Cinderella - European

Hello, my name is Ella. My stepsisters gave me a different name, though, because I was always covered in ash from cleaning the fireplace. They called me Cinderella. I lived in a little house with my stepmother and her two daughters, who were not very kind. They made me do all the chores from sunrise to sunset, while they wore fancy dresses and went to parties. My only friends were the little mice who lived in the walls and the birds who sang outside my window. One day, a letter arrived from the palace. The king was throwing a grand ball for the prince, and every young lady in the kingdom was invited. Oh, how I dreamed of going. But my stepmother just laughed and gave me more chores to do. This is the story of how a little bit of kindness and a touch of magic changed my life forever; it’s the story of Cinderella.

As I watched my stepsisters leave for the ball in their beautiful gowns, I sat by the fireplace and cried. Suddenly, the room filled with a sparkling light. A kind-faced woman with a magic wand appeared. She was my Fairy Godmother. With a wave of her wand, she turned a pumpkin into a golden carriage, my mice friends into white horses, and a lizard into a footman. Then, she tapped my dusty rags, and they transformed into the most beautiful ball gown I had ever seen, with tiny, sparkling glass slippers on my feet. 'Be home by midnight,' she warned, 'for that is when the magic will end.' At the ball, everyone wondered who I was. The prince only had eyes for me, and we danced all night. But when the clock began to strike twelve, I remembered my godmother’s words and ran from the palace, leaving one of my glass slippers behind on the grand staircase.

The prince was determined to find the mysterious lady from the ball. He sent his royal guard all over the kingdom with the little glass slipper. Every young woman tried it on, including my stepsisters, but it didn't fit any of them. When the guard arrived at our house, my stepmother tried to hide me away. But I came forward, and when I slipped my foot into the glass slipper, it was a perfect fit. The prince had found me. We were married and lived with kindness in our hearts. My story, the tale of Cinderella, has been told for hundreds of years in many different countries, from France to Germany. It reminds people that even when things seem dark, kindness is a kind of magic, and hope can make wonderful things happen. It inspires movies, books, and ballets, showing children everywhere that a good heart is the most beautiful thing you can have.