Cinderella

There was once a girl named Ella who was so gentle and beautiful that everyone who knew her loved her, except those who should have loved her best, and those were her stepmother and her stepsisters.

从前有个名叫埃拉的姑娘，她生性温柔，容貌美丽，凡是认识她的人没有不喜欢她的，唯独最该疼爱她的两个人除外，那便是她的继母和两个继姐。

Her own mother had died while she was quite young, and then her father had married again. This new wife had two daughters of her own, and she wished them to have everything and Ella to have nothing. The stepmother dressed her own children in fine clothes, and they sat about and did nothing all day, but Cinderella worked in the kitchen and had nothing but rags to wear, and because she often sat close to the ashes to warm herself her sisters called her Cinderella.

她的亲生母亲在她还很小的时候就去世了，后来她的父亲又续了弦。这位继母自己带来了两个女儿，她一心只盼着让自己的女儿享尽荣华富贵，而埃拉却什么也得不到。继母把自己的两个女儿打扮得花枝招展，她们整天无所事事，坐着享清福，而灰姑娘却在厨房里干活，身上除了破衣烂衫再没有别的可穿，又因为她常常挨着炉灰坐着取暖，两个姐姐便叫她“灰姑娘”。

Now the King and Queen of that country had only one son, and they were very anxious for him to marry, but he had never seen anyone whom he wished to have for a bride. At last they determined to give a great ball, and to ask to it all the fairest ladies in the land. They hoped that among them all the Prince might see someone whom he would choose. All the grand people of the city were invited, and Cinderella’s stepmother and her stepsisters were asked with all the rest.

这个国家的国王和王后膝下只有一个儿子，两人都急切地盼着他快些成婚，可他却从未见过一个愿意娶来做新娘的姑娘。最后，国王夫妇决定举办一场盛大的舞会，把全国最美丽的姑娘都请来。他们盼着王子能在这些姑娘当中，找到一位中意的人。城里所有的名门望族都受到了邀请，灰姑娘的继母和两个继姐，也和其他人一样收到了请柬。

The stepsisters were very much excited over it. They were both so handsome that they hoped one of them might be chosen by the Prince. They had often watched from the windows to see him riding by, and he was so gay and gallant that anyone might have been glad to marry him.

两个继姐为此兴奋极了。她们俩都长得十分标致，各自都盼着能被王子看中。她们常常趴在窗边，看王子骑马经过，他是那样英俊潇洒、风度翩翩，无论谁嫁给他都会欢天喜地。

All sorts of fine things were bought for the sisters to wear, satins and velvets and laces and jewels, feathers for their hair, and glittering fans for them to carry, and the stepmother’s dress was no less fine than theirs.

两个姐姐置办了各式各样的华服，缎子、丝绒、花边，还有珠宝首饰，头上插的羽饰，手里拿着的闪闪发光的扇子，继母的衣裳也丝毫不比女儿们逊色。

Cinderella sighed and sighed. “I wish I might go to the ball, too, and see that handsome Prince and all the lovely ladies,” she said.

灰姑娘一声接一声地叹气。“我也真想去参加舞会啊，去看看那位英俊的王子，还有所有那些漂亮的小姐，”她说道。

“You!” cried the sisters, laughing. “A pretty sight you would be at the ball; you with your rags and your sooty hands.”

“你！”两个姐姐大笑着喊道。“你要是去了舞会，那可真是一道好看的风景啊，穿着你那身破衣裳，两只手还沾满煤灰。”

“Go scour your pots and pans,” cried the stepmother. “That is all you are fit for, you cinder-wench.”

“去，把你的锅碗瓢盆刷干净，”继母喝道。“你也就只配干这个，你这个灰丫头。”

So Cinderella went back to her work, but as she scrubbed and rubbed the tears ran down her cheeks so fast she could hardly see.

于是灰姑娘只好回去继续干活，可她一边擦一边搓，泪水却顺着脸颊流个不停，流得她几乎都看不清眼前的东西了。

The night of the ball the sisters dressed themselves in all their finery and came into the kitchen to show themselves to Cinderella; they hoped to make her envious. They swept up and down the room and spread their gowns and smiled and ogled while Cinderella admired them. After they tired of her admiration they and the stepmother stepped into a fine coach and rolled gayly away to the ball.

