They spoke truly enough; for, a few days afterwards, the king's son
caused a proclamation to be made, by sound of trumpet all over the
kingdom, to the effect that he would marry her whose foot should be
found to fit the slipper exactly. So the slipper was first tried on by
all the princesses; then by all the duchesses; and next by all the
persons belonging to the court; but in vain. It was then carried to the
two sisters, who tried with all their might to force their feet into its
delicate proportions, but with no better success. Cinderella, who was
present, and recognized her slipper, now laughed, and said, "Suppose I
were to try?" Her sisters ridiculed such an idea; but the gentleman who
was appointed to try the slipper, having looked attentively at
Cinderella, and perceived how beautiful she was, said that it was but
fair she should do so, as he had orders to try it on every young maiden
in the kingdom. Accordingly, having requested Cinderella to sit down,
she no sooner put her little foot to the slipper, than she drew it on,
and it fitted like wax. The sisters were quite amazed; but their
astonishment increased tenfold when Cinderella drew the fellow slipper
out of her pocket, and put it on. Her godmother then made her
appearance; and, having touched Cinderella's clothes with her wand, made
them still more magnificent than those she had previously worn.

[Illustration: THE HERALDS OF THE COURT ANNOUNCE THE PROCLAMATION THAT
THE PRINCE WOULD MARRY THE LADY WHOM THE GLASS SLIPPER FITTED.
CINDERELLA TRIES ON THE SLIPPER, WHICH FITS HER DELICATE FOOT, TO THE
GREAT ASTONISHMENT OF HER FAMILY.]

Her two sisters now recognized her for the beautiful stranger they had
seen at the ball; and, falling at her feet, implored her forgiveness for
their unworthy treatment, and all the insults they had heaped upon her
head. Cinderella raised them, saying, as she embraced them, that she not