Cinderella

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This is a very old story. Once upon a time there was a young woman called Cinderella. When she was a little girl, she was very happy. Sadly, her mother died and her father married a widow who had two daughters of her own. Then her father died. Cinderella was treated very badly by her stepmother and stepsisters. They made her spend all her time cooking and cleaning the house. She was their slave and she didn’t even have any shoes.

One day, Cinderella was on her hands and knees cleaning the sitting room floor. “Cinderella, this chair is dirty. Clean it,” ordered her horrible stepmother.

“Yes, stepmother,” said Cinderella.

“The prince is having a party tonight. Everyone’s invited,” announced the first stepsister excitedly.

“Awesome!” exclaimed Cinderella.

“Everyone except you, Cinderella,” said the horrible stepmother, “Now finish the floor.” Cinderella knelt down again to continue cleaning the floor, trying not to cry. Her stepmother and stepsisters went upstairs to get ready for the party. As soon as they had left, Cinderella put her head in her hands and cried. Suddenly she felt someone tapping on her shoulder.

“Cinderella,” said a chubby lady with wings.

“Who are you?” asked Cinderella.

“I am your fairy godmother.”

“Awesome!” exclaimed Cinderella.

"Do you want to go to the party tonight?"

"You bet but I don’t have anything to wear."

“How about this?” said the fairy godmother, pulling out a party dress from behind her back.

“Awesome! What about transport?”

“Your coach arrives at nine. Your horrible stepmother will never know. The driver will take you home at midnight.”

“Oh that’s perfect. Thank you so much, fairy godmother.”

“You’re welcome, dear. Anything else, Cinderella?”

“Shoes, fairy godmother. I don’t have any shoes.”

“Take mine,” said her fairy godmother, kicking off her shoes towards Cinderella.

“Thanks. They’re lovely.”

“You’re welcome, dear. Have fun at the party. And remember you have to leave at midnight.”

“Thank you so much for everything, fairy godmother. Goodbye.”

And so, Cinderella went to the party at the palace. She looked so happy and beautiful that her stepmother and stepsisters didn’t recognise her. She looked so happy and beautiful that the prince asked her to dance.

Then Cinderella heard the twelve chimes of midnight. “Oh, I have to go,” she said.

“Wait,” said the prince, “What’s your name?” But Cinderella didn’t hear the question. She was already running down the palace steps. One of her shoes came off but she carried on running and jumped into the waiting coach. She was really scared her stepmother would find out she had disobeyed her. “Your shoe!” yelled the prince but Cinders was gone.

The next day, Cinderella was on her hands and knees cleaning the sitting room floor. “Cinderella, this chair is dirty. Clean it,” ordered her horrible stepmother.

“Yes, stepmother,” said Cinderella.

“Did you see that girl dancing with the prince?” said the second stepsister.

“Yes, she was so beautiful,” said the first stepsister.

“Ding dong,” went the doorbell.

“Answer the door, Cinderella,” said the horrible stepmother. It was the prince. Everyone curtsied.

“I am looking for the owner of this shoe,” said the prince.

“It’s mine,” said the first stepsister but it didn’t fit. The second stepsister snatched the shoe.

“Give me that,” said the second stepsister but it didn’t fit.

“You try it on,” says the prince, pointing to Cinderella. It fitted perfectly. “What’s your name?”

“Cinderella, Your Majesty.”

“I love you, Cinderella.”

“I love you too, Your Majesty.” The stepmother and her daughters were nearly sick. Suddenly Cinder’s fairy godmother appeared, with no shoes on.

“Can I have my shoes back, please?”

“Oh sure,” said Cinders.

“Thank you, dear.”

And everyone lived happily ever after, except the horrible stepmother.