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           Oncetherewasagentlemanwhomarried,forhissecondwife,theproudestandmosthaughtywomanthatwaseverseen. Shehad,byaformerhusband,twodaughtersofherownhumourandtheywereindeedexactlylikeherinallthings. Hehadlikewise,byanotherwife,ayoungdaughter,butofunparalleledgoodnessandsweetnessoftemper,whichshetookfromhermother,whowasthebestcreatureintheworld. 

           Nosoonerweretheceremoniesoftheweddingover,butthestepmotherbegantoshewherselfinhercolours. Shecouldnotbearthegoodqualitiesofthisprettygirl; andtheless,becausetheymadeherowndaughtersappearthemoreodious. Sheemployedherinthemeanestworkofthehouse; shescouredthedishes,tables,etc. andrubbedMadam’schamber,andthoseofMisses,herdaughters; shelayupinasorrygarret,uponawretchedstraw-bed, whilehersisterslayinfinerooms,withfloorsallinlaid,uponbedsoftheverynewestfashion,andwheretheyhadlooking-glassessolarge,thattheymightseethemselvesattheirfulllength,fromheadtofoot. 

           Thepoorgirlboreallpatiently,anddarednottellherfather,whowouldhaverattledheroff;forhiswifegovernedhimintirely. Whenshehaddoneherwork,sheusedtogointothechimney-corner,andsitdownamongcindersandashes, whichmadehercommonlybecalledCinder-breech;buttheyoungest,whowasnotsorudeanduncivilastheeldest,calledherCinderilla. However,Cinderilla,notwithstandinghermeanapparel,wasahundredtimeshandsomerthanhersisters,tho’theywerealwaysdressedveryrichly.