Cinderella (Classic)


Part 1: A Girl Named Cinderella

ONCE UPON A TIME a girl named Cinderella lived with her stepmother and two stepsisters.  Poor Cinderella had to work hard all day long so the others could rest. It was she who had to wake up each morning when it was still dark and cold to start the fire.  It was she who cooked the meals. It was she who kept the fire going. The poor girl could not stay clean, from all the ashes and cinders by the fire.

 

Cinderella Story

 

“What a mess!” her two stepsisters laughed.  And that is why they called her “Cinderella.”

One day, big news came to town.  The King and Queen were going to have a ball!  It was time for the Prince to find a bride. All of the young ladies in the land were invited to come.  They were wild with joy! They would wear their most beautiful gown and fix their hair extra nice. Maybe the prince would like them!

At Cinderella’s house, she now had extra work to do.  She had to make two brand-new gowns for her step-sisters.  

“Faster!” shouted one step-sister.

“You call that a dress?” screamed the other.  

“Oh, dear!” said Cinderella.  “When can I–“

The stepmother marched into the room.  “When can you WHAT?”

 

Cinderella Story

 

“Well,” said the girl, “when will I have time to make my own dress for the ball?”

“You?” yelled the stepmother.  “Who said YOU were going to the ball?”

“What a laugh!” said one step-sister.

“Such a mess!” They pointed at Cinderella.  All of them laughed.

Cinderella said to herself, “When they look at me, maybe they see a mess.  But I am not that way.  And if I could, I WOULD go to the ball.”

Soon the time came for the stepmother and step-sisters to leave for the big party.

 

Cinderella Story

 

Part 2: The Big Party

Their fine carriage came to the door. The stepmother and step-sisters hopped inside.  And they were off.

“Good-bye!” called Cinderella.  “Have a good time!” But her stepmother and step-sisters did not turn around to see her.

“Ah, me!” said Cinderella sadly.  The carriage rode down the street.  She said aloud, “I wish I could go to the ball, too!”

Then - Poof!

All of a sudden, in front of her was a fairy.

“You called?” said the fairy.

 

Cinderella Story

 

“Did I?” said Cinderella.  “Who are you?”

“Why, your Fairy Godmother, of course!  I know your wish.  And I have come to grant it.”

“But…” said Cinderella, “my wish is impossible.”

“Excuse me!” said the Fairy Godmother in a huff.  “Did I not just show up out of thin air?”

“Yes, you did,” said Cinderella.

“Then let me be the one to say what is possible or not!”

“Well, I think you know I want to go to the ball, too.” She looked down at her dirty clothes.

 “But look at me.”

“You do look a bit of a mess, child,” said the Fairy Godmother.

“Even if I had something nice to wear," said the girl, "I would have no way to get there."

“Dear me, all of that is possible,” said the Fairy. With that, she tapped her wand on Cinderella’s head.

Cinderella Story

 

At once, Cinderella was all clean.  She was dressed in a beautiful blue gown.  Her hair was set up high on her head inside a golden band.

“This is wonderful!” said Cinderella.

“Who said I was done?” said the Fairy Godmother.  She tapped her wand again. At once, a beautiful carriage came to be, with a driver and four white horses.

 

Cinderella Story

 

“Am I dreaming?” said Cinderella, looking around her.

“It is as real, as real can be,” said the Fairy Godmother.  “But there is one thing you must know.”

“What is that?”

“All of this lasts only to midnight.  Tonight, at the stroke of midnight, it will all be over.  Everything will go back to how it was before.”

“Then I must be sure to leave the ball before midnight!” said Cinderella.

“Good idea,” said the Fairy Godmother.  She stepped back. “My work is done.” And with that, the Fairy Godmother was gone.

Cinderella looked around her.  "Did that even happen?"  But there she stood in a fine gown, and with a golden band in her hair.  And there were her driver and four horses before her, waiting.

“Coming?” called the driver.

She stepped into the carriage.  And they were off.

 

Part 3: The Ball

Over at the ball, the Prince did not know what to think.  “Why do you have that sad look on your face?” the Queen said to her son.  “Look around you! You could not ask for finer maidens than these.”