舞会那天晚上，两个姐姐盛装打扮，来到厨房里向灰姑娘炫耀；她们盼着能让她心生嫉妒。她们在屋里来回踱步，把裙摆展开，一边微笑一边卖弄风情，灰姑娘则在一旁赞叹不已。她们看够了灰姑娘的赞叹之后，便同继母一起登上一辆华丽的马车，欢欢喜喜地驶往舞会去了。

But Cinderella sat in a corner by the fire and wept and wept.

只剩下灰姑娘坐在炉火旁的一角，哭了又哭。

Suddenly, as she wept, a little old woman in a high-pointed hat and buckled shoes appeared in the kitchen, and where she came from no one could have told. Her eyes shone and twinkled like two stars, and she carried a wand in her hand.

正当她哭泣的时候，忽然一个头戴尖顶高帽、脚穿带扣鞋子的小老太太出现在了厨房里，谁也说不清她是从哪儿冒出来的。她的眼睛像两颗星星一样闪闪发亮，手里还拿着一根魔杖。

“Why are you so sad, my child,” she asked; “and why do you weep so bitterly?”

“孩子，你为什么这样伤心？”她问道，“又为什么哭得这样凄惨？”

Cinderella looked at her with wonder. “I am weeping,” she said, “because my sisters have gone to the ball without me, and because I wished to go too.”

灰姑娘惊讶地望着她。“我在哭，”她说道，“是因为姐姐们都去舞会了，没带我去，我也想去啊。”

“Then dry your tears,” said the little old woman, “I am your fairy godmother, and if you are a good girl and do exactly as I say, there is nothing you can wish for that you shall not have. Run to the garden and fetch me a pumpkin; and let me see the mousetrap; if there are six fine fat mice in it they will be of use.”

“那就把眼泪擦干吧，”小老太太说道，“我是你的仙女教母，只要你是个乖孩子，完全照我说的去做，你想要什么，就没有得不到的。快去园子里给我摘个南瓜来；再让我瞧瞧那个捕鼠夹，要是里头逮着六只肥壮的老鼠，正好派上用场。”

Cinderella got out the mousetrap as she was told, and there were exactly six mice in it. She also hurried out to the garden and fetched the biggest, roundest pumpkin she could find.

灰姑娘按吩咐取来了捕鼠夹，里面恰好有六只老鼠。她又赶紧跑到园子里，摘来了她能找到的最大最圆的一个南瓜。

“That is well,” said the godmother. “And now the rattrap.”

“好极了，”教母说道。“现在再去拿捕鼠笼来。”

Cinderella brought the trap and there was a rat in it.

灰姑娘取来了捕鼠笼，里面正有一只老鼠。

“And now,” said the godmother, “we are ready to begin.”

“现在，”教母说道，“咱们可以开始了。”

She touched the pumpkin with her wand, and at once it turned into a magnificent golden coach, lined throughout with pale yellow satin; she touched the mice and they became six handsome sleek gray horses to draw the coach. She touched the rat with her wand and he was turned into a coachman in a livery of scarlet and gold lace. He mounted to the box of the coach, and gathered up the reins, and sat there, whip in hand, waiting.

她用魔杖点了一下南瓜，南瓜立刻变成了一辆华丽的金色马车，车厢里衬着淡黄色的绸缎；她又点了点那些老鼠，它们便变成了六匹精神抖擞、毛色油亮的灰马，用来拉车。她再用魔杖点了点那只老鼠，它便变成了一位穿着猩红金边号衣的车夫。他跳上车厢前的座位，抓起缰绳，手里拿着鞭子，坐在那儿等候。

“Footmen! Footmen!” cried the godmother impatiently. “Where shall we get them!” Her sharp eyes glanced this way and that, and presently, in the crack of the wall, she espied two lizards. “The very thing,” said she. A touch of her wand and they were changed to footmen with powdered wigs and cocked hats. They sprang up and took their places behind the coach. “And now,” said the fairy, “all is ready, and no one has a finer coach in which to go to the ball. Do you not agree with me?”

