EN Test 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 her own humor, who were, indeed, exactly like her in all things. He had likewise, by another wife, a young daughter, but of unparalleled goodness and sweetness of temper, which she took from her mother, who was the best creature in the world. No sooner were the ceremonies of the wedding over but the mother-in-law began to show herself in her true colors. She could not bear the good qualities of this pretty girl, and the less because they made her own daughters appear the more odious. She employed her in the meanest work of the house: she scoured the dishes, tables, etc., and scrubbed madam's chamber, and those of misses, her daughters; she lay up in a sorry garret, upon a wretched straw bed, while her sisters lay in fine rooms, with floors all inlaid, upon beds of the very newest fashion, and where they had looking-glasses so large that they might see themselves at their full length from head to foot. The poor girl bore all patiently, and dared not tell her father, who would have rattled her off; 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, who was not so rude and uncivil as the eldest, called her Cinderella. However, Cinderella, notwithstanding her mean apparel, was a hundred times handsomer than her sisters, though they were always dressed very richly. It happened that the King's son gave a ball, and invited all persons of fashion to it. Our young misses 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 such gowns, petticoats, and head-clothes as might become them. This was a new trouble to Cinderella; for it was she who ironed her sisters' linen, and plaited 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 then, to make amends for that, I will put on my gold-flowered manteau, and my diamond stomacher, which is far from being the most ordinary one in the world." They sent for the best tire-woman they could get to make up their head-dresses and adjust their double pinners, and they had their red brushes and patches from Mademoiselle de la Poche. Cinderella was likewise called up to them to be consulted in all these matters, for she had excellent notions, and advised them always for the best, nay, and offered her services to dress their heads, which they were very willing she should do. As she was doing this, they said to her: "Cinderella, would you not be glad to go to the ball?" "Alas!" said she, "you only jeer me; it is not for such as I am to go thither." "Thou art in the right of it," replied they; "it would make the people laugh to see a Cinderwench at a ball." Anyone but Cinderella would have dressed their heads awry, but she was very good, and dressed them perfectly well They were almost two days without eating, so much were they transported with joy. They broke above a dozen laces in trying to be laced up close, 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. This godmother of hers, who was a fairy, said to her, "Thou wishest thou couldst 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 contrive that thou shalt go." 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, having left 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 trapdoor, 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-gray. Being at a loss for a coachman, "I will go and see," says Cinderella, "if there is never a rat in the rat-trap--we may make a coachman of him." "Thou art in the right," replied her godmother; "go and look."

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 her own humor, who were, indeed, exactly like her in all things. He had likewise, by another wife, a young daughter, but of unparalleled goodness and sweetness of temper, which she took from her mother, who was the best creature in the world. No sooner were the ceremonies of the wedding over but the mother-in-law began to show herself in her true colors. She could not bear the good qualities of this pretty girl, and the less because they made her own daughters appear the more odious. She employed her in the meanest work of the house: she scoured the dishes, tables, etc., and scrubbed madam's chamber, and those of misses, her daughters; she lay up in a sorry garret, upon a wretched straw bed, while her sisters lay in fine rooms, with floors all inlaid, upon beds of the very newest fashion, and where they had looking-glasses so large that they might see themselves at their full length from head to foot. The poor girl bore all patiently, and dared not tell her father, who would have rattled her off; 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, who was not so rude and uncivil as the eldest, called her Cinderella. However, Cinderella, notwithstanding her mean apparel, was a hundred times handsomer than her sisters, though they were always dressed very richly. It happened that the King's son gave a ball, and invited all persons of fashion to it. Our young misses 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 such gowns, petticoats, and head-clothes as might become them. This was a new trouble to Cinderella; for it was she who ironed her sisters' linen, and plaited 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 then, to make amends for that, I will put on my gold-flowered manteau, and my diamond stomacher, which is far from being the most ordinary one in the world." They sent for the best tire-woman they could get to make up their head-dresses and adjust their double pinners, and they had their red brushes and patches from Mademoiselle de la Poche. Cinderella was likewise called up to them to be consulted in all these matters, for she had excellent notions, and advised them always for the best, nay, and offered her services to dress their heads, which they were very willing she should do. As she was doing this, they said to her: "Cinderella, would you not be glad to go to the ball?" "Alas!" said she, "you only jeer me; it is not for such as I am to go thither." "Thou art in the right of it," replied they; "it would make the people laugh to see a Cinderwench at a ball." Anyone but Cinderella would have dressed their heads awry, but she was very good, and dressed them perfectly well They were almost two days without eating, so much were they transported with joy. They broke above a dozen laces in trying to be laced up close, 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. This godmother of hers, who was a fairy, said to her, "Thou wishest thou couldst 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 contrive that thou shalt go." 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, having left 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 trapdoor, 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-gray. Being at a loss for a coachman, "I will go and see," says Cinderella, "if there is never a rat in the rat-trap--we may make a coachman of him." "Thou art in the right," replied her godmother; "go and look."

