episode 1
Once upon a time, the wife of a rich man fell sick; and when she felt that her end drew nigh, she called her only daughter to her bedside, and said,
“Always be a good girl, and I will look down from heaven and watch over you.”
Soon afterwards she shut her eyes and died, and was buried in the garden; and the little girl went every day to her grave and wept, and was always good and kind to all about her.
And the snow spread a beautiful white covering over the grave; but by the time the sun had melted it away again, her father had married another wife.
This new wife had three daughters of her own: they were fair in face but foul at heart, and it was now a sorry time for the poor little girl.
“What does the good-for-nothing thing wand in the parlor?”
Said they; and they took away her fine clothes, and gave her an old frock to put on, and laughed at her and turned her into the kitchen.
Then she was forced to do hard work; to rise early before daylight to bring the water, to make the fire; to cook and wash.
She had no bed to lie down on, but was made to lie by the health among the ashes, and they called her Cinderella.