“跟班！跟班！”教母不耐烦地喊道。“上哪儿去找跟班呢！”她那双锐利的眼睛左看右看，不一会儿，便在墙缝里瞥见了两只蜥蜴。“正好，”她说道。她用魔杖轻轻一点，蜥蜴便变成了戴着扑粉假发、三角帽的跟班。他们一跃而起，站到了马车后头的位置上。“好了，”仙女说道，“一切都准备好了，谁也没有比这更漂亮的马车能坐着去舞会了。你说是不是？”

“But, Godmother, my rags! I could not go to the ball in rags, no matter how fine my coach,” cried Cinderella.

“可是，教母，我这身破衣裳！不管我的马车有多漂亮，我也不能穿着破衣裳去参加舞会啊，”灰姑娘喊道。

“Wait a bit! I have not done yet.” The godmother touched Cinderella’s rags with her wand, and at once they were changed to a gown of white satin embroidered with pearls. There were diamonds in her hair, and her clumsy shoes were changed to glass slippers that exactly fitted her little feet.

“别急！我还没说完呢。”教母用魔杖点了点灰姑娘身上的破衣裳，衣裳立刻变成了一件绣满珍珠的白色缎子长裙。她的头发上戴上了钻石，那双笨重的鞋子也变成了正好合她那双小脚的玻璃舞鞋。

Cinderella wondered, and her heart was filled with joy. The satin gleamed about her like moonshine, and the diamonds shone as bright as the tears she had shed.

灰姑娘惊叹不已，心里满是欢喜。那缎子在她身上闪耀着，宛如月光一般，钻石也像她方才流下的泪珠一样，闪闪发亮。

“Now, my child, you can go to the ball,” said the godmother. “But remember this: My fairy charm can only last till twelve o’clock. At the last stroke of twelve these fine clothes will change into rags; the coach will again become a pumpkin, the horses mice, and the coachman and footman a rat and lizards as they were before; so by twelve you must be home again.”

“好了，孩子，你现在可以去参加舞会了，”教母说道。“可你要记住：我这仙法只能维持到十二点钟。十二点最后一响敲过，这身华服就会变回破衣裳；马车也会重新变成南瓜，马变回老鼠，车夫和跟班也会像原先一样，变回老鼠和蜥蜴；所以你必须在十二点之前赶回来。”

Cinderella promised to obey, and then she stepped into the coach and rolled away to the ball.

灰姑娘答应一定照办，随后她登上马车，一路欢快地驶往舞会去了。

When she reached the palace the music was sounding and the Prince was about to choose a partner for the dance. All the ladies waited anxiously, each hoping she would be the one to be chosen. Many beauties were there, and it was hard to say which was the loveliest. But when Cinderella entered the room no one had eyes for anyone but her. She was far fairer than the fairest, as the crescent moon is lovelier than the stars.

她到达王宫的时候，乐声正响起，王子正准备挑选一位舞伴。所有的小姐都焦急地等待着，个个都盼着被选中的人是自己。在场的美人有很多，很难说谁最出众。可是灰姑娘一走进大厅，所有人的目光便都落在了她一个人身上，再也顾不上别人。她比那些最美的姑娘还要美，就像一弯新月，比满天星辰还要动人。

The Prince came to her and took her by the hand. “You shall be my partner in the dance,” said he, “for never have I seen anyone as fair as you.”

王子走到她跟前，牵起她的手。“今晚由你做我的舞伴吧，”他说道，“因为我从未见过像你这样美丽的人。”

From then on the Prince would dance with no one but Cinderella, and none could wonder nor blame him, for she was so beautiful that the heart melted at sight of her.

从那以后，王子便只同灰姑娘一人跳舞，谁也不觉得奇怪，也没人怪他，因为她实在是美得让人一见倾心。

The Prince begged her to tell him her name and whence she came, but she would not, and when the castle clock struck the quarter before twelve she managed to slip away from him, and run out to her coach. She sprang into it, the rat coachman cracked his whip, and away they went, and the Prince did not know what had become of her.