Long ago in France there lived a King and Queen.  More than anything, they longed for a child.  At last, to their great happiness, the Queen gave birth to a little girl.  All the bells in the land were rung with joy.  The King and Queen invited all the fairies in the kingdom to the Naming Party for the baby.  And what a party it was!  Plates and silverware of pure gold were set with care before each guest. But one fairy, Maleficent, who had left 50 years before and had not been seen in all that time, showed up at the door.  Quickly the King and Queen found a place setting for the new guest.  But alas, the plate and the silverware were not of pure gold.  This made the old fairy very angry. Soon it was time for each Fairy to give her blessing to the baby.  When it came to Maleficent’s turn, she stood up and pointed her long finger at the sleeping baby girl in the cradle. “I declare, before all of you,” Maleficent called out, “that this child, on her 16th birthday, shall prick her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel, and die!” With a whoosh of smoke, the evil fairy vanished.  Everyone cried out with alarm, as you can imagine.  But one fairy had not yet given her blessing.  The King and Queen asked this fairy, whose name was Merryweather, to reverse the curse.  Merryweather shook her head sadly –  that was not possible.  But she could soften the curse.  “On her 16th birthday,” she said, “when the princess pricks her finger on the spinning wheel, instead of dying she will fall asleep for 100 years.” “One hundred years!” said the Queen.  “After our daughter turns 16, we will not know her anymore!” The King ordered every spinning wheel in the kingdom to be brought to the palace and burned.  To be extra sure the princess would not be anywhere near a spinning wheel, he also ordered the fairy Merryweather, along with two other fairies, Flora and Fauna, to take the baby far away.  The fairies would raise the child in a cottage, deep in the woods.  There, they would keep her safe until after her 16th birthday.  After that day it would be safe to bring back the princess, who had been named Aurora, to the castle. Aurora grew up knowing no others than the three fairies, whom she knew as her aunts.  The animals of the forest were her friends.  The birds and the deer, the chipmunks and the rabbits, followed her around as she fed them treats and cooed to them.  From the time she was little, Aurora was told she must stay inside the hills that surrounded them.  She did not mind that in the least.  The woods were wide and deep inside the hills, and there was plenty of room for her to play. One day, Aurora came home to the cottage to find her three aunts preparing for a party.  “What’s going on?” she said. “Tonight we will celebrate your 16th birthday!” said Flora.  “It is?” said Aurora.  “That means tomorrow I go back to the castle!” “Yes!” said Merryweather.  “We have kept you safe from that spinning wheel for 16 years. Soon it will be time for you to take up your royal life as a princess.”  “And the first thing for you will be to get married,” said Fauna. “Married, already?” said Aurora.  “Do you know who I’m supposed to marry?” “We do,” said Fauna with a wave of her hand, “but there’s no need to worry about that.  Even if he’s a bit strange, some might say a bit horrid,  you won’t have to spend much time with him,after all.” “And he does come from a fine family,” Flora added with a quick smile. “Wait a minute!” said Aurora, pulling back.  “Why do you say he’s a bit horrid?” “It’s best not focus on such things, dear,” said Merryweather.  “Just do everything your husband tells you to do,” said Flora, “and you will be fine.” “This is not turning out like I thought!” cried Aurora.  “How long do I have to stay married?” “For the rest of your life, of course,” said Fauna. “No, no, this is all wrong!” cried Aurora.  She turned away, then said in a firm voice,  “I would rather prick my finger on a spinning wheel and fall asleep for 100 years than have to marry someone I don't want to marry! Maybe by the time I wake up, people won’t have to get married if they don’t want to!”  And she ran out the door. “Dear me,” said Merryweather to the other two fairies.  “I don’t believe that went over very well.” Aurora ran deep into the woods where her animal friends lived.  A deer hopped beside her, along with the rabbits and chipmunks.  “We have to get out of here,” she said to all of them. Then pointing to a mountain pass, she said, “We will go right through the hills.” Soon Aurora came to a road.  In the distance was a carriage, coming closer to her.  As the rider approached, her animal friends scattered. “Hail!” said the stranger.  “I’m afraid my carriage scared away your pets.  May I give you a lift?” Aurora had never seen a man before.  But she couldn’t think about that – unless she could find a spinning wheel, the very next day her aunts would take her back to the palace.  “Actually,” said Aurora to the stranger, “there is something I need a great deal.” “What’s that?” said the stranger, hopping out of the carriage.  Very nicely dressed was he, and well mannered, too.