Cinderella

CINDERELLA Once there was a gentleman who married his second wife who was the proudest and most haughty woman ever. She had two daughters by her first husband who were exactly like her. The gentleman had a young daughter by his first wife who was good and sweet like her mother. No sooner was the wedding over then the new stepmother began to show her true colors. She could not bear the good qualities of this pretty girl, because she made her own daughters look mean and unkind. She made her do the dirtiest work in the house: which included scrubbing the bedrooms and bathrooms of her stepmother and stepsisters. Her room was in a cold tower, with only a straw bed, while her stepsisters had fine rooms, with rugs on the floor, beds of the finest linen, and mirrors so large that they could see themselves from head to toe. The poor girl took their treatment of her patiently and dared not tell her father, who would have sent her away; for his wife ruled him completely. When she finished her work she would go to the corner by the fireplace and sit down among the cinders and ashes, so they called her a cinder maid; but the youngest stepsister who was not as rude as the eldest, called her Cinderella. Cinderella, wearing her dirty clothes was a hundred times more beautiful than her sisters, though they were always dressed very beautifully. The King’s son was going to have a ball and invited all the rich people to it. The stepsisters were also invited, for they cut very grand figures among the rich. They were happy to get the invitation, and were busy choosing their gowns, petticoats, and headdresses that they would wear. This caused more work for Cinderella, for it was her job to iron her sisters’ clothing. The stepsisters talked all day long of nothing but what they should wear for the ball. The eldest sister said I will wear my red velvet suit with French trimmings. I will wear my usual petticoat but then, to make it better I will put on my gold-flowered dress and my diamond bodice said the youngest sister. They sent for the best designer of headdresses and had their brushes and makeup sent from Mademoiselle de la Poche. Cinderella was called upon to help with their headdresses as she had excellent taste and always told them what looked best on them and offered her help which they were more than willing to take. While Cinderella was helping them, they said to her: “Cinderella, would you like to go to the ball?” “What!” you are making fun of me. It is not for poor people like me. You are right, said her stepsisters. People would laugh to see a cinder maid at the ball.” Anyone but Cinderella would have made their headdresses look badly, but since she was very kind, she dressed both stepsisters beautifully. They broke a dozen laces trying to be laced into their dresses. The day of the ball came and off they went to Court, and Cinderella watched them for as long as she could, and when they were out of sight she started to cry. Her Godmother, who saw her tears, asked her what was the matter? “I wish I could—I wish I could—” She was not able to speak through her tears. This Godmother who was a fairy, said to her: “Do you want to go to the ball?” “Y—es,” cried Cinderella. “Well,” said her Godmother, “be a good girl, and I will help you go to the ball.” Then she said to Cinderella: “Run into the garden and bring me a pumpkin.” Cinderella went immediately to gather the finest pumpkin she could find and brought it to her Godmother, not understanding how this pumpkin could make her go to the ball. Her Godmother scooped out the inside leaving nothing but the rind, she touched it with her wand, and the pumpkin was instantly turned into a fine golden coach. Her Godmother then went to look inside her mousetrap, where she found six mice still alive, and asked Cinderella to lift-up the little trapdoor and as each mouse ran out of the trap she touched them with her wand, and the mouse was turned into a fine horse, which gave Cinderella’s coach a set of six horses in a beautiful mouse gray color. Needing a coachman, Cinderella said: “I will go and see if there is a rat in the rattrap—we can make a coachman of him.” “Go and look.” said her Godmother Cinderella brought the trap to her, and in it there were three huge rats. The Godmother picked one who had the longest beard and touching him with her wand he was turned into a fat, jolly coachman. After that she said to Cinderella: “Go into the garden again, and you will find six lizards behind the watering-pot. Bring them to me.” Cinderella brought the lizards to her Godmother who turned them into six footmen, who immediately went behind the coach, with their coats all covered with gold and silver, and stood close behind each other as if they had done this their whole lives. The Godmother then said to Cinderella: “Well, you now have a carriage fit to go to the ball. Are you not happy with it?” “Oh! yes,” cried Cinderella; “but must I go in these dirty rags?” Her Godmother touched her with her wand, and immediately her clothes were turned into a dress of gold and silver, covered with jewels. It was as dazzling as the sun. Around the hem hung a fringe of diamonds, sparkling like dewdrops in the sunshine. Lace on her throat and arms could only have been spun by fairy spiders. It was a dream come true! Cinderella put her hand to her throat, and softly touched the pearls that encircled her neck. “Come, child,” said her Godmother, or you will be late.” As Cinderella moved, the light shone upon her shoes. Are they made of diamonds,” she asked? “No,” answered her Godmother “they are better than that—they are made by the fairies out of glass. Now, child, go, and enjoy yourself to your heart’s