Cinderella
Monday 6 August 2012
Tuesday 31 July 2012
Once upon a time there lived an
unhappy young girl. Her mother was dead and her father had married a widow with
two daughters. Her stepmother didn't like her at all. All her kind thoughts and
loving touches were for her own daughters.
Nothing was too good for them - dresses, shoes, delicious food, soft beds, and every home comfort. 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 rest and no comfort. She had to work hard all day. Only when evening came was she allowed to sit for a while by the fire, near the cinders. That’s why everybody called her Cinderella.
Nothing was too good for them - dresses, shoes, delicious food, soft beds, and every home comfort. 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 rest and no comfort. She had to work hard all day. Only when evening came was she allowed to sit for a while by the fire, near the cinders. That’s why everybody called her Cinderella.
Cinderella used to spend long hours all alone talking to the
cat and birds. The cat says, “Miaow“, which really meant, “Cheer up! You have something
neither of your stepsisters has and that is beauty.” It was quite true.
Cinderella, even dressed in old rags, 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 the palace and the stepsisters were getting ready to go.
Cinderella didn't even dare ask if she could go too. She knew very well what
the answer would be: “You? 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, “Oh dear, I'm so unhappy!” and the cat
murmured “Miaow.”
Suddenly something amazing happened. As Cinderella was sitting
all alone, there was a burst of light and a fairy appeared. “Don't be alarmed,
Cinderella,” said the fairy. “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 she had ever seen. “Now for your
coach,” said the fairy; "A real lady would never go to a ball on foot!
Quick! Get me a pumpkin!” “Oh of course,” said Cinderella, rushing away. Then
the fairy turned to the cat. “You, bring me seven mice, and, remember they must
be alive!”
Cinderella soon returned with the pumpkin and the cat with
seven mice he had caught in the cellar. With a flick of the magic wand 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.
“You shall go to the ball Cinderella. But remember! You must
leave at midnight. That is when my spell ends. Your coach will turn back into a
pumpkin and the horses will become mice again. You will be dressed in rags and
wearing clogs instead of these glass slippers! Do you understand?” Cinderella
smiled and said, “Yes, I understand!”
Cinderella had a wonderful time at the ball until she heard
the first stroke of midnight! She remembered what the fairy had said, and
without a word of goodbye 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 the
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 every girl in the land until only Cinderella
was left.
“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?”
But, to everyone’s amazement, the shoe fitted perfectly.
Suddenly the fairy appeared and waved 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 Cinderella! The Prince is waiting for you.“
So Cinderella married the Prince and lived happily ever. As
for the cat, he just said “Miaow!”
Tuesday 24 July 2012
The Introduction to Cinderella Story
Cinderella is one of the most well-known stories around the world. This story appears in the folklore of many cultures. There are between 350 and 1500 different versions of this story in the world today.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)