brought her back again also. "This is not the true bride," said he to
the father; "have you no other daughters?" "No," said he; "there is
only a little dirty Cinderella here, the child of my first wife; I am
sure she cannot be the bride." However, the prince told him to send
her. But the mother said, "No, no, she is much too dirty, she will not
dare to show herself;" still the prince would have her come. And she
first washed her face and hands, and then went in and curtsied to him,
and he handed to her the golden slipper.

Then she took her clumsy shoe off her left foot and put on the golden
slipper; and it fitted her as if it had been made for her. And when
the Prince drew near and looked at her face he knew her, and said,
"This is the right bride."

But the mother and both the sisters were frightened and turned pale
with anger as he took Cinderella on his horse, and rode away with her.
And when they came to the hazel tree, the white dove sang--

"Home! home! look at the shoe!
Princess! the shoe was made for you!
Prince! prince! take home thy bride.
For she is the true one that sits by thy side!"

And when the dove had done its song, it came flying and perched upon
her shoulder, and so went home with her.




PRINCESS GOLDENHAIR