Cinderella I

     Once upon a time there lived a beautiful girl named Cinderella. Her mother died when she was still young. Her father, on the other hand, married another woman who already had two daughters about as old as Cinderella.

     A few years later, Cinderella's father died. Thus, Cinderella was left to live with her stepmother ant two stepsisters.

    Her stepmother and her stepsisters were cruel. Her stepsisters were also very lazy, vain and selfish. They did nothing but buy nice clothes and pretty themselves up. But despite of the beautiful clothes they wore, they were still ugly.

     One day the King's royal messenger called on all the ladies of the kingdom to attend a ball in honor of the prince, the king's only son. 
    
The news made all the ladies in the kingdom, especially Cinderella's stepsisters, very excited. They heard that the prince was looking for a bride, and it was the dream of every girl to marry the handsome prince.

     Cinderella was also excited, but she had to stay home and clean the house while her stepmother and stepsisters attend the ball.

     The night of the ball, her stepmother and stepsisters set off in their fine carriage. Cinderella was left home alone. She sat by herself and cried.

     Suddenly, a beautiful fairy appeared. She was Cinderella's fairy godmother.
"What is the problem, my dear? Why are you crying?" asked the fairy godmother.
"I want to attend the ball to meet the prince," Cinderella answered, wiping tears from her eyes.
"Then you shall!" said the fairy godmother. "But first you must follow everything I tell you."
"Yes, Fairy Godmother, I will," promised Cinderella.

"Go to the garden and get me the biggest pumpkin you can find," said the fairy.

     So Cinderella went to the garden and get the biggest pumpkin she could find, and brought it to her fairy godmother.

"Now get me six white mice from the kitchen," the fairy ordered. Cinderella followed promptly.

Again with a wave of her wand, the fairy changed the mice into six beautiful white horses to pull the coach! Cinderella could not believe her eyes.

      Still troubled, Cinderella looked down at herself. "Oh dear!" she sighed. "But how can I go to the ball in this old ragged dress?"

For the third time, the fairy godmother waved her magic wand and changed Cinderella's ragged dress into a very lovely gown! And on her feet she put a dainty pair of glass slippers. "Now go!" said the fairy. "But remember, the magic only lasts until midnight. You must go home before twelve o' clock!"

      Cinderella went to the ball in her beautiful coach and gown. everyone in the palace who saw her was enchanted by her charm, especially the prince.

      The Prince asked her for a dance.
 "May I danced with you?" he asked with his eyes fixed on the lovely face of Cinderella.

      They took to the floor, while all the others girls became very jealous of this beautiful and mysterious lady.

     Cinderella and the Prince danced all evening. She was
very happy that she soon forgot all about the fairy's reminder.

       She only remembered the fairy's warning when the clock began to strike twelve. Cinderella ran out of the palace as fast as she could! She must be home before twelve midnight! In her hurry, she left one of her glass slippers.

      The Prince ran after her but she disappeared quickly. However, he found her glass slipper at the steps of the palace.

      As he forgot to ask her name, he now only has the golden slipper as his clue on how to find her.
      When Cinderella's stepmother and stepsisters arrived home, they talked of nothing but the lovely girl who danced with the Prince all evening.

      They were annoyed because after the beautiful girl had left, the Prince did not dance any more with the girls left behind. Cinderella had captured his heart.

      She on the other hand, relived in her mind the vivid memories of the ball and the Prince.

      Back in the Palace, the Prince was determined to find the mysterious lady with whom he fell in love. But he only has a glass slipper to help him find her!

      Thus he decided that he will marry the girl whose foot shall fit into the slipper.

      The very next day, the Prince started the search for the lady who captured his heart.

     All the girls in the land wanted to try on the slipper. But although many tried, slipper just wouldn't fit them.

      At last, the Prince came to Cinderella's house. The two ugly stepsisters both tried on the slipper, but it just wouldn't fit them. One stepsister's foot was too small, while the other's was too big.

      The Prince was getting desperate. He asked if there was any other girl in the house. The stepmother and stepsister  said there was one but they quickly added that she was very busy in the kitchen and she was not even at the ball.

      The Prince insisted, however, that all the girls must try on the slipper. So he asked Cinderella to come out.

      Cinderella came out, although very ashamed of her dirty appearance. She covered her face while trying on the slipper.

      "A perfect fit!" the prince exclaimed as Cinderella tried it.

      Everybody was amazed when the slipper fit her perfectly. The stepsister told the Prince that Cinderella was not even at the ball, but they were surprised when she brought out the other glass slipper from her pocket.

      It was then the Prince recognized Cinderella, and that same moment asked her to marry him.

      Cinderella was over-joyed!

      All of a sudden, her fairy godmother appeared and changed Cinderella's old clothes to a lovely gown fit for a princess.

      That same day, the Prince took Cinderella to the palace.

     The Prince married Cinderella. Their wedding was the grandest event that ever took place in the history of the entire kingdom.

      From then on Cinderella and her Prince lived happily ever after.

The End