"Well thought of, my child!" said her godmother; "make what haste you can."
Cinderella brought the rat-trap, which to her great joy, contained three of the largest rats ever seen. The fairy chose the one which had the longest beard, and touching him with her wand, he was instantly turned into a smart, handsome postilion, with the finest pair of whiskers imaginable.
She next said to Cinderella, "Go again into the garden, and you will find six lizards behind the watering-pot; bring them hither."
This was no sooner done, than, with a stroke from the fairy's wand, they were changed into six footmen, who all immediately jumped up behind the coach in gold-laced liveries, and stood side by side as cleverly as if they had been used to nothing else the whole of their lives.
The fairy then said to Cinderella, "Well, my dear, is not this such an equipage as you could wish for to take you to the ball? Are you not delighted with it?"
"Y-e-s," replied Cinderella, with hesitation; "but must I go thither in these filthy rags?"
Her godmother touched her with the wand, and her rags instantly became the most magnificent apparel, ornamented with the most costly jewels in the whole world. To these she added a beautiful pair of glass slippers, and bade her set out for the palace.
The fairy, however, before she took leave of Cinderella, strictly charged her on no account whatever to stay at the ball after the clock had struck twelve; telling her that, should she stay but a single moment after that time, her coach would again become a pumpion, her horses mice, her footmen lizards, and her fine clothes be changed to filthy rags.
Cinderella did not fail to promise all her godmother desired of her; and, almost wild with joy, drove away to the palace.