When Cinderella Dined with the Prince - Fairy Tale Table Etiquette

Every boy and girl knows how Cinderella's fairy godmother sent her to the Prince's ball in a golden coach. The Prince liked her instantly, but it was at supper that he really fell in love with her. She was so beautiful and had such perfect table manners. Cinderella's own mother had trained her carefully you see, and so she knew just how to act even with a Prince. You will want to read the story never written before about what happened when Cinderella and the Prince dined together.

  

When the Prince took Cinderella to dinner that first night wasn't she thankful her mother had taught her the right way to eat? She dipped her soup spoon away from her, and she didn't fill it too full. When Cinderella cut her meat, she held her fork in her left hand with the prongs down, and her knife in her right hand. Her fingers and thumb closed round the handles and didn't go near the blade or prongs.

  

Cinderella felt quite at home when she saw that the Prince ate with his fork exactly as she did. He held it in his right hand with the prongs up when he was eating vegetables, lifting it like a spoon to his mouth. A footman passed the bread to the Prince. He took a slice and laid it on his bread-and-butter plate. Then he broke off a little piece just big enough to go into his mouth and buttered it with his butter spreader.