Cinderella

Edited by

Cooie Nassef

Once upon a time, there was a widower who married a proud and haughty woman for his second wife. She had two daughters, who were equally haughty. By his first wife, he had a beautiful young daughter of unparalleled goodness and sweet temper. Along with her daughters, the stepmother employed the daughter in all the housework.

When the girl had done her work, she sat in the cinders (ashes of the chimney), which caused her to be called "Cinderella". The poor girl bore it patiently, but dared not tell her father, who would have scolded her; for his wife controlled him entirely.

The Prince invited all maidens in the land to a ball (big dance party). As the two stepsisters were invited, they gleefully planned their wardrobes for the ball. Cinderella assisted them, but they still taunted her by saying a maid could never attend a ball.

As the sisters swept away to the ball, Cinderella cried in despair. Her Fairy Godmother appeared and vowed to assist Cinderella in attending the ball. She turned a pumpkin into a coach, mice into horses, a rat in to a coachman, and lizards into footmen (who stand behind the coach, which is driven by horses). She then turned Cinderella's rags into a beautiful gown with her magic wand, to complete with a delicate pair of glass slippers. The Godmother bade her enjoy the ball, but return before midnight, for the magic spells would be broken a minute after midnight.

At the ball, the entire court was entranced by Cinderella, especially the Prince, who never left her side. Unrecognized by her sisters, Cinderella remembered to leave before midnight.

With her godmother's help, she attended the ball the next evening, and entranced the Prince even more. However, she left only at the final stroke of midnight, and lost one of her glass slippers on the steps of the palace. She kept the other glass slipper. The Prince chased her, but the guards had seen only a country wench leave. The Prince pocketed the slipper and vowed to find and marry the maiden to whom it belonged.

Back home, Cinderella thanked her godmother. She then greeted the Stepsisters who could talk of nothing but the beautiful girl at the ball.

Later, the Prince tried looked all over the city for the maiden (girl) with the missing glass slipper, and tried the slipper on all the maidens in the land. The stepsisters tried in vain to put their big feet inside the tiny pretty glass slipper. Though the stepsisters taunted her, Cinderella asked if she may try. Naturally, the slipper fit perfectly, and Cinderella put on the other slipper for good measure. The stepsisters and stepmother begged for forgiveness, and Cinderella forgave them for their cruelties.

Cinderella returned to the palace where she married the Prince, and the stepsisters also married two lords, and the wicked stepmother moved in with Cinderella, changing into a nice stepmother, and they all lived happily ever after.

- The End -

Moral: Beauty is a treasure, but graciousness is priceless. Without it nothing is possible; with it, one can do anything.

H.N.