A Cinderella Story: If The Shoe Fits With Pictures

 

Another Cinderella Story: If The Shoe Fits With Images

 

Another Cinderella Story: Once Upon A Song & Christmas Wish: The Story of Cinderella is one of the greatest and most fascinating bedtime stories for children. Even adult people like the magical story of Cinderella and the Prince. “Cinderella” or “The Little Glass Slipper”, is a folk tale embodying an element of unjust oppression and triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world.

The protagonist is a young woman living in forsaken circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune. The story of Rhodopis, recounted by the Greek geographer Strabo sometime between around 7 BC and AD 23, about a Greek slave girl who marries the king of Egypt, is usually considered to be the earliest known variant of the Cinderella story.

The first literary European version of the story was published in Italy by Giambattista Basile in his Pentamerone in 1634; the version that is now most widely known in the English-speaking world was published in French by Charles Perrault in Histoires ou contes du temps passé in 1697. We hope you will certainly like this great story. And please don’t forget to share this enchanting tale with your friends.

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How The Story of Cinderella Begins Actually

Once upon a time, in a faraway land, there was a rich merchant who was living happily with his wife Lily and a very beautiful young daughter named Ella. Her wife Lily was a kind, good-natured woman. Ella, like her mother, possessed the rare combination of goodness and sweetness of temper and was one of the best creatures in the world. Ella loved the beautiful gardens around her estate and spent much of her time there.

There she met a strange, yet the charming group of friends: three blind mice, a spider monkey named Zuzu, and an uncountable number of birds. Ella’s family was living joyfully, but, suddenly, her mother fell ill. She died shortly after, leaving a heartbroken husband. After the death of his wife, Ella’s father absorbed himself in his business and left Ella alone to grow on her own.

Soon after the death of Ella’s mother, her father married, for his second wife, the proudest and most haughty woman that ever was seen. She had two daughters of her own, who were, indeed, exactly like her in all things. The wedding was scarcely over when the stepmother’s bad temper began to show itself.

Tragic Behavior of Stepmother Towards Ella

She could not bear the goodness of this young girl, because it made her own daughters appear the more odious. The stepmother gave her the meanest work in the house to do; she had to scour the dishes, tables, etc., and to scrub the floors and clean out the bedrooms. The poor girl had to sleep in the garret, upon a wretched straw bed, while her sisters lay in fine rooms with inlaid floors, upon beds of the very newest fashion.

And where they had looking-glasses so large that they might see themselves at their full length. The poor girl bore all patiently, never dared to tell her father about the wickedness of his new wife. She could not bear to have her poor father’s heart broken again. When she had done her work, she used to go into the chimney-corner, and sit down among the cinders, hence she was called Cinderwench.

The younger sister of the two, who was not so rude and uncivil as the elder, called her Cinderella. However, Cinderella, in spite of her mean apparel, was a hundred times more handsome than her sisters, though they were always richly dressed.

King’s Invitation To Attend The Prince’s Ball

One evening at dinner, her father sat beside his beloved Ella and whispered to her: “I received a letter today.”

“A letter? Who from?” Ella whispered back, avoiding the hot glower from her stepmother.

“The King,” he replied, smiling.

“The King!” exclaimed the stepmother.

“What does the King want with her?” screamed the eldest stepsister.

Ella’s father reached into his tailcoat, pulled out an engraved letter, and handed it to Ella. She read the handwritten words aloud: “On behalf of the King, Their Graces the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, you are invited to attend the Prince’s Masquerade Ball to be held in a fortnight.”

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But Why Did King Invite Cinderella’s Family To The Carnival

Everyone Rejoiced At The Invitation From The King

It happened that the King’s son gave a ball, and invited to it all persons of fashion. Our young misses were also invited, for they cut a very grand figure among the people of the countryside. They were highly delighted with the invitation and wonderfully busy in choosing the gowns, petticoats, and head-dresses which might best become them.

This made Cinderella’s lot still harder, for it was she who ironed her sisters’ linen and plaited their ruffles. On his last night at home, Ella’s father brought her a large box with a white ribbon on it.

“For you,” he said.

She opened it to find a pastel pink dress inside. She could, again, feel the glare from her stepmother. Ella bid a sad farewell to her father and ran up the stairs to her room.

