Cinderella
Once
upon a time... there lived an unhappy young girl. Unhappy she was, for her
mother was dead, her father had married another woman, a widow with two daughters,
and her stepmother didn't like her one little bit. All the nice things, kind
thoughts and loving touches were for her own daughters. And not just the kind
thoughts and love, but also dresses, shoes, shawls, delicious food, comfy beds,
as well as every home comfort. All this was laid on for her daughters. But, for
the poor unhappy girl, there was nothing at all. No dresses, only her
stepsisters' hand-me-downs. No lovely dishes, nothing but scraps. No nice rests
and comfort. For she had to work hard all day, and only when evening came was
she allowed to sit for a while by the fire, near the cinders. That is how she
got her nickname, for everybody called her Cinderella. Cinderella used to spend
long hours all alonetalking to the cat. The cat said,
"Miaow",
which really meant, "Cheer up! You have something neither of your
stepsisters have and that is beauty."
It
was quite true. Cinderella, even dressed in rags with a dusty grey face from
the cinders, was a lovely girl. While her stepsisters, no matter how splendid
and elegant their clothes, were still clumsy, lumpy and ugly and always would
be.
One
day, beautiful new dresses arrived at the house. A ball was to be held at Court
and the stepsisters were getting ready to go to it. Cinderella, didn't even
dare ask, "What about me?" for she knew very well what the answer to
that would be:
"You?
My dear girl, you're staying at home to wash the dishes, scrub the floors and
turn down the beds for your stepsisters. They will come home tired and very
sleepy." Cinderella sighed at the cat. '
"oh
dear, I'm so unhappy!" and the cat murmured "Miaow".
Suddenly
something amazing happened. In the kitchen, where Cinderella was sitting all by
herself, there was a burst of light and a fairy appeared.
"Don't
be alarmed, Cinderella," said the fairy. "The wind blew me your
sighs. I know you would love to go to the ball. And so you shall!"
"how
can I, dressed in rags?" Cinderella replied. "The servants will turn
me away!" The fairy smiled. With a flick of her magic wand... Cinderella
found herself wearing the most beautiful dress, the loveliest ever seen in the
realm.
"Now
that we have settled the matter of the dress," said the fairy, "we'll
need to get you a coach. A real lady would never go to a ball on foot!"
"Quick!
Get me a pumpkin!" she ordered.
"Oh
of course," said Cinderella, rushing away. Then the fairy turned to the
cat.
"You,
bring me seven mice!"
"Seven
mice!" said the cat. "I didn't know fairies ate mice too!"
"They're
not for eating, silly! Do as you are told!... and, remember they must be
alive!"
Cinderella
soon returned with a fine pumpkin and the cat with seven mice he had caught in
the cellar.
"Good!"
exclaimed the fairy. With a flick of her magic wand... wonder of wonders! The
pumpkin turned into a sparkling coach and the mice became six white horses,
while the seventh mouse turned into a coachman, in a smart uniform and carrying
a whip. Cinderella could hardly believe her eyes.
"I
shall present you at Court. You will soon see that the Prince, in whose honour
the ball is being held, will be enchanted by your loveliness. But remember! You
must leave the ball at midnight and come home. For that is when the spell ends.
Your coach will turn back into a pumpkin, the horses will become mice again and
the coachman will turn back into a mouse... and you will be dressed again in
rags and wearing clogs instead of these dainty little slippers! Do you
understand?" Cinderella smiled and said,
"Yes,
I understand!"
When
Cinderella entered the ballroom at the palace, a hush fell. Everyone stopped in
mid-sentence to admire her elegance, her beauty and grace.
"Who
can that be?" people asked each other. The two stepsisters also wondered
who the newcomer was, for never in a month of Sundays, would they ever have
guessed that the beautiful girl was really poor Cinderella who talked to the
cat!
When
the prince set eyes on Cinderella, he was struck by her beauty. Walking over to
her, he bowed deeply and asked her to dance. And to the great disappointment of
all the young ladies, he danced with Cinderella all evening.
"Who
are you, fair maiden?" the Prince kept asking her. But Cinderella only
replied:
"What
does it matter who I am! You will never see me again anyway."
"Oh,
but I shall, I'm quite certain!" he replied.
Cinderella
had a wonderful time at the ball... But, all of a sudden, she heard the sound
of a clock: the first stroke of midnight! She remembered what the fairy had
said, and without a word of goobye she slipped from the Prince's arms and ran
down the steps. As she ran she lost one of her slippers, but not for a moment
did she dream of stopping to pick it up! If the last stroke of midnight were to
sound... oh... what a disaster that would be! Out she fled and vanished into
the night.
The
Prince, who was now madly in love with her, picked up her slipper and said to
his ministers,
"Go
and search everywhere for the girl whose foot this slipper fits. I will never
be content until I find her!" So the ministers tried the slipper on the
foot of all the girls... and on Cinderella's foot as well... Surprise! The
slipper fitted perfectly.
"That
awful untidy girl simply cannot have been at the ball," snapped the
stepmother. "Tell the Prince he ought to marry one of my two daughters!
Can't you see how ugly Cinderella is! Can't you see?"
Suddenly
she broke off, for the fairy had appeared.
"That's
enough!" she exclaimed, raising her magic wand. In a flash, Cinderella
appeared in a splendid dress,shining with youth and beauty. Her stepmother and
stepsisters gaped at her in amazement, and the ministers said,
"Come
with us, fair maiden! The Prince awaits to present you with his engagement
ring!" So Cinderella joyfully went with them, and lived happily ever after
with her Prince.
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