王子恳求她告诉自己她的芳名，还有她从何处来，可她却不肯说，等到城堡的钟敲响十二点差一刻的时候，她瞅准机会从王子身边溜走，跑到自己的马车那儿去。她跳上马车，那老鼠车夫甩了一下鞭子，马车便疾驰而去，王子始终不知道她到底去了哪里。

When the stepsisters came home, Cinderella was again sitting in the corner beside the fire, dressed in her rags.

等两个继姐回到家中时，灰姑娘又坐在炉火旁的角落里，穿着她那身破衣裳。

“Was it a beautiful ball?” she asked.

“舞会漂亮吗？”她问道。

“Yes, it was a fine ball indeed,” said the sisters, and they began to tell her about it.

“是啊，真是一场极漂亮的舞会，”两个姐姐说道，随即开始向她讲起舞会上的种种。

“And whom did the Prince dance with?” asked Cinderella.

“那王子都同谁跳舞了呢？”灰姑娘问道。

“Oh, he danced with a strange princess who came in just after the ball began. The Prince had bowed to us and smiled, and he might have chosen one of us as his partner, but after she came he had eyes for no one else. She must be a very great princess indeed, but no one could find out who she was, not even the Prince himself, though he begged and entreated her to tell him.”

“哦，他同一位陌生的公主跳了舞，那位公主是舞会开始没多久才到的。王子先前还向我们俩鞠躬微笑，本来说不定会挑我们当中的一个做舞伴呢，可自打那位公主一到，他眼里就再也容不下别人了。她一定是位了不起的公主，可谁也打听不出她的来历，就连王子自己也不知道，尽管他苦苦恳求她告诉自己。”

“She slipped away before the ball was over, and no one knew where she went. The Prince was like one distracted. To-morrow night another ball is to be given, for the Prince hopes the Princess may come again and that he may find out who she is.”

“舞会还没结束，她就悄悄溜走了，谁也不知道她去了哪儿。王子简直像失了魂似的。明天晚上还要再办一场舞会，因为王子盼着那位公主能再来，好探出她的真实身份。”

Cinderella sighed. “Oh, my dear sisters, let me go with you to-morrow, I beg of you. One of your old dresses would do for me to wear.”

灰姑娘叹了口气。“哦，亲爱的姐姐们，明天让我也跟你们一起去吧，我求求你们了。就算是你们的一件旧衣裳，我穿了也行啊。”

But the sisters laughed and jeered. “You the cinder-wench!” they cried. “No, no, the kitchen is the place for you. We would die of shame if any of those fine folk saw you.” Then they bade her unfasten their dresses and help them to bed. They must get to sleep and be fresh and handsome for the second ball.

可两个姐姐却哈哈大笑，冷嘲热讽起来。“就你，一个灰丫头！”她们喊道。“不行，不行，厨房才是你该待的地方。要是让那些体面人瞧见你，我们非羞死不可。”说完便叫她替她们解开衣裳，服侍她们上床。她们必须早点睡好，第二场舞会才能容光焕发、美美地出场。

The next night the stepsisters dressed again, and drove away to the ball, and more than ever did Cinderella long to go with them.

第二天晚上，两个继姐又打扮一番，驱车前往舞会，灰姑娘比以往更加渴望能同她们一起去。

Scarcely had they gone, however, when the fairy godmother appeared in the kitchen.

她们前脚刚走，仙女教母便又出现在了厨房里。

“Well,” said she, “I suppose you would like to go to this ball, too.”

“好啦，”她说道，“我猜你也想去这场舞会吧。”

“Oh, dear Godmother, if I only could!” cried Cinderella.

“哦，亲爱的教母，我要是能去该多好啊！”灰姑娘喊道。

The godmother bade Cinderella bring her the pumpkin, the mice, the rat, and the lizards. Again she changed them into the grand coach, the horses, driver, and footmen, all complete. She then touched Cinderella’s rags with her wand, and they were changed into a dress even more beautiful than the one she had worn the night before. She stepped into the coach and rolled away to the ball.

教母叫灰姑娘把南瓜、老鼠、耗子和蜥蜴都拿来。她又一次把它们变成了那辆华丽的马车、马匹、车夫和跟班，一应俱全。随后她用魔杖点了点灰姑娘的破衣裳，衣裳变成了一件比头一晚穿的那件更加美丽的长裙。她登上马车，一路驶往舞会去了。

The Prince had been watching for her impatiently, and the moment she entered the room he hurried forward and took her by the hand.

