Cinderella Written and illustrated by Lauren Manley
Adapted from the story by Charles Perrault. Written and illustrated by Lauren Manley. Published 2015
Cinderella Written and illustrated by Lauren Manley
Once upon a time there lived a girl, she was very kind hearted and beautiful in appearance but she lived a harsh life. After her loving mother had passed away her father was remarried to a popular noblewoman with two daughters of her own, though she was sweet to her father the woman hated the girl, jealous of her beauty and virtues that far outshone those of her own daughters. While her father travelled far away for work the girl was left alone with her step mother and sisters who treated her cruelly. She was forced to do all of the housework, tidying the grand rooms of her step mother and sisters while she had only a straw bed in a small, dirty room, and cleaning their fine clothes while her own were ragged, torn and soiled from the endless chores. With her clothes covered in soot from cleaning the fireplaces her step sisters mocked her and named her Cinderella.
One day an invitation arrived at the house bearing the royal seal. The king was holding a ball that very evening at the castle and requested that all eligible ladies in his kingdom attend in the hopes that his son and heir, the Prince, would find a suitable girl to become his wife. Cinderella’s stepmother immediately ordered her to prepare her daughters’ finest clothes and jewels and to help them get ready. As she went about her chores Cinderella wished that she too was getting ready for the ball, but her stepmother would never allow it, and as she helped her step sisters with their hair they joked about the idea of Cinderella attending such a grand event and laughed at the ridiculous thought. When evening came her step mother and sisters left for the ball and Cinderella was left behind.
Alone in the house, Cinderella decided to take a walk through the garden and as she wandered she imagined what a wonderful time she might have had at the ball, wishing with all her heart that she was there too. Suddenly a bright light shone before her and from it appeared an elegant woman. “Who are you?” asked Cinderella astonished, the woman smiled gently and replied “My dear child I’m your fairy godmother, I’ve come to grant your wish and send you to the ball”, Cinderella couldn’t believe it “But how can I attend the ball?” she asked “I have no gown nor carriage”. The fairy godmother sent Cinderella to collect a pumpkin from the vegetable patch and six mice from the stables. Confused Cinderella hurriedly gathered the items and returned them to her, curious as to how they might help.
The fairy godmother waved her hand over the pumpkin and as she did it grew and transformed into a luxurious carriage, fit for royalty. Next she used her magic on the mice turning four of them into fine horses, one into a driver and the other into a footman. As they all took their places at the carriage the fairy godmother turned to Cinderella, standing in her dirty, torn dress, she waved her hand once more and in a glittering flash of light Cinderella’s dress was transformed into a beautiful, bejeweled gown and with it she found she was wearing a pair of sparkling, glass slippers. “Now you are ready to go to the ball” said the fairy godmother smiling, Cinderella was amazed and happily hugged her fairy godmother “Thank you!” she cried joyously “Thank you so much!” As Cinderella got into the carriage her fairy godmother warned her that the magic would only last until the bell last sounds at midnight and then everything would return to what it once was.
When she arrived at the palace Cinderella was escorted to the ballroom. As she walked through the doors everyone in the room turned to look at her, amazed by her beauty, and as she walked towards the dance floor the crowd parted and the prince himself approached her. After introducing himself the prince asked Cinderella to dance with him and, looking into each other’s eyes, they gracefully, twirled across the dance floor, almost forgetting that everyone else was watching. Curiosity grew among the crowd as no-one knew who Cinderella was, even her step mother and sisters had no idea that it was Cinderella who had caught the Prince’s attention, it was believed that she must be the daughter of a foreign king or nobleman.
The prince spent the entire evening with Cinderella, talking and dancing, and as the hours passed it was clear that they were falling in love. Distracted by the wonder of the ball and her fondness for the Prince Cinderella had quite forgotten her fairy godmothers warning. The prince took Cinderella by the hand and they went for walk around the palace gardens, he turned and looked at Cinderella smiling “My fair Lady, I must know your name, who are you?” he asked, but before Cinderella could answer a clock tower chimed loudly as it struck midnight, “I’m so sorry, I have to leave, thank you for a lovely evening” Cinderella replied as she began to run in a panic. She made her way back to the carriage as fast as she could, with the prince following close behind her, as she ran she felt one of her glass slippers slip off of her foot but with no time to retrieve it she climbed into the carriage and sped away. Before she even arrived home the magic spell was broken, the carriage crumbled as it turned back into a pumpkin, the mice scattered as they changed back and Cinderella was left at the side of the road in her dirty dress with nothing but the remaining glass slipper.
The prince decided that he would marry none other than the girl he was with at the ball but no-one knew who or where she was, all he had was her lost glass slipper. The next day the king sent out a proclamation stating that the shoe was to be tried on the foot of every possible girl in the kingdom in order to find his son’s mysterious lady, the prince then set out with his guards and the shoe in search of Cinderella. When he arrived at her house her step mother and sisters were waiting at the door to greet him while Cinderella was doing chores in the kitchen. “Your highness, welcome to our home” the Stepmother said sweetly as she and her daughters bowed to the Prince, “Thank you my lady, if you would, I have the slipper with me to try on your daughters’ feet” he replied. As the slipper was brought in by one of the guards the sisters jumped to their feet, “That’s my slipper your majesty!” cried one as she rushed to try it on, “Don’t be foolish it’s mine!” shouted the other as they both grabbed the shoe. Embarrassed by her daughters’ behaviour the Stepmother calmed them both and they each tried the shoe, however it was far too small for either of them no matter how hard they tried to squeeze it on.
Hearing the commotion Cinderella couldn’t help herself and she peeked into the room from behind the door. The Prince noticed her hiding and, with a hint of recognition, he gestured to her to enter the room, “And who might you be miss?” he asked as she walked towards him shyly, “Oh that’s just our maid your majesty, you needn’t concern yourself with her” the Stepmother interrupted, “It is commanded by the king that the shoe be tried on the foot of every possible girl my lady” the Prince replied helping Cinderella to take her seat. Cinderella could not help but smile at the Prince and as he slipped the shoe onto her foot he looked up at her face and smiled back, it was a perfect fit! “It’s you!” exclaimed the Prince in delight. The step mother and sisters couldn’t contain their shock, “It’s not possible, she’s such a lowly girl!” shouted the stepmother, but Cinderella proved her wrong as she smiled at the Prince she took out the matching glass slipper “Yes your majesty, I was the girl who was with you last night” she said happily, her stepmother was speechless and her stepsisters began to cry. The prince held Cinderella in his arms and immediately took her back to the palace to meet his father, impressed not only by her beauty but her warmth and graciousness the king agreed to the marriage and Cinderella and the Prince were wed. Leaving behind her cruel step mother and sisters Cinderella moved into the palace and she and the Prince lived happily ever after.
The End
See the story of Cinderella in a new way. Adapted from the well known story by Charles Perrault and illustrated by Lauren Manley, this book allows you to relive the story of your childhood with re-imagined characters and scenery.