"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 cinder wench at a ball."

Any one 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 they were transported
with joy. They broke above a dozen of 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 could'st go to the ball. Is it not so?"

"Y--es," cried Cinderella, with a great sigh.