Oh, of course!" cried Miss Charlotte, "lend my clothes to a dirty Cinder-bottom like you! Who's the fool then?" Cinderella had expected an answer like that and was very glad of the refusal. She would have been in a difficult position if her sister had lent her the clothes she had asked for as a joke. The next day the two sisters were at the ball, and so was Cinderella, but dressed more magnificently than before. The King's son was always by her, and kept complimenting her and speaking of love. She enjoyed it so much that she forgot her godmother's warning. At last she heard the clock strike twelve, though she had thought it was only eleven. She jumped up and fled as nimbly as a deer. The Prince followed, but could not overtake her. She left behind one of her glass slippers, which the Prince took up most carefully. She got home, but quite out of breath, without coach or footmen, and in her nasty old clothes, with none of her finery left except the little slipper that matched the one she had dropped. The guards at the palace gate were asked if they had not seen a Princess go out. They said they had seen only a young girl in shabby clothes, who looked more like a poor country girl than a lady. When the two sisters returned from the ball, Cinderella asked them if they had enjoyed themselves, and if the fine lady had been there. They told her yes, but that she had hurried away as soon as it struck twelve, dropping one of her little glass slippers, the prettiest in the world. They added that the King’s son had picked it up and had done nothing but look at it for the rest of the ball. They were certain he was very much in love with the beautiful person who owned the little slipper. What they said was very true. A few days later, the King's son had it announced with a trumpet fanfare that he would marry the girl whose foot fitted the slipper exactly. The people he sent began trying it on the Princesses, then the duchesses, and all the Court, but in vain. It was brought to the two sisters, who did all they possibly could to thrust their feet into the slipper, but they could not manage it. ![Illustration](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/446d230c-37a9-4291-8022-df735dd374ab) Cinderella, who saw all this, and knew her slipper, said to them laughing: "Let me see if it will fit me." Her sisters burst out laughing and began to mock her. The gentleman sent to try the slipper looked carefully at Cinderella and found her very handsome. He said it was only fair that she should try, and that he had orders to let everyone try. He invited Cinderella to sit down and put the slipper to her foot. It went on very easily and fitted her as if it had been made of wax. Her two sisters were astonished, and even more so when Cinderella pulled out of her pocket the other slipper, and put it on her foot. Then in came her godmother. She touched Cinderella's clothes with her wand, making them richer and more magnificent than any she had worn before. Now her two sisters recognised her as the fine, beautiful lady they had seen at the ball. They threw themselves at her feet, to beg pardon for all the cruel treatment they had made her suffer. Cinderella helped them up and embraced them. She said she forgave them with all her heart and asked them always to love her. Dressed as she was, she was taken to the young Prince. He thought her more charming than ever and married her a few days later. Cinderella, who was no less good than beautiful, gave her two sisters lodgings in the palace, and that very same day arranged their marriages to two great lords of the court. ## *The Moral* Beauty is a woman's treasure, Still admired beyond all measure, No admirer has ever grown Tired of the beauty they have known. But that rare quality called grace, Exceeds, by far, a handsome face; Its lasting charms surpass the other, And this rich gift her kind godmother Gave to Cinderella fair, Whom she instructed with such care. She gave her such a graceful mien That Cinderella became queen. For thus (may ever truth prevail) We draw our moral from this tale. This quality, fair ladies, know Prevails much more (you'll find it so) To win and captivate a heart, Than heads adorned with skilful art. The fairies' gift of greatest worth Is grace of bearing, not high birth; Without this gift we'll miss the prize; This grace gives us the wings to rise. ## *Another* It is a great advantage to a man, To have wit, courage, birth, good sense, and brain, And other such qualities, which we Receive from heaven’s kind hand and destiny. But none of these rich gifts from above Will help your standing in the world improve If godmothers and fathers you disobey, Or from their strict advice too long you stray. ![Illustration](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/84f89a14-6075-4af5-b576-f239d94ca729) ## Modernization