The next morning, she awoke to loud shouts and screams.

“Cinderella!” screeched the eldest stepsister.

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Heart-Breaking Behavior of Cinderella’s Step-sisters

Ella, once again, was busy cleaning the home, preparing breakfast, lunch, and afternoon tea for her stepmother and step-sisters. But the ladies sat out in the rose garden on white chairs, hidden under an excessively frilly umbrella. Cinderella was called over.

“Bring down that gorgeous dress my dear husband bought,” her stepmother commanded shrewdly.

“The pink gown?” Cinderella asked.

“Correct. Bring it down at once,” she commanded again.

“With the white ribbon on top!” the two stepsisters shouted in unison. They fell into a fit of laughter as their wicked mother sipped her tea indifferently.

They talked all day long about nothing but how they should be dressed. “For my part,” said the elder, “I will wear my red velvet suit with French trimmings.”

“And I,” said the younger, “shall wear my usual skirt; but then, to make amends for that I will put on my gold-flowered mantle, and my diamond stomacher, which is far from being the most ordinary one in the world.”

Preparation For The Most Festive Night Ever

They sent for the best hairdressers they could get to make up their hair in fashionable style and bought patches for their cheeks. Cinderella was consulted in all these matters, for she had good taste. She advised them always for the best and even offered her services to dress their hair, which they were very willing she should do.

As she was doing this, the eldest step-sister said to her: “Cinderella, would you not be glad to go to the ball?”

“Oh, goodness. She is ripe with jealousy, isn’t she?” Cinderella overheard the stepmother’s remark.

Younger step-sister replied; “Come on Mom, people would laugh to see a Cinderwench at a ball.”

Anyone but Cinderella would have dressed their hair awry, but she was good-natured and arranged it perfectly well. They were almost two days without eating, so much were they transported with joy. They broke above a dozen laces in trying to lace themselves tight, that they might have a fine, slender shape, and they were continually at their Looking Glass.

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Wonderful Story of The Prince And Cinderella With Pictures

Poor Cinderella Got A Chance To Attend The Ball

On that special evening, the women left for the ball in the same extravagant horse-drawn carriage they had first arrived in. Cinderella followed them with her eyes as long as she could, and when she had lost sight of them, she ran to her room and wept softly on her bed. She heard shuffles beside her and looked up to see her tiny friends.

She looked at her friends, wept, and said: “If only I could go to the ball and wear my beautiful dress. I truly wish I could.”

Her godmother, who saw her all in tears, asked her what was the matter. “I wish I could, I wish I could” but she could not finish sobbing.

Her godmother, who was a fairy, said to her, “You wish you could go to the ball; is it not so?”

“Alas, yes,” said Cinderella, sighing. “Well,” said her godmother, “be but a good girl, and I will see that you go.”

Then she took her into her chamber, and said to her, “Run into the garden, and bring me a pumpkin.”

Cinderella And Her Great Godmother’s Blessings

Cinderella went at once to gather the finest she could get, and brought it to her godmother, not being able to imagine how this pumpkin could help her to go to the ball. Her godmother scooped out all the inside of it, leaving nothing but the rind. Then she struck it with her tiny golden wand, and the pumpkin was instantly turned into a fine gilded coach.

She then went to look into the mouse trap, where she found six mice, all alive. She ordered Cinderella to lift the trap-door, when, giving each mouse, as it went out, a little tap with her wand. It was that moment turned into a fine horse, and the six mice made a fine set of six horses of a beautiful mouse-colored, dapple gray.

Being at a loss for a coachman, Cinderella said, “I will go and see if there is not a rat in the rat-trap-we may make a coachman of him.”

“You are right,” replied her godmother; “go and look.”

Cinderella brought the rat-trap to her, and in it, there were three huge rats. The fairy chose the one which had the largest beard, and, having touched him with her wand, he was turned into a fat coachman with the finest mustache and whiskers ever seen.

After that, she said to her: “Go into the garden, and you will find six lizards behind the watering-pot; bring them to me.”

How Godmother Turned Cinderella Into A Princess

She had no sooner done so than her godmother turned them into six footmen, who skipped up immediately behind the coach, with their liveries all trimmed with gold and silver, and they held on as if they had done nothing else their whole lives. The fairy then said to Cinderella, “Well, you see here a carriage fit to go to the ball in; are you not pleased with it?”

