»This is not the right one either,« said he, »have you no other
daughter?«—»No,« said the man, »only my dead wife left behind her a little
stunted Cinderella; it is impossible that she can be the bride.« But the
King's son ordered her to be sent for, but the mother said, »Oh no! she is much
too dirty, I could not let her be seen.« But he would have her fetched and so
Cinderella had to appear.
First
she washed her face and hands quite clean. Then she went in and curtseyed to
the prince who held out to her the golden shoe. She drew her foot out of the
heavy wooden shoe and slipped it into the golden one, which fit perfectly. And
when she looked up and the prince looked in her face he knew again the beautiful
maiden that had danced with him, and he cried, »This is the right bride!« The
stepmother and the two sisters were thunderstruck, and grew pale with envy.