In the morning Cinderella listened to the stepsisters.
They were still talking about the prince.
"He's in love with that princess," Trudy said.
"He's going to look for her!" Gert said.
Cinderella brushed away some tears.
"The prince will never find me," she thought.
Later the king's messenger came to town.
He blew his trumpet.
Stepmother and the stepsisters ran outside.
Cinderella followed them.
"Hear this, ladies!" the messenger said.
"The prince found a glass shoe.
Every fine lady must try it on.
The prince will marry whoever it fits."
Gert grinned. "Maybe the shoe will fit me!"
"Or me!" Trudy said.
Stepmother glared at them.
"It will fit one of you!"
The messenger visited every home in town.
Every lady tried on the glass shoe.
But it didn't fit anyone.
At last the messenger reached Cinderella's house.
Cinderella was sweeping.
First, Gert sat down. "Er . . . grr . . ."
She tried to push her foot into the shoe.
But it didn't fit.
"Get up, Gert," Stepmother said.
"Now it's Trudy's turn."
Trudy tried to push her foot into the shoe.
"It doesn't fit," she said sadly.
Cinderella dropped her broom.
"What about me?" she asked.
"May I try on the shoe?"