“Oh, yes!” she cried; “but must I go as I am in these rags?” Her godmother simply touched her with her magic wand, and, at the same moment, her clothes were turned into a beautiful blue gown embellished with gold and silver stuff, all decked with gorgeous jewels. This done, she gave her a pair of the prettiest glass slippers in the whole world.

Being thus attired, she got into the carriage, her godmother commanding her, above all things, not to stay till after midnight, and telling her, at the same time, that if she stayed one moment longer, the coach would be a pumpkin again, her horses mice, her coachman a rat, her footmen lizards, and her clothes would become just as they were before.

Cinderella Joins The Ball In The Most Majestic Way

She waved goodbye to her godmother and promised she would not fail to leave the ball before midnight. She drove away, scarcely able to contain herself for joy. The King’s son, who was told that a great princess, whom nobody knew, was come, ran out to receive her. He gave her his hand as she alighted from the coach, and led her into the hall where the company was assembled.

There was at once a profound silence; everyone left off dancing, and the violins ceased to play, so attracted was everyone by the singular beauties of the unknown newcomer. Nothing was then heard but a confused sound of voices saying: “Oh my God!”, “What a wonder!”, “Ha! how beautiful she is! Ha! how beautiful she is!”

Cinderella heard these comments as she passed by Dukes and Duchesses, Lords and Ladies, all dressed in the finest attire. The King himself, old as he was, could not keep his eyes off her, and he told the Queen under his breath that it was a long time since he had seen so beautiful and lovely a creature.

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A Cinderella Story For Kids: Once Upon A Song

Prince Welcomed Cinderella Wholeheartedly

All the ladies were busy studying her clothes and headdress so that they might have theirs made the next day after the same pattern, provided they could meet with such fine materials and able hands to make them. The handsome Prince conducted her to the seat of honor, bowed gently in front of her, and asked to dance. His blue eyes glimmered behind his ruby-encrusted mask as she curtsied and took his outstretched hand.

She danced with him for the entire night. They discussed many things and the prince was surprised at her knowledge about business. She danced so very gracefully that all admired her more and more. A fine collation was served, but the young Prince ate not a morsel, so intently was he occupied with her.

She went and sat down beside her sisters, showing them a thousand civilities, and giving them among other things part of the oranges and citrons with which the Prince had regaled her. This very much surprised them, for they had not been presented to her.

“You enchant me. My grandfather desires that I spend my evening looking for the right woman, but I seem to have found her already,” the prince said.

“Your grandfather?” Cinderella asked.

“Yes, surely you know him,” the prince smiled.

A Cinderella Story Christmas Wish

Just as she was about to respond, Cinderella heard the large golden clock in the center of the palace strike a quarter to twelve. She apologized hurriedly and ran as fast as she could out of the palace. As soon as she got home, she ran to find her godmother, and, after having thanked her, she said she much wished she might go to the ball the next day because the King’s son had asked her to do so.

As she was eagerly telling her godmother all that happened at the ball, her two sisters knocked at the door; Cinderella opened it. “How long you have stayed!” said she, yawning, rubbing her eyes, and stretching herself as if she had been just awakened. She had not, however, had any desire to sleep since they went from home.

“If you had been at the ball,” said one of her sisters, “you would not have been tired with it. There came thither the finest princess, the most beautiful ever was seen with mortal eyes. She showed us a thousand civilities, and gave us oranges and citrons.”

The Second Day of The Royal Carnival

Cinderella did not show any pleasure at this. Indeed, she asked them the name of the princess; but they told her they did not know it, and that the King’s son was very much concerned, and would give all the world to know who she was. At this Cinderella, smiling, replied: “Was she then so very beautiful? How fortunate you have been! Could I not see her?

Ah! dear Miss Charlotte, do lend me your yellow suit of clothes which you wear every day.” “Ay, to be sure!” cried Miss Charlotte; “lend my clothes to such a dirty Cinderwench as thou art! I should be out of my mind to do so.”

Cinderella, indeed, expected such an answer and was very glad of the refusal; for she would have been sadly troubled if her sister had lent her what she jestingly asked for. The next day the two sisters went to the ball, and so did Cinderella, but dressed more magnificently than before.

