Elementary Library

Cinderella

Once upon a time, there was a kind girl named Cinderella. She lived with her mean stepmother and two stepsisters who treated her very badly. They made her do all the hard work around the house, like cleaning and cooking, while they relaxed and had fun. Cinderella worked all day without any help and felt very sad. One day, an invitation came from the king. He was having a grand ball, and everyone in the kingdom was invited. Cinderella dreamed of going, but her stepmother said, “No! You must stay home and clean.” Cinderella felt very sad, but she didn’t complain. While she was working, a fairy godmother appeared. The fairy godmother smiled and waved her magic wand. "Don't worry, Cinderella," she said. "I will help you go to the ball!" With a wave of her wand, she turned Cinderella’s rags into a beautiful gown and her old shoes into sparkling glass slippers. The fairy godmother also changed a pumpkin into a shiny golden carriage and mice into horses to pull it. Cinderella thanked her fairy godmother and hurried to the ball. When she arrived, everyone was amazed by how beautiful she looked. The prince asked her to dance, and they danced all night. They had so much fun, and the prince couldn’t stop thinking about her. But as the clock struck midnight, Cinderella remembered the fairy godmother's warning. She ran away, leaving behind one of her glass slippers. The prince picked it up and decided he would find the beautiful girl who fit the slipper. The next day, the prince went to every house in the kingdom to find the girl who could wear the glass slipper. When he got to Cinderella’s house, her stepsisters tried on the slipper, but it was too small for them. Finally, Cinderella tried on the slipper, and it fit perfectly! "Now, you can go to the ball!" said the fairy godmother. "But remember, you must leave before midnight. At midnight, everything will turn back to normal."

The prince knew she was the one, and he asked her to marry him. Cinderella said yes, and they lived happily ever after.