“I know, Mother,” said the Prince.  Yet he knew something was wrong. He had met many of the young women.  Yet after he said “hello,” one by one, he could find nothing more to say.

"Look!"  Someone pointed to the front door.  “Who is that?”

All heads turned.  Who was that lovely maiden stepping down the stairs?  She held her head tall and looked as if she belonged. But no one knew her.

 

Cinderella Story

 

“There is something about her,” said the Prince to himself.  “I will ask her to dance.” And he walked over to Cinderella.

“Have we met?” said the Prince.

“I am pleased to meet you now,” said Cinderella with a bow.

“I feel as if I know you,” said the Prince.  “But of course, that is impossible.”

“Many things are possible,” said Cinderella, “if you wish them to be true.”

The Prince felt a leap in his heart.  He and Cinderella danced. When the song was over, they danced again.  And then they danced again, and yet again. Soon the other maidens at the ball grew jealous.  “Why is he dancing all the time with her?” they said. “How rude!”

 

Cinderella Story

 

But all the Prince could see was Cinderella.  They laughed and talked, and they danced some more.  In fact, they danced for so long that Cinderella did not see the clock.

 

Part 4: The Clock

“Dong!” said the clock.

Cinderella looked up.  

“Dong!” went the clock again.  

She looked up again.  “Oh, my!” she cried out.  “It is almost midnight!”

“Dong!” rung the clock.  

“Why does that matter?” said the Prince.

“Dong!” called the clock.

“I must go!” said Cinderella.  

“Dong!” went the clock.

“But we just met!” said the Prince.  “Why leave now?”

“Dong!” rung the clock.

“I must GO!” said Cinderella.  She ran to the steps.

“Dong!” said the clock.

“I cannot hear you,” said the Prince.  “The clock is too loud!”

“Dong!” rung the clock.

“Goodbye!” said Cinderella. Up, up the stairs she ran.

“Dong!” went the clock.

“Please, stop for a moment!” said the Prince.

“Oh, dear!” she said as one glass slipper fell off her foot on the stair.  But Cinderella kept running up.

“Dong!” said the clock.

“Please wait a moment!” said the Prince.  

“Dong!” rung the clock.

“Goodbye!” Cinderella turned one last time.  Then she rushed out the door.

“Dong!”  The clock was quiet. It was midnight.  

“Wait!” called the Prince.  He picked up her glass slipper and rushed out the door.  

 

Cinderella Story

 

He looked around but could not see her blue dress anywhere.  “This is all I have left from her,” he said, looking down at the glass slipper.  He saw that it was made in a special way, to fit a foot like none other. “Somewhere there is the other glass slipper,” he said.  “And when I find it, I will find her, too.  Then I will ask her to be my bride!”

 

Part 5: The Search

From hut to hut, from house to house, went the Prince.  One young woman after another tried to fit her foot inside the glass slipper.  But none could fit. And so the Prince moved on.

At last the Prince came to Cinderella’s house.  

“He is coming!” called one step-sister as she looked out the window.

“At the door!” screamed the other step-sister.  

“Quick!” yelled the stepmother.  “Get ready! One of you must be the one to fit your foot in that slipper.  No matter what!”

The Prince knocked.  The stepmother flew open the door.  “Come in!” she said. “I have two lovely daughters for you to see.”

The first step-sister tried to place her foot in the glass slipper.  

 

Cinderella Story

 

She tried hard, but it just would not fit. Then the second step-sister tried to fit her foot inside.  She tried and tried with all her might, too. But no dice.

“Are there no other young women in the house?” said the Prince.

“None,” said the stepmother.

“Then I must go,” said the Prince.

“Maybe there is one more,” said Cinderella, stepping into the room.

“I thought you said there were no other young women here,” said the Prince.

“None who matter!” said the stepmother in a hiss.

“Come here,” said the Prince.

Cinderella stepped up to him.  The Prince got down on one knee and tried the glass slipper on her foot.  

 

Cinderella Story

 

It fit perfectly! Then, from her pocket Cinderella took out something. It was the other glass slipper!

“I knew it!” he cried.  “You are the one!”

“WHAT?” shouted a step-sister.  

“Not HER!” screamed the other step-sister.

