By: Alexa Neff
Once Upon A Time, in a far away kingdom, there lived a beautiful girl named Cinderella, who had only one flaw, she believed in the good in anything...
She was without a mother. She had died when she was younger, but left her with some very valuable advice, to always have courage and be kind...
Now a few years later, Cinderella’s father decided to get remarried. He traveled a lot for work and he wanted to make sure that this marriage was okay with Cinderella because she would be spending a lot of time with her stepmother and two teenage stepsisters.
Cinderella, remembering her mother's advice, decided to think of her father before herself and told him that she was fine with the arrangement. Her father was married and the three women moved into Cinderella’s house...
After a few months of marriage, her stepmother and stepsisters had become very comfortable in their new home. They began to throw lavish parties and redecorate the house as they pleased...
On one night in particular, Cinderella got very tired of the party and went to visit her father in his office. He seemed to be working frantically, she went in to see what was wrong. As she approached his desk, she realized that her father was looking at a map of the kingdom next to theirs. She automatically knew what this meant...
“Father, are you leaving?” asked Cinderella. “Unfortunately, I have no choice this time.” responded Cinderella’s father.
“Would you like anything while I am gone? You sisters have asked for silks and tapestries to make dresses.” “I would like the first branch that touches your shoulder, on your journey so that you may look at it and it remind you that you are to make it home to me.”
So the day came a few weeks later for Cinderella’s father to leave on his journey. As he took off, Cinderella’s stepsisters hollered “Don’t forget our silks and tapestries!”
Life continued for a few months without word from Cinderella’s father, but this was not uncommon. Until late one night when there was a knock on the door. Cinderella answered it...
When she opened the door, she saw her fathers coachman. “Is my father home?” asked Cinderella excitedly. “Ma’am, I’m afraid that your father has died.”
Once they left, the coachman told Cinderella, “You father had this the entire trip and said that it was meant for you.� He handed her a branch off of an olive tree and turned to leave. Cinderella closed the door and began to cry, holding the branch.
A few years passed and Cinderella just became accustomed to working constantly around the house. Her stepmother had fired all of the staff and told Cinderella that she was to do all of the housework. This was also when she was given the nickname “Cinderella�.
One day, Cinderella became very fed up with doing everything around the house so she took her horse and left the house for a ride in the forest...
On her journey, she encountered a group of hunters led by one man trying to kill a deer. She was stopped by the man and asked what she was doing out in the forest all alone.
She began to talk with the man and learned that his name was Kit. He was an apprentice at the castle. They vowed that they would meet again and off the man went‌ Without him learning of her name.
The strange man that Cinderella met in the forest was actually the heir to the throne of the kingdom (although no one knew that his real name was Kip)! There was to be a ball at which the prince would choose his bride. All of the kingdom was to be invited!
Cinderella was excited to go to the party so that she could find her new friend Kit. Not knowing that he is the prince, she finds one of her mothers old dresses and sets out to tailor it.
The day of the ball has arrived and Cinderella is ordered to help her stepsisters get ready for the ball, but she does not mind because of how excited she is to see Kit again.
After everyone else is ready, Cinderella goes to her room to get ready for the ball. She comes down the stairs just before her stepmother and stepsisters leave and they laugh at her and wonder why she thinks that she is going to the ball.
She watches them leave and begin to cry. Suddenly, a sick looking woman appears and tells Cinderella that she is her fairy godmother. She transforms into a beautiful woman and tells CInderella that she is going to help her.
She begins to transform ordinary objects into a coach, coachman, and horses. She transforms Cinderella’s torn dress into a beautiful new one, and she transforms her old shoes into new, glass slippers.
She rushes off, but not before her fairy godmother can tell her that the spell will wear off at midnight. She arrives at the party and make a grand entrance. Everyone is staring at her and wondering who she is.
The prince (Kit) instantly recognizes her and asks her for the first dance. They dance with everyone’s eyes on them.
The two dance the night away, until the clock begins to strike midnight. Cinderella runs out of the ball, but eaves behind her glass slipper.
The prince is destined to find his lost bride. He searches every inch of the kingdom to see which lady’s foot fits the glass slipper.
The day finally arrived that the prince and his men arrived at the home of Cinderella. Her stepmother however had locked Cinderella in her room so that the prince would not know that anyone besides her daughters lived in the house. They began to try on the shoe. The shoe did not fit the first daughter, but it fit the second!
Just as the prince was about to leave the residence with his “new bride” he heard a girl singing from the upper area of the house. “Are there any other females in this household?” asked the prince. “No sir, I only have two daughters.” replied the king. The prince had his men search the house and they brought Cinderella down to the king. The shoe fit her as well!
The prince had a problem. He had to decide which of the girls was his true bride. He asked one simple question to them both… “What is my real name?” “Well “prince” duh.” replied Cinderella’s stepsister. Her mother and sister began to cheer. The prince turned to Cinderella, “Do you have an answer?” “Hello Kip.” said Cinderella.
“It’s you.” replied the prince. “My name is Ella.” They were married shortly after, and Cinderella’s evil stepmother and stepsisters were never allowed back into the kingdom again.
And They All Lived...
except Cinderella’s stepmother and stepsisters...