王子早已等得心焦，她一进大厅，他便立刻迎上前去，牵起她的手。

“Why did you leave me so suddenly?” he asked her. “I sought you everywhere and could not sleep all night for thinking of you.”

“你为什么突然离开我了呢？”他问道。“我到处找你，整整一夜都因为想着你而无法入睡。”

He then again led her to a place in the dance, and he would dance with no one else.

随后他又领着她加入了舞蹈的行列，此后便再也不同别人跳舞了。

As it drew on toward midnight Cinderella became very uneasy. She tried to slip away without being seen, but the Prince followed her everywhere she went. At last she made some excuse and sent him away for a moment. Then she drew her cloak around her and sped down the stairs and out to where her coach was waiting. She sprang into it and rolled away.

眼看着夜色渐深，快到午夜时分，灰姑娘变得十分不安。她想不引人注意地悄悄溜走，可无论她走到哪儿，王子都跟在她身边。最后她找了个借口，把他支开了片刻。随后她把斗篷裹紧，飞快地跑下楼梯，跑到马车等候的地方。她跳上马车，疾驰而去。

But half-way home she heard the castle clock begin to strike the hour. As the last stroke sounded the coach melted away from around her, and a yellow pumpkin lay at her feet; the horses changed into mice and ran away, squealing; the coachman became a rat, and the lizards made haste to hide in the crack of a wall. Cinderella, in her rags, had barely time to run back to the kitchen and take her place beside the fire before the door opened and her stepsisters swept into the room.

可是走到半路，她听见城堡的钟开始敲响了整点。最后一声钟响刚落，马车便从她身边化为乌有，一只黄色的南瓜落在她脚边；那些马变回了老鼠，吱吱叫着四散奔逃；车夫变回了耗子，蜥蜴们也急急忙忙躲进了墙缝里。灰姑娘穿着她那身破衣裳，勉强赶回厨房，坐到炉火旁的位置上，这才刚坐定，门便开了，两个继姐兴高采烈地走了进来。

“This ball was even more beautiful than the other,” they cried. “And the Princess was there again, and so lovely that it dazzled the eyes to look at her. The Prince thought of no one but her.”

“今晚这场舞会比上一场还要精彩，”她们喊道。“那位公主又来了，美得让人看得眼花缭乱。王子眼里再也没有别人了。”

“Ah, if I could only see her!” sighed Cinderella.

“唉，我要是能亲眼见见她该多好！”灰姑娘叹息道。

“You the cinder-wench!” scoffed the sisters. “Why she would not even allow you in her kitchen. But come! Unfasten our dresses. To-morrow there is to be another ball, and we must get to bed and rest, so as to look our best.”

“就你，一个灰丫头！”两个姐姐嘲笑道。“哼，她连让你进她厨房都不肯呢。行了，快过来！替我们解开衣裳。明天还要再办一场舞会，我们得早点上床歇着，才能出落得最好看。”

So Cinderella helped her sisters to undress, and all the while she did so they could talk of nothing but the unknown princess, of how beautiful she was, and of how much the Prince had admired her.

于是灰姑娘替姐姐们脱下衣裳，可她们一边脱一边讲的，全都是那位不知名的公主，讲她多么美丽，讲王子对她多么倾慕，别的什么也不说。

The next night Cinderella helped to dress her sisters and make them ready for the ball. They rolled away in their coach, and then Cinderella waited impatiently for her godmother to come. It was not long before the old fairy appeared.

第二天晚上，灰姑娘帮着姐姐们梳妆打扮，准备去参加舞会。她们乘着马车驶走了，灰姑娘便焦急地等着教母到来。没过多久，那位老仙女便出现了。

“Well,” said she, “and do you wish to go to this ball also?”

“好啦，”她说道，“这场舞会你也想去吗？”

“Oh, dear Godmother!” cried Cinderella. “I wish to go as I never wished for anything in all my life before.”

