Cinderella’s Sad Story!

There was an honest gentleman, who had a daughter dear;

His wife was dead, he took instead a new one in a year;

She had two daughters – Caroline and Bella were their names;

They called the other daughter Cinderella, to their shames,

Because she had to clean the hearths and black-lead all the grates;

She also had to scrub the floors, and wash the dinner plates.

But though the others went abroad, did nothing, smiled and drest,

Yet Cinderella all the time was prettiest and best.

The King who ruled in that country, he had an only son,

Who gave a ball to all the town, when he was twenty-one;

And Caroline and Bella were invited, and they said,

“Cinderella shall leave scrubbing, and act as ladies maid.”

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The Three Bears’ Picture Book.

Illustrated by Walter Crane.

George Routledge and Sons: London & New York.