“This cannot BE!” yelled the stepmother.  

But it was too late.  The prince knew that Cinderella was the one.  He looked into her eyes. He did not see the cinders in her hair or the ashes on her face.

“I have found you!” he said.

“And I have found you,” said Cinderella.

And so Cinderella and the Prince were married, and they lived happily ever after.

 

Cinderella Story

 

end


 

The Cinderella story has numerous origins with perhaps the earliest version dating to a Greek born between 7 BCE and 23 CE. The writer told of a Greek courtesan who attracted the attention of the Pharaoh when an eagle flew off with her sandal and dropped it in his lap.  He was so intrigued by the shoe and its shape that he searched for the owner.  In Asia, the Chinese have the story of Ye Xian, dating to 860 CE.  A European version in 1634 featured a wicked stepmother, evil stepsisters, and magic. Charles Perrault's 1697 French version introduced iconic elements such as the fairy godmother, the magical pumpkin, the midnight spell, and the glass slipper.  Scholars who study folklore have isolated at least 345 variants of Cinderella in Europe.

Retold by Elaine Lindy ©1998. All rights reserved.

Posted in Bedtime Stories, Bullying, Holidays, STORIES FOR KIDS, Valentine's Day and tagged , , , , , , , , .

139 Comments

  1. Suzie Chang’s enchanting illustrations breathe life into the timeless Cinderella fairytale! Her artistic brilliance captures the magic, making every page a journey into a world of wonder. Bravo, Suzie!

    • THIS IS A RESPONSE FROM STORIES TO GROW BY.
      Rama, tell us–what do you think was most cool about Cinderella?

  2. My little brothers words : ‘ This platform is amazing ! I sometimes feel like i am reading an actual book with easy word meanings and and it has pictures ! if i were to rate this reading platform it would be a 10/10 ! ‘ And i completely agree with him , this is an amazing reading platform with easy vocabulary and sentences .

  3. My brother thinks that this story teaches you that you need to treat others the way you want to be treated because you never know how they might turn out to be in the future.

  4. Why is everyone in these comments “just learning about how you shouldn’t be rude to people”? Bruh, I learned that when I was 4.

  5. Really good for night time story reading if adults are too tired to read just relax and watch the words, also good that there are pictures there too my little girl loved looking at the pics.

  6. this story was so nice and I am feeling very good for reading the story, I got some English conversation. Thank you.

  7. After growing up, I realized the prince can just recognize the girl through her appearance. He does not need to have all the girls try on the shoes.

  8. I learned that it is not good to do bad things to others and if you do, bad will come back to you. And to care about others, you should be kind to people and not do what you don’t want others to do to you. They are people so do not do it the end.

  9. What I learned about today’s topic called Cinderella is that:
    1. We should be nice to others because when we do bad things to others, bad will come back to us.
    2. We should not make people suffer and make fun of them because at the end it will be your turn.

  10. I like this story because it tells that if we have faith in ourselves and are patient, then even an impossible wish can come true. I like Cinderella a lot for this.

  11. Basically the moral of Cinderella is: people should always fight for what they want with a good heart and hard work. And wickedness and envy will lead to negative consequences, whereas perseverance will lead to a happy ending. And no matter what your situation is, don’t give up on your dreams.

  12. It was good and I never heard this version before that’s one reason why it’s good another is that the stepmom and sisters got what they deserved

  13. In one of my classes, there is a class called Discovery Aces. We are learning about Theme. To answer “Say what you think the story is trying to show you….” I think, the theme is “Don’t doubt yourself even when others doubt you.” I thought this story was a very good thing and I liked the pictures but sometimes they looked really different. Me and my teacher were having a lot of fun reading this book. We had a lot of laughs.

  14. This is the lesson I have learned. To be kinder to my family and those who need it. It’s called kindness and respect to the people who are not nice.

  15. Cinderella let her stepsisters be mean because she is really nice and they treated her like a slave. Cinderella changed in a really good way. She went from a slave to a princess and found her prince. The story is showing you that you can be anything you want to be. 7/10

  16. Cinderella let her stepsisters be mean to her because she was their slave, she had no choice.

    Cinderella changed because she went from being the maid to being engaged to the prince.

