Cinderella
from the Grimm Fairytales
And when her wedding with the Prince was appointed to be held the false sisters came, hoping to curry favor, and to take part in the festivities. So as the bridal procession went to the church, the eldest walked on the right side and the younger on the left, and the pigeons picked out an eye of each of them. And as they returned the elder was on the left side and the younger on the right, and the pigeons picked out the other eye of each of them. And so they were condemned to go blind for the rest of their days because of their wickedness and falsehood.
When I was young, I didn’t blink twice at the violence that was in this story. Even in the modern retelling that most of us know, the edges of the feet are sliced off. I didn’t realize that sisters walked in the final bridal procession. They are described as ‘false sisters.’
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And so they were condemned to go blind for the rest of their days because of their wickedness and falsehood. In later years, the false sisters grew pumpkins in their yard, cut them up, and presented them on plates to Cinderella. They were no longer able to see, and they became more patient. Eventually, pigeons landed on their shoulders because they were the only humans that could not shoo them away. They cooked for themselves, and for others, guided by their father, who was aware of the punishment, who grew solemn for failing to protect Cinderella. She herself was far in the castle, pleased with her new life. Each morning she drew aside the curtains and looked over the land, unwilling to identify which patch of green in the distance was her previous heritage. It chased her, the stain of that place. She shivered as she attempted to wash herself clean, and as she strode through the garden paths, she remembered that garden.
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From Cinderella’s diary–
And when her wedding with the Prince was appointed to be held the false sisters came, hoping to curry favor, and to take part in the festivities. So as the bridal procession went to the church, the eldest walked on the right side and the younger on the left, and the pigeons picked out an eye of each of them. And as they returned the elder was on the left side and the younger on the right, and the pigeons picked out the other eye of each of them. And so they were condemned to go blind for the rest of their days because of their wickedness and falsehood.
when the prince was appointed to be held sisters / part
so as the bridal procession went to / the eldest
so as the bridal procession went to / the youngest
walked on / each of them / the left side / the right side
and as they returned / each of them
on the left / on the right / each of them
sisters / to go blind
to go blind / to curry favor
to go blind / for rest
to go blind / because of their
wickedness / to go blind / in the festivities
the left side / the right side