Cinderella and Other Stories from The Blue Fairy Book Read online

  DOVER CHILDREN’S THRIFT CLASSICS

  EDITOR OF THIS VOLUME: CANDACE WARD

  Copyright

  Copyright © 1996 by Dover Publications, Inc.

  All rights reserved under Pan American and International Copyright Conventions.

  Bibliographical Note

  This Dover edition, first published in 1996, is a new selection of six stories adapted from The Blue Fairy Book (New York: Dover Publications, Inc., 1965), edited by Andrew Lang and first published by Longmans, Green, and Co., London, in 1889. The interior illustrations, by Marty Noble; the cover illustration, by Thea Kliros; and the introductory Note have been prepared specially for this edition.

  Library of Congress Cataloging-in Publication Data

  Cinderella and other stories from The blue fairy book / Andrew Lang, [editor] ; illustrated by Marty Noble.

  p. cm.—(Dover children’s thrift classics)

  Contents: Cinderella—The bronze ring—Felicia and the pot of pinks —The white cat—The story of pretty Goldilocks—Snow White and Rose Red.

  9780486158235

  1. Fairy tales. [1. Fairy tales. 2, Folklore.] I. Lang, Andrew, 1844-1912. II. Noble, Marty, 1948— ill. III. Cinderella. English. IV. Series.

  PZ8.C495 1996

  [398.2]—dc20

  96-9803

  CIP

  AC

  Manufactured in the United States of America

  Dover Publications, Inc., 31 East 2nd Street, Mineola, N.Y. 11501

  Note

  In the late nineteenth century the Scottish folklorist Andrew Lang published a number of fairy-tale collections for children in volumes named after different colors. The stories in the present Dover book have all been taken, with adaptations, from The Blue Fairy Book.

  “Cinderella,” the most famous of these stories, is based on the French version by Charles Perrault, not the German version by the Grimm Brothers. “The Bronze Ring” is from Turkey. “Felicia and the Pot of Pinks,” “The White Cat” and “The Story of Pretty Goldilocks” (not connected with “The Three Bears”) are French stories by the Countess d’Aulnoy. “Snow-white and Rose-red” is by the Grimm Brothers.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Note

  Cinderella

  The Bronze Ring

  Felicia and the Pot of Pinks

  The White Cat

  The Story of Pretty Goldilocks

  Snow-white and Rose-red

  Cinderella

  ONCE THERE WAS a gentleman who married, for his second wife, the proudest and most haughty woman that was ever seen. She had, by a former husband, two daughters of similar nature, who were, indeed, exactly like her in all things. He had likewise, by another wife, a young daughter, but of great goodness and sweetness of temper, which she took from her mother, who had been the best creature in the world.

  No sooner were the ceremonies of the wedding over than the stepmother began to show herself in her true colors. She could not bear the good qualities of this pretty girl, especially since they made her own daughters appear the more hateful. She employed her in the meanest work of the house: she scoured the dishes, tables, etc., and scrubbed madam’s chamber, and those of her daughters; she slept up in a sorry garret, upon a wretched straw bed, while her sisters had fine rooms and slept upon beds of the very newest fashion, and had looking-glasses so large that they might see themselves from head to foot.

  The poor girl bore all patiently, and dared not tell her father, for his wife governed him entirely. When she had done her work, she used to go into the chimney-corner, and sit down among cinders and ashes, which made her commonly be called Cinderwench; but the youngest stepsister, who was not so rude and uncivil as the eldest, called her Cinderella. However, Cinderella, notwithstanding her ragged clothes, was a hundred times handsomer than her sisters, though they were always dressed very richly.

  Her godmother asked what was the matter.

  It happened that the King’s son gave a ball, and invited all the people of fashion to it. Cinderella’s sisters were also invited, for they cut a very grand figure among the quality. They were mightily delighted at this invitation, and wonderfully busy in choosing out their most becoming gowns, petticoats, and head-dresses. This was a new trouble to Cinderella; for it was she who ironed her sisters’ linen, and sewed their ruffles; they talked all day long of nothing but how they should be dressed.

  “For my part,” said the eldest, “I will wear my red velvet suit with French trimming.”

  “And I,” said the youngest, “shall have my usual petticoat; but I will put on my gold-flowered cloak, and my diamond belt, which is far from being the most ordinary one in the world.”

  They sent for the best hair-dresser they could get, and Cinderella was also called up to be consulted in all these matters, for she had excellent notions, and advised them always for the best, and even offered her services to dress their hair, which they were very willing she should do. As she was doing this, they said to her:

  “Cinderella, wouldn’t you be glad to go to the ball?”

  “Alas!” said she, “you only tease me; a servant-girl like me could not go.”

  “You are right,” they replied; “it would make the people laugh to see a Cinderwench at a ball.”

