Once upon a time there lived a boy who slept in a fireplace. He was small and bright, with shining brown eyes, and a quick witted intelligence that scared his brother to no end. For his brother was an evil man, who would not let the young boy sleep in a bed because he was a sinner. And so he called the boy "Cinders,"
You see, their mother had died giving birth to Cinders and the evil brother believed it was the boy's fault, not part of God's wisdom. So he branded Cinders as the agent of the devil, and whipped him accordingly, giving him the responsibilities of the household. For the evil brother was lazy to boot; all he did was pray and read his Bible while Cinders scraped and scrubbed.
One day, however, the King of the land issued a proclamation. The prince was looking for a wife, and there was to be a ball where all the ladies of the land were to be invited. Cinders, when he heard this, clapped his hands in glee. In his naiveté he believed if he could for a lady, the prince would choose him. And then he would persuade him to chop off his evil brother's head!
Cinders begged his brother that he wanted to see the glorious ball, but his brother would only relent if Cinders could pick all the mushrooms in the garden in twenty minutes time. The garden was covered with mushrooms! Cinders went to his mother's grave beneath the hazel tree and wept when suddenly the birds of the air fluttered toward him and proclaimed:
"The mushrooms are in the basket!"
And they fluttered and cawed and picked up the mushrooms in their beaks, placing them in the basket Cinders had carried out. Gleeful with joy, he went up to his brother and showed him his work. But his brother was displeased. "Only if you clean up the fireplace in an hour's time may you go." Cinders, now confident, went to the hazel tree and called for the birds.
"The chimney is swept, the chimney is swept!"
They flew down the fireplace in a whirl, coming back up in a cloud of soot. Cinders, overjoyed, went to his brother and showed him his work. But his brother was displeased. "Only if you can scrub all the floors of the house in half an hour's time may you go." Cinders went out to the hazel tree and called for the birds.
"The floors are swept, the floors are swept!"
While Cinders' evil brother read his Bible, the floors were swept with the beating of the birds' wings. Cinders cried out in elation and went to his brother, already imagining what he would say at his brother's execution. Cinders showed him his work, but his brother was displeased. "You may not go," he said. Cinders, overcome with grief, went to the hazel tree and cried:
"If I cannot have my revenge, I want to live no more!"
The birds came, bringing with them a dress of finest silk, shoes of brightest gold, and a dainty auburn wig. They dressed Cinders quickly, flapping and cawing, and before long he looked just like a pretty girl.
When he went to the festival, everyone regarded him with astonishment, believing him a foreign princess, even the prince. He approached her, took Cinders by the hand, and danced with him only, and if anyone wanted to cut in, he said, "This is my partner. " When Cinders wanted to leave, the prince wished to give him company, but Cinders was so quick that the prince was unable to follow. But the prince was cunning, and covered all the stairs with pitch, so that as Cinders ran a shoe was stuck. The prince went to the king with the slipper and proclaimed, "Whoever this fits shall be my bride."
The prince went to every maiden, but none could fit their feet in the dainty slipper. Some tried, cutting off their toes and heels, but each time, Cinders' birds would cry out:
"Look at the blood!
The shoe is too small for her,
Your true bride is waiting!"
One day the prince stopped at the house where Cinders lived and asked for the maiden of the house. Cinders' brother answered, "There is none." But when the prince turned to leave, he was asked if he would like a drink of water, since he looked so thirsty. The prince replied yes, and Cinders was called for to bring it. Upon seeing him, the prince felt a sense of familiarity that he couldn't put a finger on. Seeing the slipper, the brother asked why the prince was carrying it, and he was told. The brother laughed and exclaimed, "Forgive me, your highness, but how are you going to find a maiden going to every house?" But the prince was obstinate in his quest, and told the brother so. "You may as well try Cinders, he's pretty much a maiden!" the brother laughed. Cinders blushed and hung his head, but the prince had a strange expression. "Alright," he said, and placed the shoe on Cinders' foot. It fit like a glove.
The brother was horrified and made to beat Cinders, but the prince restrained him. "No," he said, "I proclaimed whoever could wear this shoe my bride, and I have found them." The prince took Cinders on his horse and rode away with him. The birds encircled them then and cried:
"Look, no blood is in the shoe
The shoe fits perfectly,
The true bride is riding with you!"
And the birds rested on Cinders' shoulders.
When the day of the wedding came, the evil brother sat among the audience, hoping to gain Cinders' and the prince's favor. When the couple went into the church, the birds came and pecked out the brother's eyes with their beaks. As they went out, the birds came and pecked out the brother's heart. And so the brother was punished for his wickedness.