Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper

Once there was a gentleman who married, for his second wife, the proudest and most haughty woman that was ever seen. She had, by a former husband, two daughters of her own humor, who were, indeed, exactly like her in all things. He had likewise, by another wife, a young daughter, but of unparalleled goodness and sweetness of temper, which she took from her mother, who was the best creature in the world.

Zaman dahulu ada seorang pria terhormat yang menikahi seorang wanita paling sombong dan angkuh yang pernah ada sebagai istri keduanya. Dari suami terdahulu, wanita itu memiliki dua orang putri yang wataknya sama persis dengannya dalam segala hal. Pria itu juga memiliki seorang putri muda dari mendiang istrinya, yang memiliki kebaikan hati dan kelembutan tiada tara, yang diwarisinya dari ibunya, makhluk terbaik di dunia.

No sooner were the ceremonies of the wedding over but the mother-in-law began to show herself in her true colors. She could not bear the good qualities of this pretty girl, and the less because they made her own daughters appear the more odious. She employed her in the meanest work of the house: she scoured the dishes, tables, etc., and scrubbed madam’s chamber, and those of misses, her daughters; she lay up in a sorry garret, upon a wretched straw bed, while her sisters lay in fine rooms, with floors all inlaid, upon beds of the very newest fashion, and where they had looking-glasses so large that they might see themselves at their full length from head to foot.

Upacara pernikahan baru saja usai ketika sang ibu tiri mulai menampakkan sifat aslinya. Ia tidak tahan melihat sifat-sifat baik gadis cantik ini, terlebih lagi karena kebaikan itu membuat putri-putrinya sendiri tampak semakin tercela. Ia mempekerjakannya untuk tugas-tugas rumah tangga yang paling rendah: ia mencuci piring, membersihkan meja, dan sebagainya, serta menyikat kamar nyonya dan kamar nona-nona muda, putri-putrinya; ia tidur di loteng sempit yang menyedihkan, di atas kasur jerami yang buruk, sementara saudari-saudarinya tidur di kamar-kamar yang indah, berlantai kayu mosaik, di atas ranjang-ranjang model paling baru, dan memiliki cermin-cermin yang begitu besar sehingga mereka dapat melihat seluruh tubuh mereka dari ujung kepala hingga ujung kaki.

The poor girl bore all patiently, and dared not tell her father, who would have rattled her off; for his wife governed him entirely. When she had done her work, she used to go into the chimney-corner, and sit down among cinders and ashes, which made her commonly be called Cinderwench; but the youngest, who was not so rude and uncivil as the eldest, called her Cinderella. However, Cinderella, notwithstanding her mean apparel, was a hundred times handsomer than her sisters, though they were always dressed very richly.

Gadis malang itu menanggung semuanya dengan sabar, dan tidak berani mengadu kepada ayahnya, yang pasti akan memarahinya; sebab ayahnya sepenuhnya dikendalikan oleh istrinya. Setiap kali selesai bekerja, ia biasa pergi ke sudut perapian dan duduk di antara abu dan arang sisa pembakaran, yang membuatnya biasa dipanggil Si Upik Abu; tetapi putri bungsu, yang tidak sekasar dan sekurang ajar kakaknya, memanggilnya Cinderella. Meskipun demikian, Cinderella, terlepas dari pakaiannya yang lusuh, seratus kali lebih cantik daripada saudari-saudarinya, kendati mereka selalu berpakaian sangat mewah.