“哦，亲爱的教母！”灰姑娘喊道。“我这辈子从没像现在这样，这么渴望一件事了。”

“Very well, then you shall go,” said the godmother. “But do not forget, you must leave before the clock strikes twelve, or your fine clothes will turn to rags before them all, and your sisters will know you as the cinder-wench.”

“好吧，那你就去吧，”教母说道。“可别忘了，你必须在钟敲十二点之前离开，不然你这身华服就会当着众人的面变回破衣裳，你的姐姐们也就都会认出，你就是那个灰丫头。”

Cinderella promised, and the godmother then touched her with her wand, and the rags were turned into a dress even more magnificent than before. If before Cinderella had appeared like the crescent moon, now she shone like the moon in its full glory. When she entered the ballroom she appeared so beautiful that it dazzled the eyes to look at her. The Prince followed her everywhere and begged and entreated her to tell him who she was, but she would not. Again and again they danced together, and Cinderella was so happy she quite forgot to notice how fast the time was going.

灰姑娘答应下来，教母随即用魔杖点了点她，破衣裳变成了一件比先前更加华美的长裙。要是说先前的灰姑娘美得像一弯新月，那么此刻她便美得如同一轮满月，光彩夺目。她走进舞厅的时候，美得让所有人都看得眼花缭乱。王子紧紧跟随着她，苦苦哀求她告诉自己她究竟是谁，可她始终不肯说。他们一次又一次地共舞，灰姑娘欢喜得连时间飞逝都全然忘记了。

Suddenly the castle clock began to strike. Cinderella gave a cry of terror. She snatched her hand from the Prince and fled away so fast that for a moment he lost sight of her. Such was her haste that as she ran down the stairs she lost one of her little glass shoes, but she dared not wait to pick it up.

忽然，城堡的钟开始敲响。灰姑娘惊恐地叫了一声。她一把从王子手中抽回自己的手，飞快地逃开，一时间竟让王子跟丢了。她跑得那样急，以至于跑下楼梯的时候，一只小小的玻璃舞鞋掉落了，可她也不敢停下来去捡。

Just as she reached the door the last stroke of twelve sounded. Immediately her beautiful clothes fell into rags; her jewels melted away, and the guard who was on watch saw no one but a little kitchen-wench who ran past him, weeping bitterly, and wringing her hands.

她刚跑到大门口，十二点的最后一声钟响正好敲过。她那身华美的衣裳顷刻间变回了破衣烂衫；她身上的珠宝也随之消融不见，值守的卫兵所看见的，不过是一个哭得伤心欲绝、绞着双手从他身边跑过的小小厨房丫头。

Cinderella ran all the way home, and she scarcely had time to take her place beside the fire before her sisters swept into the room.

灰姑娘一路跑回了家，才刚坐回炉火旁的位置，两个姐姐便兴冲冲地走进了屋子。

“What! crying?” they said. “Why are you not content? You have a warm corner to sit in, and no need to bother your head about anything. But you should have seen the ball to-night. It was more wonderful than either of the others; and as for the Princess, she was so beautiful that there never was anything like it. The Prince never looked at anyone else. But she went away as before, and no one knows where she went. However, the Prince picked up one of her slippers on the stairs, and he may find her by that.”

“怎么，还哭呢？”她们说道。“你有什么不满足的？你有一个暖和的角落可以坐着，什么心都不用操。可你真该瞧瞧今晚的舞会。那场舞会比前两场都要精彩；至于那位公主，她美得简直前所未有。王子的眼里再没有别人。可她还是像先前那样离开了，谁也不知道她去了哪儿。不过，王子在楼梯上捡到了她一只舞鞋，说不定能凭着这个找到她呢。”

The next day the Prince sent out a proclamation far and wide that he had found a glass slipper and whoever could wear that slipper should be his bride. He hoped in this way to find the lovely Princess who had three times escaped him.

第二天，王子向全国各地颁布了一道告示，说自己捡到了一只玻璃舞鞋，凡是谁的脚能穿上这只鞋，谁便是他要迎娶的新娘。他盼着借此找到那位三次从他手中逃脱的可爱公主。

The slipper was sent around from one house to another, and every lady was eager to try it on. All hoped to be able to wear it, but it fitted none of them. Some feet were too long, and some too broad, some too fat, and some too thin.

