Knjigice
Fairy tale · Classic fairy tales
Cinderella
The old tale of the glass slipper
Also in: Pepelka (Slovenian) · Popoluška (Slovak)
Once upon a time there lived a girl who had a stepmother and two stepsisters. From morning till night she scrubbed, swept and cooked, while the two sisters only preened and gave orders.
1
In the evening she would sit down, tired, by the hearth among the ashes and cinders. That is why everyone called her — Cinderella. But even there she was not alone: friendly little mice peeked out from the corner.
2
One day a royal messenger knocked at the door. He brought a golden letter: there was to be a grand ball at the castle, and every girl in the land was invited!
3
The sisters twirled in front of the mirror all day long. "And you stay home and clean!" they ordered Cinderella. When the carriage rolled away, she went out into the garden and cried.
4
All at once the garden began to glow. Before her stood a little lady in a lilac cloak, holding a thin silver wand. "Don't cry, Cinderella," she said. "You SHALL go to the ball — I will see to that."
5
The wand went swish — and out of a pumpkin grew a golden carriage. Swish again — and the mice became little white ponies. Cinderella clapped her hands in wonder.
6
Then the wand touched her dress. The patched old dress turned into a silken blue gown, and on her feet glittered two glass slippers. "But remember," said the lady, "at midnight everything turns back again!"
7
Music rang out at the castle. When Cinderella stepped into the hall, everyone stood still. "Who is that beautiful stranger?" the guests whispered. Even her sisters did not recognize her.
8
The prince danced with no one but her all evening. They twirled and laughed, and the hours flew by in the blink of an eye.
9
Bong! The clock in the tower began to strike midnight. "I must go!" cried Cinderella, and ran down the stairs. She was in such a hurry that one glass slipper slipped right off her foot.
10
Outside, the carriage turned back into a pumpkin and the ponies into mice. Cinderella ran home in her old patched dress. But in her hand she held the other slipper — and in her heart, the loveliest evening of all.
11
But the prince could not forget the beautiful stranger. He went from house to house, and every girl in the land tried on the glass slipper. The sisters squeezed and squeezed their toes — but no.
12
"Let Cinderella try it too!" said the prince. The sisters snorted, but the slipper fit as if it had been made for her. Then she drew the second slipper from her pocket. The prince smiled: "I have found you."
13
Soon there was a wedding at the castle. Cinderella was as radiant as the sun, the mice were given a whole bowl of crumbs, and if nothing has changed, she and the prince are living happily to this very day.
14The End
