The fairy tale of 'Cindrella'

Cindrella was a beautiful girl. She had lost her mother when she was just a child. She was brought up by her maternal aunt. Her aunt also had two daughters of her own, whom she loved much. But her treatment with Cendrella was more or less a step-motherly. She sent her own daughters to school for good education. She gave them good dresses. She made them learn many kinds of art. Whereas Cindrella was always kept busy with the household chores like cooking, cleaning, washing etc. Besides this she also used to massage her aunt quite often.

As the time passed, the girls grew up. Now her aunt was anxious about the marriage of her daughters. Per chance, the prince of the Empire extended an invitation to all the young girls to dance with him in the royal palace. The dance party was arranged to enable the young prince to choose a suitable match for himself. When Cindrella’s aunt heard about the invitation, she dressed her daughters well, made up their faces and took them to the royal party. But Cindrella was asked to clean the house, do the washing etc. Although she too was young and was keen to attend the royal dance party, but was helpless. After finishing the household work, she just sat by the side of the window, sadly thinking about the treatment of her aunt and her own fate.

A fairy who happened to pass that way, saw her sitting sadly by the side of the window. She paused and asked her, ‘What is the matter? Why are you so sad.’ Cindrella spoke the truth that both of her cousin sisters had gone to attend the royal party and that she too wished to attend the same. The fairy told her, ‘Don’t worry, you can also attend the party.’ Cindrella was overjoyed. But again she became sad and said, ‘How can I go. I don’t have good dresses to wear.’ The fairy said, ‘Don’t worry about the clothes.’ She just waved her magic stick and lo Cindrella was beautifully clad more like a princess. Then she took out a beautiful pair of sandals and gave it to Cindrella to wear it. But Cindrella again got worried and said, ‘How can I go. The palace is quite far away.’ The fairy looked here and there and saw a cage with two rats trapped in it. She waved her magic stick. The rats became horses and the cage became a beautiful cart. Then she asked Cindrella to board the cart and go to the palace. When Cindrella was about to leave, the fairy warned her that she should in any case return before the midnight. She told her that her magic will last only upto 12‘O clock at midnight. Thereafter the horses will become rats again. Cindrella agreed and happily moved towards the palace.

When she reached the palace, the dance party had already started. Cindrella was looking so beautiful that everyone gazed at her with envy. When the prince saw Cindrella, he just could not control himself. He at once approached her and started dancing with her. They were so lost in dancing that they did not realise even about the time. Suddenly Cindrella looked towards the clock and was shocked to notice that it was about to strike 12’O clock. She hurriedly ran out of the ballroom. In her haste to reach her horse-cart, she ran so fast that one of her sandles slipped out. But she did not stop to pick it and hurried to catch her magic cart to return home. The prince and the other guests were all astonished to notice her strange behaviour. The prince had liked Cindrella so much that he asked the guards about her. But no one knew her nor anyone had any clue as to where she had come from. Even her own cousin sisters had not recognised her, because they could not even dream that Cindrella would attend the dance party. The guards came with a sandal and told the prince that this appears to be of that the girl’s. The prince saw a ray of hope. He ordered his soldiers to visit every house in the city and find out whose sandal it was.

The soldiers went door to door and asked every girl to wear that sandal. But it did not fit anyone. Then they went to Cindrella’s house. Her cousins tried to wear the Sandal, but it did not fit them too.HHhHHHH HH When they were about to leave, Cindrella came out and said, ‘May I also try.’ Her cousins laughed at her saying, you are not a princess. But when she tried the sandal, it did fit her foot. She then went inside and brought another sandal and wore that too. The soldiers understood that they have found the girl, they were looking for. They rushed to the palace and told about it to the prince. The prince at once rode on his horse and reached Cindrellas’s house. He straight away proposed her for marriage. Cindrellas joyfully accepted the proposal. They got married and lived happily thereafter. Cindrella was so nice and generous that she took her cousins and aunt also along with her.