content.” Her Godmother told Cinderella to leave the ball before midnight, saying that if she stayed one moment longer the coach would be a pumpkin again, her horses would be mice, her coachman a rat, her footmen lizards, and her clothes would become dirty rags. She promised her Godmother she would not forget to leave the ball before midnight, and off she went in the coach hardly able to contain her happiness. The King’s son was told that a great Princess, whom nobody knew, had arrived, so he ran out to see her. He gave her his hand as she got out of the coach; and led her into the ball. There was immediate silence, the music stopped, everyone stopped dancing, all looked towards the beautiful unknown newcomer. The King himself, old as he was, could not help but tell the Queen that it been a long time since he had seen such beautiful creature. All the ladies were looking at her clothes and headdress, that they might copy the same pattern, provided they could find such fine materials and able hands to make them. The King’s son led her to a seat and asked her to dance with him. Everyone watched as she danced very gracefully. A fine dinner was served, but the young Prince did not eat, as he was too busy looking at Cinderella. After dinner Cinderella went and sat by her sisters, showing them kindness and sharing part of the oranges the Prince had given her. This surprised the stepsisters as they did not know her. While Cinderella sat with her sisters, she heard the clock strike 11:45 she immediately stood up made a courtesy and ran away as fast as she could. Once she got home, she ran to find her Godmother to thank her and asked if she could go to the ball the next day because the King’s son wanted her to come back. As she was telling her Godmother what had happened at the ball her two sisters knocked at the door, which Cinderella ran and opened. You are just getting home said Cinderella rubbing her eyes and stretching herself as if she had been just awakened from sleep. If you had been at the ball,” said one of her sisters, you would not be tired. The most beautiful girl showed up at the ball. She talked to us and shared her oranges. Cinderella asked them the name of the girl, but they told her they did not know and said the King’s son was very taken with her and would give the world to know who she was. At this Cinderella said She must have been very beautiful! Can I go tomorrow? Charlotte, may I borrow your yellow dress? Why would I lend my dress to such a dirty cinder maid as you said Charlotte. Cinderella expected that answer and was happy that her sister would not let her borrow her dress. The next day the two sisters went back to the ball, and so did Cinderella, but this time she was dressed even more magnificently. The King’s son never left her side and talked only to her the whole night. Cinderella was enjoying all the attention that she forgot what her Godmother told her about leaving before midnight, So as the clock struck twelve she ran as fast as she could. The prince followed but could not catch her. She left behind one of her glass slippers, which the prince picked up carefully. When she got home, she was out of breath and in her old dirty clothes, with only one of the little slippers safe in her pocket The guards at the palace gate were asked if they had seen a beautiful girl leave. They said they had seen nobody but a young dirty girl. When the two sisters returned home from the ball Cinderella asked them if they had fun and if the beautiful girl had been there again. Her sisters said yes, but that she ran away when the clock struck twelve, and while running she lost one of her little glass slippers, and the King’s son picked up. He was very much in love with the beautiful girl who wore the glass slipper. What the sisters said was true, for a few days later the King’s son proclaimed that he would marry the girl whose foot fit into the slipper. All the Princesses, then the Duchesses and then the rest of the Court tried on the glass slipper but the shoe did not fit them. The shoe was brought to the stepsisters who tried their best to get their foot into the shoe but once again the shoe did not fit. The following morning a procession came through the town led by the King’s son. Behind him came a man carrying a velvet cushion, upon which rested a little glass slipper. he then read a proclamation saying that the King’s son would marry the girl whose foot fit the glass slipper but only if she had the matching glass slipper. Of course, the sisters tried to squeeze their feet into the slipper once again, but their feet were much too large. Then Cinderella shyly asked to try it on. The sisters laughed when the Prince knelt to fit the slipper on the Cinderella’s foot. What a surprise when it fit with the greatest of ease, and Cinderella pulled the other glass slipper from her pocket! Cinderella stood up in the glass slippers and the sisters saw the lovely lady who had attended the ball in front of them, because the magic shoes made the dirty gray dress disappear forever, and now she wore the beautiful dress the fairy Godmother had given to her. Both sisters hung their heads with sorrow and shame, but Cinderella hugged and kissed them, and forgave them for being mean and unkind. The sisters could not help but love Cinderella. The Prince could not bear to part from his love again, so he took her back to the palace in his grand coach, and they were married that very day. Cinderella’s stepsisters attended the wedding and the feast, but sitting in the place of honor was the fairy Godmother. So the poor little cinder maid married the Prince, and in time they came to be King and Queen, and lived happily ever after. THE END!!