The two sisters immediately perceived that she was the beautiful princess they had seen at the ball.  They threw themselves at her feet, and asked her forgiveness for the ill treatment she had received from them.  Cinderella helped them to rise, and, tenderly embracing them, said that she forgave them with all her heart, and begged them to bestow on her their affection.  Cinderella was then conducted, dressed as she was, to the young prince, who finding her more beautiful than ever, instantly desired her to accept of his hand.  The marriage ceremony took place in a few days; and Cinderella, who was as amiable as she was handsome, gave her sisters magnificent apartments in the palace, and a short time after married them to two great lords of the court.

CHAPTER XV

PUSS IN BOOTS

There was a miller who had three sons, and when he died he divided what he possessed among them in the following manner:  He gave his mill to the eldest, his ass to the second, and his cat to the youngest.  Each of the brothers accordingly took what belonged to him, without the help of an attorney, who would soon have brought their little fortune to nothing, in law expenses.  The poor young fellow who had nothing but the cat, complained that he was hardly used:  “My brothers,” said he, “by joining their stocks together, may do well in the world, but for me, when I have eaten my cat, and made a fur cap of his skin, I may soon die of hunger!” The cat, who all this time sat listening just inside the door of a cupboard, now ventured to come out and addressed him as follows:  “Do not thus afflict yourself, my good master.  You have only to give me a bag, and get a pair of boots made for me, so that I may scamper through the dirt and the brambles, and you shall see that you are not so ill provided for as you imagine.”  Though the cat’s master did not much depend upon these promises, yet, as he had often observed the cunning tricks puss used to catch the rats and mice, such as hanging upon his hind legs, and hiding in the meal to make believe that he was dead, he did not entirely despair of his being of some use to him in his unhappy condition.

When the cat had obtained what he asked for, he gayly began to equip himself:  he drew on his boots; and putting the bag about his neck, he took hold of the strings with his fore paws, and bidding his master take courage, immediately sallied forth.  The first attempt Puss made was to go into a warren in which there were a great number of rabbits.  He put some bran and some parsley into his bag; and then stretching himself out at full length as if he was dead, he waited for some young rabbits, who as yet knew nothing of the cunning tricks of the world, to come and get into the bag, the better to feast upon the dainties he had put into it.  Scarcely had he lain down before he succeeded as well as could be wished.  A giddy young rabbit crept into the bag,