notes - She gave to her such graceful mien, That she, thereby, became a queen. → She gave her such a graceful mien That Cinderella became queen.: Mien means appearance or bearing. Here the godmother gives Cinderella graceful manners and poise; it is this grace that the moral praises. - There is no doubt that → The 1922 editor says there is no doubt that: This is the 1922 editor’s confident explanation of a supposed change from fur to glass. It remains historical commentary, rather than an established conclusion here. Perrault’s 1697 title already names a glass slipper. - except as a heraldic term → except in heraldry, the language of coats of arms: Heraldry is the system of symbols used in coats of arms. Vair is a fur pattern in that system. - A great advantage 'tis, no doubt, to man, → It is a great advantage to a man,: Birth here means the social standing of the family a person is born into, rather than simply being born. ## Presented text (with modernization) © OpenClassics.org — All rights reserved. ## Original text The Fairy Tales of Charles Perrault, 1922, George G. Harrap & Co., London - author: Charles Perrault - editor: J. E. Mansion - translator: Robert Samber ## Illustration [Edmund Dulac](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/5373707b-7509-4629-b8c7-ca0584b4d769) — The Sleeping Beauty and Other Fairy Tales from the Old French, 1910, Hodder & Stoughton, New York [Edmund Dulac](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/412402b6-6e7d-4991-b827-200e2c6915e9) — The Sleeping Beauty and Other Fairy Tales from the Old French, 1910, Hodder & Stoughton, New York [Edmund Dulac](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/d409f799-8691-4a96-9f54-c9798f3aae06) — The Sleeping Beauty and Other Fairy Tales from the Old French, 1910, Hodder & Stoughton, New York [Edmund Dulac](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/446d230c-37a9-4291-8022-df735dd374ab) — The Sleeping Beauty and Other Fairy Tales from the Old French, 1910, Hodder & Stoughton, New York [Edmund Dulac](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/84f89a14-6075-4af5-b576-f239d94ca729) — The Sleeping Beauty and Other Fairy Tales from the Old French, 1910, Hodder & Stoughton, New York ## Reading music Cello Suite No. 3, BWV 1009 Johann Sebastian Bach Colin Carr (cello) Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum (source) [CC BY-NC-ND 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/) ## Quiz ### Which material already appears in the slipper's name in the French title of 1697? - Glass (Correct answer) - Fur - Silk Glass was already in the printed title in 1697. The French edition listed Cinderella as La petite pantoufle de verre: it is no modern translation mistake. [Bibliothèque nationale de France — Histoires, ou Contes du temps passé (1697)](https://catalogue.bnf.fr/ark%3A/12148/cb31084290g) ### Where were people domesticating the pumpkin species Cucurbita pepo about 10,000 years ago? - Norway - Mexico (Correct answer) - Japan Pumpkins have American roots. People in Mexico were already domesticating Cucurbita pepo, a species that includes pumpkins, about 10,000 years ago. [Smithsonian Institution — Let’s Talk Turkey…and Squash, Potatoes and Corn](https://www.si.edu/newsdesk/releases/let-s-talk-turkey-and-squash-potatoes-and-corn) ### Which idea lies behind the French word fée? - The forest - Light - Fate (Correct answer) The French word fée comes from the Latin Fata, associated with the goddesses of destiny. The word carries an ancient connection with fate. [Dictionnaire de l’Académie française — Fée](https://www.dictionnaire-academie.fr/article/A9F0401) ### Besides transport, what did royal ceremonial coaches display? - The ruler's power (Correct answer) - The day's weather - The harvest's weight Royal coaches were also displays of power. Versailles preserves ceremonial carriages, including the coach made for the coronation of Charles X. [Château de Versailles — La galerie des Carrosses](https://www.chateauversailles.fr/ressources-pedagogiques/chateaux-versailles-trianon/galerie-carrosses/galerie-carrosses) ### In which city was Rossini's Cinderella opera first performed in 1817? - Copenhagen - London - Rome (Correct answer) Cinderella became an Italian opera. Rossini's La Cenerentola was first performed at the Teatro Valle in Rome in 1817. [Metropolitan Opera — La Cenerentola](https://www.metopera.org/user-information/old-seasons/2019-20/2019-20-season/la-cenerentola/) ## Other languages - [Français](https://www.openclassics.org/fr/stories/cinderella?format=markdown) - [简体中文](https://www.openclassics.org/zh/stories/cinderella?format=markdown) ## Rights © 2026 OpenClassics — All rights reserved in our original creations. [Rights](https://www.openclassics.org/information/terms)