这只鞋被送到一家又一家去试穿，每位小姐都争着要试一试。人人都盼着自己能穿上它，可谁的脚也穿不进去。有的脚太长，有的太宽，有的太胖，有的太瘦。

At last the messenger came to the house where Cinderella and her stepsisters lived. The stepsisters could hardly wait to try the slipper on. Each was sure she could wear it, and they began to quarrel as to which should try it first. At last it was given to the eldest sister. She sat down and tried to put her foot into it, but she could not. The toes went in easily enough, but her heel would not go down into it. Then the second sister tried it, but that was even worse, for she could not even get her toes into it. The stepmother stood by, begging and urging them to try again.

最后，送鞋的信使来到了灰姑娘和两个继姐居住的家中。两个继姐几乎等不及要试穿这只鞋了。她们各自都坚信自己一定能穿上，为了谁先试穿，两人还争执了起来。最后，鞋子先给了大姐。她坐下来，想把脚伸进去，却怎么也伸不进去。脚趾倒是轻轻松松就伸进去了，可脚后跟却怎么也放不下去。接着二姐也来试，结果更糟，她连脚趾都伸不进去。继母站在一旁，一个劲儿地催促、恳求她们再试试看。

But the messenger shook his head. “No, no,” he said. “Neither of those two is the right one. But is there no one else in the house who could try it on?”

可信使摇了摇头。“不行，不行，”他说道。“你们两位都不是。可这屋里就没有别人可以试穿一下了吗？”

No, there was no one except the little kitchen-maid, and it was not worth while for her to try it. If the sisters could not wear it she certainly could not. Nevertheless, the messenger said he must see her. His orders were that everyone in the city should try it on.

没有了，除了那个小小的厨房丫头，可她也犯不着试穿。既然两位小姐都穿不上，她自然也穿不上。尽管如此，信使还是说自己必须见见她。他奉命一定要让城里每一个人都试穿一下。

Very reluctantly the stepmother sent for Cinderella. She came at once, and so modest and lovely were her looks that the messenger wondered that she should be a kitchen-wench.

继母极不情愿地叫人去唤灰姑娘来。她立刻就来了，那模样是那样朴素而美丽，信使不禁暗暗诧异，这样的姑娘怎么会是个厨房丫头呢。

She sat down and took the slipper from the messenger, and put it on, and it fitted exactly. Then she drew the other slipper out from beneath her rags and put it upon her other foot, and at once the messenger knew she must be the one the Prince had been seeking.

她坐下来，从信使手中接过舞鞋，穿了上去，正好合脚。随后她又从破衣裳底下取出另一只舞鞋，穿在另一只脚上，信使这才立刻明白，她正是王子一直在寻找的那个人。

He kneeled before her and said, “You are my mistress, for you are the one the Prince has chosen for his bride.”

他在她面前跪下，说道：“你就是我的主人，因为你正是王子选中要迎娶的新娘。”

The stepmother and the stepsisters were ready to burst with rage and envy. They could not believe their eyes, and would have sent Cinderella back to the kitchen with harsh words and blows; but this the messenger would not allow.

继母和两个继姐气得几乎要炸开了肺，又是恼怒又是嫉妒。她们简直不敢相信自己的眼睛，本想恶言恶语、连打带骂地把灰姑娘赶回厨房去，可信使却不许她们这样做。

Cinderella was taken away to the palace and dressed as a princess should be, and when the Prince saw her again in all her beauty he was filled with love and joy.

灰姑娘被接到了王宫里，穿戴上一位公主该有的衣裳，等王子再次看见她那副美丽的模样时，心中充满了爱意与欢喜。

Soon after they were married, and though the stepsisters were invited to the wedding they were ashamed to come because their faces were so swollen with weeping. As for the stepmother she was quite ill with rage and spite, but the Prince and Cinderella lived happy together forever after.

不久之后，两人便完婚了，虽然两位继姐也受邀参加婚礼，可她们的脸都哭得肿了起来，羞得不敢露面。至于继母，她则气得又恨又恼，几乎病倒了；然而王子和灰姑娘，却从此幸福美满地生活在一起，直到永远。