How Cinderella Lost Her Glass Slipper

The Prince was always by her side, and his pretty speeches to her never ceased. These by no means annoyed the young lady. Indeed, she quite forgot her godmother’s orders to her, so that she heard the clock begin to strike twelve when she thought it could not be more than eleven. She then rose up and jumped into the golden carriage, as nimble as a deer. She held on tightly as the carriage zoomed away from the palace.

The Prince followed, but could not overtake her. She left behind one of her glass slippers, which the Prince took up most carefully. She got home, but quite out of breath, without her carriage, and in her old clothes, having nothing left her of all her finery but one of the little slippers, fellow to the one she had dropped.

The guards at the palace gate were asked if they had not seen a princess go out, and they replied they had seen nobody go out but a young girl, very meanly dressed, and who had more the air of a poor country girl than of a young lady.

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Amazing Love Story of Prince And Gorgeous Cinderella

Prince Quest For The Girl With Glass Slippers

When the two sisters returned from the ball, Cinderella asked them if they had had a pleasant time, and if the fine lady had been there. They told her, yes; but that she hurried away the moment it struck twelve, and with so much haste that she dropped one of her little glass slippers, the prettiest in the world, which the Prince had taken up.

They said, further, that he had done nothing but look at her all the time, and that most certainly he was very much in love with the beautiful owner of the glass slipper. What they said was true; for a few days after the Prince caused it to be proclaimed, by the sound of the trumpet, that he would marry her whose foot this slipper would fit exactly.

They began to try it on the princesses, then on the duchesses, and then on all the ladies of the Court; but in vain. One day royal doormen came to Ella’s home and shouted, “The Prince is looking for the woman who wore this glass slipper, he seeks to marry her.” The ladies squealed again.

“It’s a glass slipper!” Cinderella called out and moved closer. But her stepmother shoved her away.

“Who said that?” asked a familiar voice.

“I did!” the eldest stepsister cried.

Royal Doormen Found The Real Owner of Slippers

Then, It was brought to the two sisters, who did all they possibly could to thrust a foot into the slipper, but they could not succeed. Cinderella knew she could not call out again – her stepmother would surely punish her if she did. So, she grabbed her little monkey and began to walk up the stairs.

“Who is that?” called the royal doorman. Cinderella turned around and caught a glimpse of the man who was looking up at her.

“Ella,” she replied softly.

“Ella,” the doorman repeated. He walked carefully into the manor and greeted her with an outstretched hand.

Watching him moving forward to Ella her sisters burst out a-laughing and began to banter with her. But The gentleman who was sent to try the slipper looked earnestly at Cinderella, and, finding her very handsome, said it was but just that she should try, and that he had orders to let every lady try it on.

He obliged Cinderella to sit down, and, putting the slipper to her little foot, he found it went on very easily and fitted her as if it had been made of wax: the perfect match. The astonishment of her two sisters was great, but it was still greater when Cinderella pulled out of her pocket the other slipper and put it on her foot.

Cinderella Finally Meets Her Prince Charming

Thereupon, in came her godmother, who, having touched Cinderella’s clothes with her wand, made them more magnificent than those she had worn before. And now her two sisters found her to be that beautiful lady they had seen at the ball. They threw themselves at her feet to beg pardon for all their ill-treatment of her. Cinderella took them up, and, as she embraced them, said that she forgave them with all her heart, and begged them to love her always.

She was conducted to the young Prince, dressed as she was. He thought her more charming than ever, and, a few days after, married her. They had a daughter, whom Ella named Lily. Cinderella, who was as good as she was beautiful, gave her two sisters a home in the palace, and that very same day married them to two great lords of the Court.

Once, King and Queen, they disallowed anyone to capture exotic animals for captivity in menageries, set out laws that allowed the merchant class to prosper, and lived happily ever after.

Moral of The Story: Beauty in a woman is a rare treasure that will always be admired. Graciousness, however, is priceless and of even greater value. This is what Cinderella’s godmother gave to her when she taught her to behave like a queen.

“Young women, in the winning of a heart, graciousness is more important than a beautiful hairdo. It is a true gift of the fairies. Without it nothing is possible; with it, one can do anything.”

– Anonymous

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