Once upon a time there lived a poor Baron who had two step-daughters and a daughter of his own.
The step-daughters were ugly, spoilt and bad-tempered. One was very thin, the other was very fat, and they both had great big feet.
The Baron’s own daughter was a lovely girl with gentle manners and a kind heart. Her sisters, jealous of her beauty, made her work all day in the house. And when she sat wearily down by the kitchen fire, in the evening, they laughed at her unkindly.
“Look at her, sitting among the ashes and cinders,” they jeered, pointing mocking fingers, “Little Cinderella!”
One day a very grand footman rang the doorbell and handed Cinderella a large envelope addressed to her two sisters in shiny gold writing. It was an invitation to a splendid ball at the palace, and it had been sent by the Prince himself.
The ugly sisters were wildly excited and even allowed Cinderella to read their invitation as a special treat.
Cinderella bravely hid her disappointment at not being invited to the ball, too.
She sewed at silk, velvet and lace for her sisters’ dresses. She stitched pretty jewelled buckles on to their satin shoes and brushed and combed their fashionable, tall wigs.
All Cinderella got in return for her hard work were cross words and complaints.
At last the day came and the ugly sisters set off for the party.
Cinderella sat beside the kitchen fire, sad and lonely. How she longed to be at the splendid ball! Two little mice, hopping and skipping in the firelight, scuttled into their hole at the sound of a knock at the door.
Cinderella ran and opened the door. Outside stood a ragged old beggar woman.
“Give me a crust of bread, my dear,” she pleaded.
Cinderella had a bowl of soup and some bread and cheese for her own supper. All these she gladly gave to the old woman, pretending she was not hungry herself.
“Thank you, my dear,” said the old woman, and suddenly she threw off her ragged cloak.
What do you think? The old lady was really a fairy!
“I am your Fairy Godmother, Cinderella,” she said.” And I have brought you an invitation to Prince Charming’s ball. You are good and kind, and deserve something better than the unkindness of your cross step-sisters.” Cinderella made a polite curtsey, too surprised to speak.
“Now, quickly!” said her Godmother. “Bring me the largest pumpkin from the garden.”
Cinderella hastened to obey.
Next her Godmother told her to bring six mice and a rat that were caught in a little cage by Cinderella’s nasty sisters. Last of all, the Fairy told Cinderella that she would find six green lizards under a big flowerpot in the garden shed.
Wondering, Cinderella fetched them.
“What have these strange things to do with Prince Charming’s ball?” she asked, rather timidly.
“I will show you,” answered her Godmother.
With her magic wand she tapped each of the things Cinderella had brought her.
First the pumpkin; it grew and grew until there stood the most beautiful round golden coach, with shining lamps and four gold wheels.
Next the mice were turned into six fine grey horses, harnessed in gold, with great plumes on their heads.
After them, the big rat; he became a grand coachman, dressed in green livery, with feathers in his hat. Looking most important, he sat on the box of the coach and held the reins of the six grey horses.
Last of all the lizards became six smart and sprightly footmen, dressed in green like the coachman. They stood, one at each horse’s head.
The Fairy turned to Cinderella. “And now for your dress, my child,” she said.
Waving her wand again, the Fairy changed Cinderella’s patched frock into the most beautiful ball dress. Cinderella’s hair, too, was dressed and powdered in the prettiest fashion. Next, a blue silk wrap for the journey.
Only one thing seemed wanting. Cinderella’s shoes.
From a pocket in her gown the Fairy took out a tiny pair of slippers, made of sparkling glass. They fitted Cinderella perfectly.
Thanking her Godmother with all her heart, Cinderella got into her coach.
The footmen let go the horses, and five jumped up behind the coach. The sixth, a little fellow, sat behind the coachman.
“Now, Cinderella,” said her Fairy Godmother, “mind you leave the Palace before twelve o’clock. For then the magic ends, and everything will return to its normal shape.”
Then they were away! The coach and horses seemed to fly over the ground and soon swirled in through the Palace gates.
The guests had all arrived and Cinderella was the last. So beautiful did she look, and her dress was so grand, that everyone was sure she must be a princess.
As soon as Prince Charming saw Cinderella he begged her to dance with him.
Rather shyly Cinderella accepted.
She danced so gracefully and was altogether so beautiful that the Prince fell madly in love with her.
As for Cinderella, she thought that she had never met anyone so handsome and gay as Prince Charming.
Cinderella’s ugly sisters were full of wonder at the beautiful lady who was dancing with the Prince.
“Who can she be?” whispered one.
“Someone of great importance, I am sure,” answered her sister.
Little did they guess it was their own poor Cinderella.
The Prince and Cinderella had dance after dance together. He escorted her to the banquet and would partner no one else.
Cinderella was so happy, she lost all thought of time.
Suddenly she glanced at the clock. It was two minutes to twelve. Quickly Cinderella darted away from Prince Charming, and out through the ballroom door. Down the marble steps she ran, into the garden and the cool night air.
Meanwhile, Prince Charming was searching everywhere, trying to find his beautiful dancing partner.
Suddenly he noticed something twinkling and sparkling on the steps. Prince Charming stooped and picked it up.
It was a glass slipper.
He knew it was one belonging to his lovely partner.
Showing the glass slipper to his courtiers the Prince ordered them to search the Palace, until they found the slipper’s owner.
The whole court looked high and low, but nobody could find any trace of the beautiful lady. Prince Charming was heartbroken at her disappearance.
When she left the Palace, Cinderella ran through the garden and down the long drive. As she ran, she heard the clock, almost drowned by distant music from the ballroom.
The clock struck twelve!
Alas! Poor Cinderella’s beautiful ball dress was gone. Instead, there was her shabby old working dress. Her hair now fell loose round her shoulders.
“One of my shoes!” gasped Cinderella. “I have lost it.”
Cinderella noticed a big yellow pumpkin in the drive. Scuttling away from it were six mice, six lizards and a big, fat rat.
The coach and horses, the coachman and footmen had all disappeared.
Panting and exhausted, Cinderella arrived home and sank down beside the kitchen fire.
Next day her sisters talked of nothing but the beautiful lady at the Prince’s ball.
Cinderella was silent. In her apron pocket was one little glass slipper.
Prince Charming took the other glass slipper to the town square.
Here he announced that the girl it fitted should be his bride. From town to town, hundreds of girls, both rich and poor, tried on the glass slipper. It was too tiny for any of them.
Rather tired, Prince Charming and his attendants came to the house of Cinderella’s father.
The ugly sisters squabbled as to who should try the slipper first.
It was much too small for either of them.
The Prince’s page, a bright boy, suddenly noticed poor Cinderella.
“This maiden has not tried the slipper, your Highness,” said he.
Amid unkind remarks from her sisters, Cinderella tried on the slipper.
Lo! It fitted perfectly.
From her apron pocket Cinderella took out the other slipper.
Prince Charming recognised her immediately.
“Beautiful lady!” he cried, dropping on one knee. “Consent to be my bride and I will be happy for ever.”
Cinderella and Prince Charming had a splendid wedding. She forgave her nasty sisters their unkindness, and they were truly sorry.
Cinderella and the Prince loved each other dearly and lived happily for the rest of their lives.
