Cinderella lived in a household where kindness was mistaken for weakness and beauty was overshadowed by jealousy. After her father married a proud and unpleasant woman, Cinderella became a servant in her own home. Her stepmother and two stepsisters treated her cruelly, giving her the most exhausting household duties while enjoying comfortable rooms and fashionable clothes themselves.
Despite her difficult circumstances, Cinderella remained gentle, patient and generous. When the King’s son announced a grand ball, she helped her stepsisters prepare for the occasion, although she knew she would not be allowed to attend. Her disappointment, however, soon changed when her fairy godmother appeared and offered to help her.
With a little magic, an ordinary pumpkin became a magnificent coach, mice became horses, a rat became a coachman, and lizards became footmen. Cinderella received beautiful clothes and a pair of glass slippers, allowing her to attend the royal celebration. Yet the magic came with one condition: she had to return home before midnight.
Cinderella and Her Cruel Stepmother
Once upon a time, there lived a gentleman who married a second wife. She was the proudest and most haughty woman anyone had ever seen. She had two daughters of her own, who resembled her in character and behaviour.
The gentleman also had a young daughter from his first marriage. She was exceptionally good-hearted and gentle, qualities she had inherited from her late mother, who had been a kind and loving woman.
Unfortunately, the new marriage brought little happiness to the young girl. Almost immediately after the wedding, her stepmother began treating her badly. She disliked Cinderella’s goodness because it made her own daughters appear even more unpleasant by comparison.
Cinderella was given the meanest household duties. She had to wash dishes, clean tables, scrub floors and keep the bedrooms in order. While her stepsisters enjoyed comfortable rooms with beautifully furnished floors and fashionable beds, Cinderella slept in the garret on a miserable straw mattress.
Her father was under the control of his new wife, so Cinderella did not dare complain to him. She endured the mistreatment quietly.
Whenever she finished her work, she would sit near the chimney among the ashes and cinders. Because of this, people began calling her Cinderwench. Her younger stepsister, who was less rude than the elder one, sometimes called her Cinderella.
Despite her poor clothing and difficult circumstances, Cinderella was much more beautiful than her stepsisters. They, however, were always richly dressed and took great pride in their appearance.
The King’s Son Announces a Ball
One day, the King’s son announced that he would hold a grand ball and invited all the fashionable people in the country.
Cinderella’s two stepsisters received invitations. They were delighted and immediately began discussing the dresses, skirts and head-dresses they would wear.
Their excitement made Cinderella’s situation even more difficult. She was responsible for ironing their linen and preparing their clothing, while they spent their time deciding how best to impress everyone at the royal gathering.
The elder sister planned to wear a red velvet outfit decorated with French trimmings. The younger sister chose a fashionable skirt, a gold-flowered mantle and a diamond stomacher.
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They also arranged for the finest hairdressers to prepare their hairstyles and purchased patches to decorate their cheeks.
Since Cinderella had good taste, they consulted her about their appearance. She offered sensible suggestions and even helped arrange their hair.
While she was assisting them, the sisters mockingly asked whether she would like to attend the ball.
Cinderella replied that they were only making fun of her because someone dressed as she was could never attend such an occasion.
Her sisters agreed, laughing that people would ridicule a dirty Cinderwench at the royal ball.
Even then, Cinderella did not spoil their preparations. She continued helping them and made sure they looked their best.
When the day finally arrived, the two sisters left for the palace. Cinderella watched them disappear from sight before bursting into tears.
The Fairy Godmother Appears
Cinderella’s godmother noticed her distress and asked what was troubling her.
The young woman tried to explain that she wished she could attend the ball, but she was so overwhelmed by emotion that she could hardly finish her sentence.
Her godmother revealed that she was a fairy and promised to help her.
She instructed Cinderella to go into the garden and bring back a pumpkin. Cinderella obeyed, although she could not understand how a pumpkin would help her attend a royal celebration.
The fairy godmother emptied the pumpkin, leaving only its outer shell. She touched it with her wand, and it immediately became a magnificent gilded coach.
Next, she inspected a mouse trap and discovered six living mice. She instructed Cinderella to release them one after another. Each time a mouse came out, the fairy touched it with her wand, transforming it into a beautiful grey horse. The six mice became six horses for the coach.
They still needed a coachman. Cinderella suggested looking inside the rat trap, where they discovered three large rats.
The fairy selected the one with the largest beard and transformed it into a well-built coachman with impressive whiskers.
