In olden times there lived a prosperous man with his wife and their only daughter whom the parents doted on. They gave the girl all their love and tender care and the affectionate child was worthy of their attentions.

One night the mother had a dream which she feared might spell disaster. But before she could find someone to explain the meaning of the dream to her, she was taken seriously ill. Her husband had gone in search of a doctor. She called her daughter to her bedside, stroked her cheeks and said sadly.

had gone in search of a doctor. She called her daughter to her bedside, stroked her cheeks and said sadly.

"Iwill have to leave this world and go to heaven and my heart aches for you, my poor lamb.Your father and God Almighty in heaven will take care of you. And your mother will watch over you from the other world. Always be kind and good and our hearts will be united for ever, because mother and child are bound with ties of love that no grave or death can ever break. I want you to plant a rowan-tree to adorn my grave, so that the

the birds might feed on its berries in autumn, and should you be in trouble and have no other friends, ask the birds to help you. Should you have a secret desire in your heart shake the top of the rowan-tree to let me know about it, or if life is hard on you, come and sit underneath the tree, and like your mother’s arms it will comfort and soothe you in your grief." Soon after, even before her husband got back with the doctor, she closed her eyes for ever. The daughter cried piteously and did not leave her mother's side by day or by night before her

dead body was placed in her coffin and buried.

The daughter planted a rowan-tree on her mother's grave, raked the earth around its roots and watered it with her tears. The young plant took root and grew into a fine shady tree. The child often sat under her mother's tree. For her this was the dearest place in the world.

The next autumn her father got married again. It did not occur to him to find out first if his second wife would also make a good mother for his daughter. A rich widower never

has any difficulty in Whereas finding a wife, an orphan will rarely get a good mother.

The stepmother brought along two daughters from her previous marriage. As it is always the case, the bonds of blood are stronger than anything else and the orphan could not expect much warmth. The stepmother idolized her own daughters and thought little of her husband's daughter. As soon as the darling-daughters perceived their mother's attitude towards their stepsister they felt they were privileged,

she was destined to be their slave.

As it could be expected, the stepmother showed her a kind face for the first days after the wedding, and so did the daughters, but it was sheer hypocrisy. There was no shred of kindness in them. Their hearts were filled with cruelty, arrogance, wickedness, and other vices, which left no room for the plant of love to take root.

The life of the husband's daughter grew more miserable as the days passed, but father had no eyes to notice it, and no

heart to feel pity for his child.

"Why should she loaf about in our chambers!" said the stepmother. "There's enough room in the kitchen. She can take the yoke and carry pails of water from the well. She can work in the cattleshed and the pigsty, and knead bread and do our washing. She has to work for a living.“ The girls agreed, "Yes, she has to serve us. She has to be our slavegirl." They robbed the orphan of all her better clothes. They emptied her mother's chest and took all the pretty things they found in

there.The orphan was given some old grey mean rags to wear when she did her daily chores in the kitchen and in the farmyard. As she couldn't possibly look neat and clean, the stepmother and her daughters contemptuously called her Cinderella. They hindered, and humiliated, and vexed her in every way. To her father they tried to make out that she was bad and refractory, so she found no protection when she complained her grief to him. For a long time Cinderella suffered silently, wept and prayed to God,but she never

thought of going to her mother's grave to tell the rowan—tree of her sufferings.

One day when she was rinsing the washing in the brook she heard a magpie chatting in the tree-top, "Silly child! Silly child! Why don't you complain your sorrow to the rowan—tree? Why don't you ask the rowan for advice on how to ease your hard life?

Now Cinderella remembered the last words of her mother and she decided to visit the rowan—tree as soon as she found a

spare moment. It was impossible in the daytime, but at night when everybody was asleep she got up quietly, dressed and went to her mother's grave, sat on the mound and shook the tree. A tiny voice asked, "Is your heart pure and pious as before, or have you gone astray?“

Cinderella answered,"God alone sees and knows the depths of one's heart, but I don't know of any sin in my soul."

