Once upon a time, there was a simple and beautiful girl named Cinderella. She lived with her evil stepmother and two stepsisters. The stepmother did not like her and made her do all the household work. Her stepsisters just never had to work, they just roamed around the house in their fancy dresses. They always made fun of Cinderella because of her plain dressing.
One day, a letter from the king came to their house which said that the king is having a ball tonight and his son ‘The Prince’ would be choosing a wife; every girl in the kingdom must be aware.
Everyone got excited about reading this, Cinderella too wanted to go to the ball. Her stepmother told her that she can go if she completes all her work on time and also helps her stepsisters with their dresses for the ball.
Cinderella worked as fast as she could to get everything done but there was always something left. At last, she was left at home disappointed.
But why weren’t her stepsisters invited to the ball? Well, the truth is they weren’t very nice. They were always mean to Cinderella and didn’t treat her well. Plus, they were very clumsy and had big feet. They would have looked silly trying to dance in the ballroom, tripping over their own feet!
Meanwhile, Cinderella had run to the garden and met her fairy godmother. With a wave of her wand, she made Cinderella look like a princess. She gave her a beautiful new gown, glass slippers, and shiny black horses to reach the ball. Before leaving, the fairy godmother said “this magic will only last until midnight! You must reach back home by then!”.
When Cinderella entered the palace, everybody was awestruck by her beauty, she was the prettiest girl at the ball. Even her stepsisters didn’t recognize her.
The handsome prince also saw her and fell in love with her. All the other girls were very jealous of her because the prince danced with her the whole night.
She enjoyed herself so much that she almost forgot what the fairy godmother had told her about her magic.
However, when she saw the time and remembered the godmother’s words she quickly left the palace and ran away. In all the hurry, one glass slipper which she was wearing was left on the castle steps.
The prince had fallen in love with her and wanted to find out who she was as he wanted to marry her.
The next day, he ordered his king’s men to go to every house in the land and find the girl whose foot fits in the glass slipper. When they reached Cinderella’s house, the two stepsisters tried their best to squeeze their big feet into the slippers, but they could not make it. Finally, when Cinderella tried the slipper, her foot fit perfectly into the glass slipper.
The prince recognized her from the ball night. He married Cinderella soon in a grand ceremony and they lived happily ever after.
And what about the stepsisters? Well, they were left behind to clean up the mess they made at home while Cinderella married her prince. Maybe next time, they’ll learn to be kinder and more deserving of an invitation to the ball.
The story of Cinderella is not just a tale of a beautiful girl living amongst cruel people, but a message of hope and perseverance. It reminds us of the importance of hard work, determination, and most importantly, treating others with respect and kindness. The story teaches us to never give up, even when the world seems against us, and to always strive to be our best selves. Let Cinderella’s tale inspire us to follow our dreams, and to never lose hope in ourselves or our journey towards true happiness and fulfillment.
Meet the Brilliant Mind Behind the Story! ????
The timeless tale of Cinderella, a beloved fairy tale known around the world, has been retold by numerous authors over the years. Among these authors, Charles Perrault stands out as one of the most famous and influential storytellers. Born on January 12, 1628, in Paris, France, Perrault was a renowned French writer and member of the prestigious Académie Française. His contributions to the world of literature, particularly in the realm of fairy tales, have left an indelible mark on storytelling.
Perrault is credited with being the first author to record and publish the story of Cinderella in its familiar form. His version, titled “Cendrillon” in French, was published in 1697 as part of his collection of fairy tales called “Tales of Mother Goose.” Perrault’s retelling of Cinderella introduced iconic elements such as the glass slipper, the pumpkin carriage, and the fairy godmother, which have since become synonymous with the story.
