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 one little bit. 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.
Cinderella used to spend long hours all alone talking to the cat. The
cat said, "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!"
