Brick Fairy Tales: Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Hansel and Gretel, and More (7 page)

Then the bird threw down a much more beautiful dress than on the preceding day.

And when Cinderella appeared at the festival in this dress, every one was astonished at her beauty.

The King’s son had waited until she came, and instantly took her by the hand and danced with no one but her.

When others came and invited her, he said, “She is my partner.”

When evening came she wished to leave, and the King’s son followed her and wanted to see into which house she went.

But she sprang away from him, and into the garden behind the house. Therein stood a beautiful tall tree on which hung the most magnificent pears.

She clambered so nimbly between the branches like a squirrel

that the King’s son did not know where she was gone.

He waited until her father came, and said to him, “The stranger-maiden has escaped from me, and I believe she has climbed up the pear-tree.”

The father thought, “Can it be Cinderella?”

and had an axe brought and cut the tree down, but no one was on it.

And when they got into the kitchen, Cinderella lay there amongst the ashes, as usual,

for she had jumped down on the other side of the tree,