    The story was trying to show me not to give up on your hopes because mean people boss you around.

  17. Cinderella was nice so didn’t want to be mean to the step sisters.

    Cinderella found out that good things happen to good people.

    That good beats bad.

  18. It teaches me to persevere through hard time and never to be jealous…My own blessing must surely locate me in due season even if am hidden in the valley.

  19. Be kindness and be brave is what this story tells us.
    If you are a servant or anything, when you do good thing you also deserve good.

  20. because she thought that if she let her step-sisters be mean to her, one day they would begin to act nice to her and treat her well.

  21. Cinderella was changed from a slave to a princess. She grew more strong by leaving her step mother and step sister and marrying the prince. She learned that she is way more than what she was.

  22. (1) Cinderella let her stepsisters be mean to her because later on in life she will have better than her stepsisters. Also, she will know that once she meets or has someone in her life who loves her, she can get back at them because she married the prince and now her stepmother and sister can be her maids or whatever she wants to call it. Next, she got to dance with the prince and her stepsisters were jealous.

    (2) I pick the stepsisters if I was them and rude to Cinderella, I would feel bad, mad and sad. Bad is for why have I been rude to her? She could grow up more than me and marry someone better and I may or may not marry someone. I would feel mad because I wouldn’t get to dance with the prince and have a better life than her. And I’d feel sad because I was rude and for other reasons.

    (3) To always be nice and way more, but I have to go.

    The End ,,,, by E and B TOOK 5 MINS TO WRITE THIS THANKS FOR TELLING !!!!?

  23. I think what the story is trying to tell us is to treat others the way you want to be treated, and don’t underestimate others. ?

  24. 1. Because then she won’t have anything to eat or survive.
    2. Cinderella grew and changed because she got married and was happy to be with someone that makes her happy.
    3. To not let anyone judge a book by its cover because you have lessons to learn everyday and you don’t know it.

  25. This help me a lot and it calms me down. This one was a hit to victory. I want hear more stories like this one. Question 3- I think anything is possible, and number 2 is Cinderella

  26. Why did the step sisters and step mother were mean what did she do to them so sad ????????and that’s a nice story but sad
    By Maria

  27. Q1 Maybe she believed their insults. Maybe hearing the insults so often made her believe them. Or she didn’t have any support when she stood up to them. Maybe she didn’t think it would be good manners or proper to speak back.

  28. 1. Cinderella let her stepsisters be mean to her because if Cinderella says something rude about her stepsisters then her stepmother will say, “It is not the stepsisters fault, it is your fault.”
    2. Cinderella changed because she doesn’t have to do the work again for her mean stepsisters and stepmother.
    3. I think the story is trying to tell us that if you really really really want to win at something but you loose because the person you were mean to will win, for example if you were mean to someone and then there is a competition 1 day then you really want to win but you won’t because the person who you were mean to will win.

  29. Cinderella from the beginning of the story was like a maid at home and in the end of the story she became a princess and she will live at the castle.
    We should treat people with respect and not make fun of them.

  30. 1. Cinderella let her stepsisters be mean to her because if Cinderella says something rude about her stepsisters then her stepmother will say ” It is not the stepsisters fault, it is your fault.”
    2. Cinderella changed because she doesn’t have to do the work again for her mean stepsisters and stepmother.
    3. I think the story is trying to tell us that if you really really really want to win at something but you loose because the person you were mean to will win, for example if you were mean to someone and then there is a competition 1 day then you really want to win but you won’t because the person who you were mean to will win.

  31. Say what you think the story is trying to show you.

    I feel that the story is trying to say that whatever good you do,
    good will come back to you.

  32. Question 1: I would imagine Cinderella realized her position. Although her step-family mistreated her greatly, they were still her family and some small part of her cared for them. Cinderella was a Baron’s daughter. She could’ve easily written to the constable about the mistreatment and fought for the rights of her title. But Cinderella had a spirit of forbearance. She was kind and had a good heart. Maybe she knew the realities of those in that era who found themselves in a pitiable state.

