Cinderella

Once upon a time, there was a kind girl named Cinderella. She lived with her stepmother and two stepsisters. They were not nice to her.

Cinderella had to do all the work in the house. She cleaned the floors. She washed the dishes. She cooked the food. Her stepfamily never helped her.

The stepsisters were mean to Cinderella. They made her sleep by the fireplace. That's why people called her Cinderella. She was always covered in ashes from the fire.

One day, a letter came to their house. It was from the king!

"There will be a big party at the castle," said the stepmother. "The prince wants to meet all the young ladies in the land."

The stepsisters were very excited. "We will wear our best dresses!" they said.

"Can I go too?" asked Cinderella.

The stepsisters laughed. "You? Look at your dirty clothes! You can't go to a party like that!"

The stepmother said, "You have too much work to do. You must stay home and clean."

Cinderella felt very sad. She wanted to go to the party too.

The day of the party came. The stepsisters put on fancy dresses. They went to the castle with their mother.

Cinderella was left alone. She sat by the fireplace and cried.

"Why are you crying, dear?" said a gentle voice.

Cinderella looked up. She saw a kind old lady with a magic wand.

"I am your fairy godmother," said the lady. "I want to help you go to the party."

"But I have no nice dress," said Cinderella.

"Don't worry," said the fairy godmother. She waved her magic wand.

Suddenly, Cinderella's old dress became a pretty blue gown. On her feet were glass slippers that sparkled like stars.

"Now you need a way to get to the castle," said the fairy godmother.

She waved her wand again. A pumpkin in the garden became a golden coach. Six mice became white horses. A rat became the driver.

"You look so pretty!" said the fairy godmother. "But remember, the magic will end at midnight. You must leave before then."

"I will remember," said Cinderella. "Thank you!"

Cinderella rode to the castle in her golden coach. When she walked into the party, everyone stopped and stared. She was the prettiest girl there.

The prince saw her right away. He walked over to her.

"Would you like to dance?" asked the prince.

"Yes," said Cinderella with a smile.

They danced all evening. The prince did not want to dance with anyone else. Cinderella was having the best time of her life.

Then she heard the clock start to chime. Bong! Bong! Bong!

"Oh no!" said Cinderella. "It's almost midnight! I have to go!"

She ran away from the prince as fast as she could. In her hurry, one glass slipper fell off her foot. But she could not stop to pick it up.

Cinderella ran down the castle steps. Just as she reached her coach, the clock struck twelve.

The magic ended. Her pretty dress became old clothes again. The coach became a pumpkin. The horses became mice.

But one thing stayed the same. Cinderella still had one glass slipper on her foot.

The prince found the glass slipper on the steps. He was very sad that the pretty girl had run away.

"I will find her," said the prince. "I will try this slipper on every girl in the land. When I find the girl it fits, I will marry her."

The prince went to every house. He tried the slipper on many girls. But it was too small for some and too big for others.

Finally, the prince came to Cinderella's house. The stepsisters tried on the slipper. But their feet were too big.

"Is there anyone else here?" asked the prince.

"Just Cinderella," said the stepmother. "But she did not go to the party."

"I would like to try the slipper on her too," said the prince.

Cinderella came out. She was wearing her old clothes and was covered in ashes.

The prince put the glass slipper on her foot. It fit perfectly!

"You are the girl from the party!" said the prince. "Will you marry me?"

"Yes," said Cinderella happily.

Cinderella and the prince had a big wedding. They lived happily ever after in the castle.

And Cinderella was never mean to anyone, because she remembered what it felt like to be treated badly.