Once upon a time, there lived a gentle maiden who, after her father's death, was left at the mercy of a cruel stepmother and two proud stepsisters. Clad in rags and condemned to toil among the ashes, she was mockingly called Cinderella; yet neither hardship nor sorrow could rob her heart of its kindness. One day, the King proclaimed a magnificent ball, to which all the young ladies of the kingdom were invited. Cinderella longed to attend, but her stepmother forbade it. As she wept alone, her fairy godmother appeared and, with a wave of her wand, transformed a pumpkin into a splendid coach, mice into horses, and Cinderella's tattered garments into a gown of wondrous beauty. Upon her feet she placed two delicate slippers of glass. Yet the fairy gave one solemn warning: the enchantment would perish at the stroke of midnight. At the palace, Cinderella's beauty and grace captivated every heart, most especially that of the Prince, who danced with her throughout the evening. So enchanted was she that the passing hours went unnoticed, until the great clock began to strike twelve. Terrified, Cinderella fled down the marble staircase, leaving behind one glass slipper as the Prince hurried after her. Before he could reach her, she vanished into the darkness, and all her splendour dissolved into rags. Determined to find his mysterious beloved, the Prince commanded that the slipper be tried upon every maiden in the kingdom. Many sought to claim it, but none could make it fit. At last, Cinderella was summoned. To the astonishment of all, the little slipper fitted her foot perfectly. From her pocket she drew its fellow, and the Prince knew beyond doubt that he had found the maiden of the ball. Thus Cinderella was freed from her life of sorrow, and in due course she and the Prince were married with great rejoicing. And so it came to pass that kindness, long hidden beneath ashes, shone forth more brightly than all the jewels of a kingdom.