  33. I love this story because it has a good end and the lesson is to be kind to other people no matter if they are poor or rich the thing that matters is to be kind to everyone and if we all do that we can make the world a better place and live our happily ever after life

  34. Question 1 : Cinderella starts the story as a Housemaid to her stepmother and stepsisters while they go and boss her around. But Cinderella stills hopes to go to the ball with the Prince and continues to hope despite being bossed around by her stepmother and stepsisters. Then she eventually does meet her magic fairy after her stepmother denies her request to go to the festival. The Magic fairy dresses her up and takes her to the festival as a princess but tells her to be back before midnight. She forgets about midnight and rushes home while her prince does a kingdom-wide search. He eventually finds Cinderella and buts her magic slipper on and they get married happily ever after.

    Question 2 : I think one of the themes of the story is to be hopeful, yet still try. In the story Cinderella is rugged and Dirty and has abusive parental units and sisters who are tormenting her, yet she still hopes and tries to go the the festival. She kept on hoping and eventually she did get to the ball but she didn’t get their without some help and without trying and hoping.

  35. Cinderella is so nice ?♥️♥️♥️♥️?❤️❤️
    The message of the story is that be kind
    Because you don’t Know your future or what is the blessings of the day ❤️❤️❤️?????

  36. Que 1
    Cinderella is good and kind but she’s in a situation where these character traits would not normally flourish. She has to work hard at menial tasks, she’s forced to wear tattered clothing, and she is cut off from a support network and isolated in the attic. She should be miserable and lonely.

    Que2
    It is often said that some things get better with time, and in the case of Cinderella I would have to agree. Although I know the story and have seen multiple versions numerous times, experiencing the Nashville Children’s Theatre’s version of Cinderella presented me with ideas I had never considered in the context of the story.

  37. Cinderella is hard worker and she deserves a break. Cinderella should marry the prince cause she’s good person. She works hard and takes care of her stepsisters and her stepmother. At the end she finally gets married to the prince and has a happy life .

  38. THIS WAS AMAZING WHO EVER MADE IT !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

  39. Cinderella let her stepsisters be mean to her because if she tried to fight back she would just get yelled at and pushed around even more.
    Cinderella thought she should go to the ball because all the young women were invited and being a woman she felt that she needed to go.

  40. Cinderella lived with her step mother and stepsisters. She had no where else to go so she did everything they told her to do. She was always a mess and never looked clean like them.

    She knew she was beautiful and not a mess. She wanted to look nice for the Prince too.

  41. Cinderella let her stepsisters be mean to her because she had to do their jobs like her stepmother told her to. She was scared of her stepmother. She thought she should go to the ball because the prince said all young ladies should go.

  42. She had no way of stopping her step sister from being mean to her. If she would fight back her step mother would have been more hateful to her. She had to do what they said because she had no where else to go.

    All of the women of the village were invited, Cinderella being a woman of the village felt like she should go.

  43. Cinderella let her stepsisters be mean to her because if she would’ve said something then her stepmother would of yelled at her

    Cinderella wanted to go to the ball because she thought it would make her happy

  44. Cinderella wanted to go to the ball because it would make her happy but she didn’t want her stepmother to yell at her anymore.

  45. because she knew they would make life unbearable for her, if she disobeys them.and she needed them even if they were the most annoying people.

  46. 1 Cinderella let her half-sisters be wicked and cruel to her because she had asked her mother to be kind and not be cruel to others.

    2 She thought if she was alone she would feel lonely, so she let her step-mother and step-sister go to the dance.

  47. It teaches us how to respect people. It is a very touching story and it makes me feel happy anytime i read the story, the place i like most is when the fairy godmother came and transformed her from a tattered girl to a beautiful girl with a blue gown and a band on her hair and a glass shoe.

  48. Cinderella let her stepsisters be mean to her because she promised her mother she will never be mean to people
    Cinderella thinks she should go to the ball because her stepsisters, and stepmom was going and she thought she should go too.

  49. I think Cinderella let her step sisters be mean to her because she felt like she had no choice to listen to them

    I think Cinderella thought she should go to the ball because she felt like since she lived with them and they were going to the ball she should be included to.

  50. I’m not sure. Cinderella I think just wanted to please other people that she didn’t have time to think about them being mean for her. Cinderella thought she should go to the ball because, if her family got to go then why won’t she be able to?

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