Now she felt invisible hands stroke her head and cheeks, and a voice from above advised,"If your life is made unbearble and

you can't manage your work, call the cock and the hen to your aid."

The girl could not make out at first in what way the birds could help her. On her way home she remembered that her stepsisters, just out of her to pick up one by one, before she could put them in the pot to boil. Now for fun she decided to see if the bills of her helpers could really lighten her laborious work.

The king of that country was preparing for a grand ball and

sent messengers everywhere to announce in the streets and squares that all pretty and healthy girls between fifteen and twenty years of age were invited to the king's court to a ball which was to last for three days. The only son of the king intended to pick out the most sensible and well-mannered girl he found to his liking.

This announcement aroused great excitement. Fortunately no birth certificate was asked to be brought along, so girls who were a few steps past twenty still could go and try their luck.

Cinderella's stepsisters, the darling-daughters of their mother, were both preparing for the ball. The orphan was kept very busy, working from morning till night. She washed and ironed their dresses and sewed new things, over and above her household work. To make things worse, the elder stepsister threw a basin of lentils into the ashes of the fireplace, shouting,"Pick up the lentils and put them to boil in the pot." Fortunately Cinderella remembered the advice received at her mother's grave and called,"Dear cock and hen. Please,come

and pick the lentils!" At once the helpers appeared and set to work, scratching in the ashes. They picked up all the lentils and dropped them into the basin in no time.

On the first day of the ball it was Cinderella's task to help the stepsisters and do their hair and dress them. Instead of thanking her, they called her names and boxed her ears. Cinderella suffered the wrong patiently and only sighed to heaven. When her stepsisters had left for the ball and she remained at home together with her stepmother she felt such

a heavy longing in her heart that tears swelled in her eyes. She would fain have gone to the ball if she had been allowed, and if she had had nice clothes to put on.

After she had cried awhile and the intensity of her sorrow had died down, she took her knitting needles ad sat on a low stool near the hearth, and she felt her heart getting a little lighter again. She thought of her dear mother and prayed to God that she might join her. But as long as she lived in this world, she promised herself, she would suffer without complaint until

one day in the other world she might rest in the arms of her mother. Suddenly she heard someone call her name, but raising her eyes she didn’t see anyone. After a while a tiny voice urged, ”Go and shake the rowan-tree. "

Cinderella hurried to fulfil the order. When she shook the tree the dark night grew light as day. A tiny woman dressed in gold brocade was sitting in the tree with a small basket in one hand and a golden wand in the other. The tiny stranger inquired after the girl's life, and having heard her out, diescended. She stroked the girl's cheeks and said in a comforting tone, ”Your life will change for the better in a short while. But today you have . 1M) go to the ball in the king's palace." Cinderella stared in disbelief. She thought the woman was making fun of her

stroked the girl's cheeks and said in a comforting tone, ”Your life will change for the better in a short while. But today you have to go to the ball in the king's palace." Cinderella stared in disbelief. She thought the woman was making fun of her.

The tiny woman took an egg out of her basket, touched it with her golden wand and the next moment there stood a beautiful coach on the grass. Then she took six small mice out of a box and turned them into six fine light bay horses, harnessed to the coach. A black beetle was changed into a coachman and two multi-coloured butterflies turned into servants. They opened the door for Cinderella to step in and ride to the ball. But the girl could not go in her raggy clothes. The good little witch— who else could she have been—touched her head with her magic wand, and at once her old clothes were turned into a dress of silk and velvet trimmed with gold and silver. On her head she wore a most beautiful crown studded with precious jewels that shone like the starsjin the sky.

coachman and two multi-coloured butterflies turned into servants. They opened the door for Cinderella to step in and ride to the ball. But the girl could not go in her raggy clothes. The good little witch - who else could she have been - touched her head with her magic wand, and at once her old clothes were turned into a dress of silk and velvet trimmed with gold and silver. On her head she wore a most beautiful crown studded with precious jewels that shone like the stars in the sky.