cinderella rewritten

A retelling of the classic fairy tale

WRITTEN AND ILLUSTRATED BY ARLIE BRAGG

The clock began to ring. The first of its deep, mellow strikes ran through the palace courtyards; I knew it was time to go. I ran down the stone steps, my feet aching from toe to heelasIboundedfromglassslipper to glass slipper. I heard him call out, "Wait! Where are you going?" I didn't want to answer him, let alone look at him. He was vile. I used to think that a prince couldn't be anything but perfect, but this prince was anything but perfect, and he didn'tcare.Hedidn’tlistentome,he didn’t listen to what I wanted. So I ran, with my great baby blue dress sending waves of wind rushing behind me as I tried to escape the castle, free from this prince that I once thought would treat me like a lady,not‘Cinderella’.

Suddenly, those dastardly 'slippers’ failed me. I tripped over the toe of myglassshoes;theglassshoesthat ‘sparkled like stars’ and were as ‘comfortable as a slipper’. I felt myselfflythroughtheair,passinga few extra stairs on the way, which was a plus. I landed not so gracefully on my delicate gown, ripping it at my knees. I heard the prince again. "What is your name?" he called as he trotted down the stairs at an odd angle, his steel-bottomed boots clicking on thesandstonebricksofthestairs.

I picked myself up from the stone, coughing and spluttering through the aftermath of falling straight on my face. I noticed one of my glass shoes had fallen off my foot, lying on its side with little to no damage. I sawitsparkle,rainbowstwinklingon its crisp, sharp edges. For a split second,Icontemplatedturningback for it, but a moment later, the idea seemed stupid and I carried on with my escape. I limped down the last few stairs, as fast as I could, mind you."Ihavetogo..."Icalled,myface angledtohidetheeffectsofthefall; I swear I saw him smile. "You don’t have to leave,” he said, his pace quickening as mine decreased by thesecond.“Iwillfindyou!”

I’msureyouknowtherest.Mystory was written down, but not correctly, not from my point of view, not accurately. In the story that you will have read, I was gentle, kind, docile, and loved the prince. My story is seen as magical in the way that it would have been read to you. But for me, it was real, and harsh and horrid. It was unpleasant and the Prince later became King, a cruel King, to say the least. I became his Queen. I lived my life mostly in mystery. The perfect life that so many wanted was certainly not fit for me. I was Cinderella and my life wasnotafairytale.