Elementary Library

Cinderella

Once upon a time, there was a kind girl named Cinderella. She lived with her mean stepmother and two stepsisters. They made her do all the hard work, like cleaning and cooking, while they rested and had fun. Cinderella worked all day without help. One day, an invitation came from the king. He was having a big ball, and everyone could go. Cinderella wanted to go, but her stepmother said, “No! You must stay home and clean.” Cinderella felt very sad but did not complain. While she worked, a fairy godmother appeared. She 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 pretty dress and her old shoes into sparkling glass slippers. The fairy godmother also turned a pumpkin into a shiny carriage and mice into horses to pull it. "Now, you can go to the ball!" said the fairy godmother. "But remember, you must leave before midnight. At midnight, everything will go back to normal." Cinderella thanked her fairy godmother and ran to the ball. 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 when the clock struck midnight, Cinderella remembered what the fairy godmother said. She ran away, leaving one of her glass slippers behind. The prince picked it up and decided to find the 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. At Cinderella’s house, her stepsisters tried it on, but it was too small for them. Finally, Cinderella tried it on, and it fit perfectly! The prince knew she was the one, and he asked her to marry him. Cinderella said yes, and they lived happily ever after.