  Anyone but Cinderella would have dressed their hair badly, but she was very good, and dressed them perfectly well. They were almost two days without eating, so much they were transported with joy. They broke dozens of laces trying to be laced up tight, that they might have a fine slender shape, and they were continually at their looking-glass. At last the happy day came; they went to Court, and Cinderella followed them with her eyes as long as she could, and when she had lost sight of them, she fell a-crying.

  Her godmother, who saw her all in tears, asked her what was the matter.

  “I wish I could—I wish I could—”; she was not able to speak the rest, being interrupted by her tears and sobbing.

  The pumpkin was turned into a fine coach.

  This godmother of hers, who was a fairy, said to her, “You wish you could go to the ball; is it not so?”

  “Y—es,” cried Cinderella, with a great sigh.

  “Well,” said her godmother, “be but a good girl, and I will arrange everything.” Then she took her into her chamber, and said to her, “Run into the garden, and bring me a pumpkin.”

  Cinderella went immediately to gather the finest she could get, and brought it to her godmother, not being able to imagine how this pumpkin could make her go to the ball. Her godmother scooped out all the inside of it, leaving nothing but the rind; which done, she struck it with her wand, and the pumpkin was instantly turned into a fine coach, gilded all over with gold.

  She then went to look into her mouse-trap, where she found six mice, all alive, and ordered Cinderella to lift up a little the trap-door, when, giving each mouse, as it went out, a little tap with her wand, the mouse was that moment turned into a fine horse, which altogether made a very fine set of six horses of a beautiful mouse-colored dapple-grey.

  Observing that there was no coachman, Cinderella said, “I will go and see if there is a rat in the rat-trap-we may make a coachman of him.”

  “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 which had the largest beard, and, having touched him with her wand, he was turned into a fat, jolly coachman, who had the smartest whiskers eyes ever beheld. After that, she said to her:

  “Go again into the garden, and you w
ill find six lizards behind the watering-pot; bring them to me.”

  She had no sooner done so than her godmother turned them into six footmen, who skipped up immediately behind the coach, with their liveries all covered with gold and silver, and clung as close behind each other as if they had done nothing else their whole lives. The Fairy then said to Cinderella:

  “Well, you see here a coach fit to go to the ball in; are you not pleased with it?”

  “Oh! yes,” cried she; “but must I go there as I am, in these nasty rags?”

  Her godmother only just touched her with her wand, and, at the same instant, her clothes were turned into cloth of gold and silver, all beset with jewels. This done, she gave her a pair of glass slippers, the prettiest in the whole world. As she got up into her coach, her godmother commanded her not to stay till after midnight, telling her that if she stayed one moment longer, the coach would be a pumpkin again, her horses mice, her coachman a rat, her footmen lizards, and her clothes become just as they were before.

  She promised her godmother she would not fail to, leave the ball before midnight; and then away she went, scarce able to contain herself for joy. The King’s son, who was told that a great princess, whom nobody knew, had arrived, ran out to receive her; he gave her his hand as she alighted out of the coach, and led her into the hall, among all the company. There was immediately a profound silence, they stopped dancing, and the violins ceased to play, so attentive was everyone to contemplate the singular beauties of the unknown new-comer. Nothing was then heard but a confused noise of:

  “Ha! how handsome she is! Ha! how handsome she is!”

  The King himself, old as he was, could not help watching her, and told the Queen softly that it was a long time since he had seen so beautiful and lovely a creature.

  All the ladies were busied in considering her clothes and head-dress, that they might have some made next day after the same pattern, provided they could find such fine materials and as able hands to make them.

  The King’s son conducted her to the most honorable seat, and afterwards took her out to dance with him; she danced so very gracefully that they all admired her more and more. A fine dinner was served up, but the young Prince ate not a morsel, so intently was he gazing at her.

  She went and sat down by her sisters, showing them a thousand civilities, giving them part of the oranges and citrons which the Prince had presented her with, which very much surprised them, for they did not recognize her. While Cinderella was thus amusing her sisters, she heard the clock strike eleven and three-quarters, whereupon she immediately made a courtesy to the company and hasted away as fast as she could.

  The King’s son took her out to dance with him.

  When she got home, she ran to find her godmother, and, after thanking her, she said she could not help wishing she might go next day to the ball, because the King’s son had invited her.

  As she was eagerly telling her godmother what had passed at the ball, her two sisters knocked at the door, which Cinderella ran and opened.

  “How long you have stayed!” cried she, yawning, rubbing her eyes and stretching herself as if she had been just waked out of her sleep.

  “If you had been at the ball,” says one of her sisters, “you would not be tired. There was the finest princess, the most beautiful ever was seen with mortal eyes; she showed us a thousand civilities, and gave us oranges and citrons.”

