Cinderella

Once upon a time, in a peaceful kingdom, there lived a sweet and gentle girl named Cinderella.

After her father died, she was left in the care of her stepmother, Lady Tremaine, and her two selfish stepsisters, Anastasia and Drizella.

Though they treated her like a servant, Cinderella remained kind.

“Cinderella!” Drizella shrieked.

“My breakfast is cold!”

“And where’s my sash?” Anastasia snapped.

Cinderella replied patiently, “Coming right up!”

She worked from dawn till night, but in quiet moments, she found comfort with her animal friends, especially Jaq and Gus, two clever little mice.

One morning, a royal messenger arrived.

“Hear ye! Hear ye!” he announced. “By order of His Majesty the King, every eligible maiden in the kingdom is invited to a royal ball at the palace this Saturday night!”

“A ball?” Cinderella gasped, her eyes sparkling.

“Every maiden?” she asked her stepmother.

Lady Tremaine raised an eyebrow. “Yes, if you can find something suitable to wear.”

Hope lit up Cinderella’s face. “Oh, thank you, mother!”

“You must make a finest gown for us, too”, added her stepsisters.

All day long, in between scrubbing floors and washing dishes, Cinderella helped her stepsisters get ready for the royal ball.

She curled their hair, fetched their jewelry, and even mended the hems of their dresses.

“Make mine tighter at the waist,” Drizella demanded, tossing fabric in Cinderella’s face.

“No! Mine first!” Anastasia whined. “Mother said I’d look better in blue!”

The two sisters glared at each other.

“Your dress is too shiny. You’re trying to outdo me!”

“Am not! You’re just jealous because I have better pearls!”

In a sudden fit of jealousy, they tore at each other's gowns, ripping bows, yanking pearls, and flinging fabric across the room.

“Stop it!” Lady Tremaine snapped. “We leave in an hour!”

As the chaos unfolded, Jaq and Gus quietly scurried around, gathering the scraps: loose ribbons, lace, a broken strand of pearls, even a discarded sash.

They carried them to their wives, who had been secretly working on something very special, a gown made from Cinderella’s mother’s old dress, now transformed into something beautiful.

That evening, as the coach waited outside, Anastasia and Drizella twirled in their brand new gowns, purchased just for the occasion.

“Goodbye, Cinderella,” Lady Tremaine said with a smirk. “Enjoy your chores.”

Cinderella gave a small smile and returned to her room, sighing. “There’s no way I’ll make it in time and I haven’t even touched my dress.”

Suddenly, the door creaked open. “Surprise!” came a chorus of squeaky voices.

Jaq and Gus stepped forward, proudly tugging on a hanger. There it was a sparkling pink gown, trimmed with pearls, ribbons, and delicate touches of lace.

“Oh!” Cinderella gasped. “You made this? For me?”

“Yep! We worked all night,” Jaq beamed. “You go to the ball now!”

Tears filled Cinderella’s eyes. “It’s the most beautiful dress I’ve ever seen.”

She quickly slipped it on and rushed downstairs, just as her stepmother and stepsisters were about to leave.

Anastasia’s jaw dropped. “Where did you get that dress?”

“You must’ve stolen it!” Drizella hissed.

“Those are my pearls!” Anastasia shrieked.

“You thief!” snapped Lady Tremaine.

Before Cinderella could speak, the sisters lunged at her ripping off bows, tearing fabric, and yanking the pearls from her neckline.

Within seconds, the dress was ruined.

They stormed off, slamming the door behind them.

Cinderella stood alone at the bottom of the stairs, her beautiful dress in tatters.

She ran to the garden, fell to her knees, heartbroken, and began to cry. Her animal friends came, stood beside her, did not know what to say.

The moonlight shimmered in her tears.

“I really tried,” she whispered, voice quivering. “I thought, maybe just this once”

She looked up at the stars, eyes full of longing.

“Please,” she breathed, “if anyone’s listening, I just want one night. One night to feel like I belong.”

For a moment, all was still.

Then a shimmer of starlight sparkled in the air.

A gentle, glowing light swirled beside her, growing brighter, warmer, until a kind, melodic voice said:

“Dry those tears, my child. You shall go to the ball.”

Cinderella’s eyes widened. Before her stood a woman wrapped in soft blue light, with a twinkle in her eye and a wand in her hand. She is her Fairy Godmother.

With a graceful wave and the words “Bibbidi bobbidi boo!” the garden bloomed with magic.

A pumpkin twisted and grew into a glittering carriage.

The mice sprang up, transforming into strong white horses.

The old dog yawned, stretched and became a dignified coachman.

And Cinderella’s ragged gown sparkled and shimmered into a breathtaking blue dress that shined like moonlight.

She gasped. “Oh my goodness. it’s beautiful!”

The Fairy Godmother smiled and held up a pair of delicate glass slippers.

“And don’t forget these.”

Cinderella reached for them, awestruck.

“But remember,” the Fairy Godmother said gently, “this magic will only last until the stroke of midnight.”

Cinderella nodded, her heart racing with wonder.

And off she went to the palace, and to a night she would never forget.

Cinderella arrived at the palace, dazzling everyone.

The Prince saw her and instantly offered his hand.

“May I have this dance?” he asked.

“Yes,” Cinderella smiled. “I’d love to.”

They danced under the stars. The Prince couldn’t take his eyes off her.

“You’re unlike anyone I’ve ever met,” he said.

Cinderella blushed. “You don’t even know my name.”

Before he could ask, the clock struck midnight.

“Oh no!” Cinderella cried. “I have to go!”

“Wait!” the Prince called. “Who are you?”

But Cinderella was already running down the grand staircase, losing a glass slipper as she fled.

The magic wore off just as she reached home, her dress turning back to rags but she held the other slipper tightly.

The next day, the Prince sent the Grand Duke to search the kingdom.

“She’s the one,” the Prince said. “The girl whose foot fits this slipper, she will be my bride.”

Back at the house, a royal messenger arrived, searching for the mystery girl from the ball.

Lady Tremaine’s eyes narrowed as she watched Cinderella humming softly while sweeping the floor, her step unusually light, her cheeks still glowing.

“You seem different this morning,” Lady Tremaine said coldly.

Cinderella looked up, startled. “Do I?”

Lady Tremaine stared at her. That smile, that voice, could it be?

Then she spotted something on the windowsill, a familiar glimmer of blue thread, the same color as the gown from the ball.

Her suspicion hardened into certainty.

Without a word, she followed Cinderella upstairs—and locked her in the attic.

“You’ll never see him again,” Lady Tremaine hissed through the door. “Not if I can help it.”

Downstairs, the Grand Duke presented the glass slipper to the stepsisters, who tried to force their feet into it with no success.

Time was running out.

But in the attic, Jaq and Gus were already on a mission.

Dodging a hungry cat and squeezing through tight gaps, they climbed up, stole the key, and hurried back to free Cinderella.

Just as the Duke was turning to leave, the front door creaked open.

“Wait!” Cinderella called out, breathless. “May I try the slipper?”

Everyone turned. Lady Tremaine’s eyes widened in fury. but it was too late.

She tried to stop her, just as the footman tripped and the slipper shattered.

“Oh no!” gasped the Duke.

But Cinderella smiled and reached into her pocket. “Perhaps, this will help?” she said, revealing the other glass slipper.

The slipper fit perfectly.

Soon after, Cinderella and the Prince were married in a grand royal wedding.

“I never thought dreams like this could come true,” she whispered to him.

The Prince smiled. “With a heart like yours, how could they not?”

And with kindness, courage, and a little magic, Cinderella’s happily ever after began.

The End.