  Cinderella seemed very indifferent in the matter; indeed, she asked them the name of that princess; but they told her they did not know it, and that the King’s son was very curious about her and would give all the world to know who she was. At this Cinderella, smiling, replied:

  “She must, then, be very beautiful indeed; how happy you have been! Could not I see her? Ah! dear Miss Charlotte, do lend me your yellow dress which you wear every day.”

  “Ay, to be sure!” cried Miss Charlotte; “lend my clothes to such a dirty Cinderwench as you are! I would be a fool.”

  Cinderella, indeed, expected such an answer, and was very glad of the refusal; for she would have been sadly put to it if her sister had lent her what she asked for jestingly.

  When the clock struck twelve, she rose up and fled.

  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 never ceased his compliments and kind speeches to her; Cinderella was so pleased with his attentions that she quite forgot her godmother’s warning, so that when the clock struck twelve, she at first took it to be no more than eleven; she then rose up and fled, as nimble 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, and in her nasty old clothes, having nothing left of all her finery but one of the little slippers, fellow to that she dropped. The guards at the palace gate were asked:

  If they had seen a princess go out.

  Who said: They had seen nobody go out but a young girl, very poorly dressed, and who looked more like a poor country wench than a gentlewoman.

  When the two sisters returned from the ball Cinderella asked them if they had been well entertained, and if the fine lady had been there.

  They told her yes, but that she hurried away immediately when it struck twelve, and with so much haste that she dropped one of her little glass slippers, the prettiest in the world, which the King’s son had picked up; that he had done nothing but look at her all the time at the ball, and that most certainly he was very much in love with the beautiful person who owned the glass slipper.

  What they said was very true; for a few days later the King’s son ordered a proclamation that he would marry her whose foot this slipper would just fit. His ambassadors began to try it upon the princesses, then the duchesses and all the ladies of the Court, but in vain; it was brought to the two sisters, who did all they possibly could to thrust their foot into the slipper, but they could not do it. 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 tease her. The gentleman who was sent to try the slipper looked earnestly at Cinderella, and, finding her very handsome, said:

  It was but just that she should try, and that he had orders to let everyone make trial.

  He obliged Cinderella to sit down, and, putting the slipper to her foot, he found it went on very easily, and fitted her as if had been made of wax. The astonishment her two sisters were in was excessively great, but still abundantly greater when Cinderella pulled out of her pocket the other slipper, and put it on her foot. Thereupon, in came her godmother, who, having touched with her wand Cinderella’s clothes, made them richer and more magnificent than any of those she had before.

  And now her two sisters found her to be that fine, beautiful lady whom they had seen at the ball. They threw themselves at her feet to beg pardon for all the ill-treatment they had made her undergo. Cinderella took them up, and, as she embraced them, cried:

  That she forgave them with all her heart, and desired them always to love her.

  She was conducted to the young Prince, dressed as she was; he thought her more charming than ever, and, a few days after, married her. Cinderella, who was no less good than beautiful, gave her two sisters lodgings in the palace, and that very same day married them to two great lords of the Court.

  The Bronze Ring

  ONCE UPON A TIME in a certain country there lived a king whose palace was surrounded by a spacious garden. But, though the gardeners were many and the soil was good, this garden yielded neither flowers nor fruits, not even grass or shady trees.

  The King was in despair about it when a wise old man said to him:

  “Your gardeners do not understand their business: but what can you expect of men whose fathers were cobblers and carpenters? How should they have learnt to cultivate your garden?”

  “You are quite right,” c
ried the King.

  “Therefore,” continued the old man, “you should send for a gardener whose father and grandfather have been gardeners before him, and very soon your garden will be full of green grass and gay flowers, and you will enjoy its delicious fruit.”

  So the King sent messengers to every town, village, and hamlet in his dominions, to look for a gardener whose forefathers had been gardeners also, and after forty days one was found.

  “Come with us and be gardener to the King,” they said to him.

  “How can I go to the King,” said the gardener, “a poor wretch like me?”

  “That is of no consequence,” they answered. “Here are new clothes for you and your family.”

  “But I owe money to several people.”

  “We will pay your debts,” they said.

  So the gardener allowed himself to be persuaded, and went away with the messengers, taking his wife and his son with him; and the King, delighted to have found a real gardener, entrusted him with the care of his garden. The man found no difficulty in making the royal garden produce flowers and fruit, and at the end of a year the park was not like the same place, and the King showered gifts upon his new servant.

  The gardener, as you have heard already, had a son, who was a very handsome young man, with most agreeable manners, and every day he carried the best fruit of the garden to the King, and all the prettiest flowers to his daughter. Now this princess was wonderfully pretty and was just sixteen years old, and the King was beginning to think it was time that she should be married.

  “My dear child,” said he, “you are of an age to take a husband, therefore I am thinking of marrying you to the son of my prime minister.”