For the footmen, Cinderella was instructed to search behind a watering pot in the garden. She found six lizards, which her godmother transformed into six footmen dressed in fine uniforms decorated with gold and silver.
The carriage was now ready.
However, Cinderella looked down at her ordinary clothes and wondered how she could attend the ball dressed in rags.
Her godmother touched her with the wand, and her clothing changed into a magnificent outfit made of gold and silver fabric, decorated with jewels. She also gave Cinderella a beautiful pair of glass slippers.
Before Cinderella entered the coach, the fairy godmother issued an important warning.
She must return home before midnight. If she remained at the ball beyond that time, the coach would become a pumpkin again, the horses would return to being mice, the coachman would become a rat, and the footmen would turn back into lizards. Her beautiful clothes would also disappear.
Cinderella promised to obey and departed for the palace.
Cinderella Attends the Royal Ball
When Cinderella arrived at the palace, the King’s son was informed that a beautiful princess had arrived, although nobody knew who she was.
He hurried out to welcome her and offered his hand as she stepped down from the coach.
The moment she entered the ballroom, everyone stopped to admire her. The dancing ceased, the musicians became silent, and the guests began whispering about the extraordinary beauty of the unknown visitor.
Even the King, despite his age, could hardly take his eyes off her. He remarked to the Queen that he had not seen such a beautiful young woman in a very long time.
The ladies in attendance carefully studied Cinderella’s clothing and hairstyle, hoping to reproduce her appearance.
The King’s son escorted her to a place of honour and later invited her to dance. Cinderella danced so gracefully that the admiration of the guests increased.
During the refreshments, the prince was so occupied with her that he hardly ate anything.
Cinderella also noticed her stepsisters among the guests. Rather than ignore them, she approached them politely and shared some of the oranges and citrons the prince had given her.
Her sisters were surprised by the kindness of the beautiful stranger, especially because they had not been introduced to her.
As the evening continued, Cinderella enjoyed herself but remembered her godmother’s warning. When the clock struck a quarter to twelve, she immediately said goodbye and hurried away.
The Sisters Speak About the Unknown Princess
Cinderella returned home and went straight to her godmother to express her gratitude.
She was delighted by the evening and explained how well the King’s son had treated her. He had even invited her to attend the next ball.
While she was speaking, her two stepsisters returned from the palace.
Cinderella quickly pretended that she had been sleeping. She yawned, rubbed her eyes and asked whether they had enjoyed themselves.
The sisters enthusiastically described the beautiful princess they had seen. They explained that the unknown lady had been exceptionally kind and had shared oranges and citrons with them.
Cinderella asked whether they knew the lady’s name.
They admitted that nobody knew her identity. They also mentioned that the prince appeared deeply interested in her and wanted to discover who she was.
Cinderella acted surprised and asked whether the princess had truly been so beautiful. She then jokingly requested to borrow one of her sister’s everyday outfits so that she could attend the next ball.
Her sister, Charlotte, refused immediately, declaring that she would never lend her clothes to a dirty Cinderwench.
Cinderella was secretly pleased by the refusal because she had no intention of wearing the ordinary outfit.
The Second Ball and the Lost Slipper
The following evening, the two sisters returned to the palace for another ball. Cinderella also attended, but this time her fairy godmother dressed her even more magnificently.
The King’s son remained beside her throughout the celebration. He spoke to her constantly, and she enjoyed his company.
Unfortunately, Cinderella became so absorbed in the evening that she forgot the warning about midnight.
When she finally heard the clock beginning to strike twelve, she hurried towards the exit.
The prince followed her, but he could not catch up. As she fled, one of her glass slippers slipped from her foot and remained behind.
Cinderella managed to reach home without her carriage and returned to her ordinary clothing. She had nothing left of her magnificent appearance except the matching glass slipper she had kept.
At the palace gates, the guards were questioned about the beautiful princess. They explained that they had seen nobody leave except a poorly dressed young woman who looked more like a country girl than a princess.
When her stepsisters returned, Cinderella asked whether the unknown lady had attended the ball.
They confirmed that she had been there but had left in great haste when the clock struck twelve. During her escape, she had dropped one of her beautiful glass slippers, which the prince had carefully picked up.
The sisters also revealed that the prince had spent the rest of the evening thinking about the slipper’s owner.
The Prince Searches for the Owner of the Slipper
Determined to find the mysterious young woman, the King’s son arranged for an announcement to be made throughout the kingdom.
He declared that he would marry the woman whose foot fitted the glass slipper exactly.
The slipper was first taken to the princesses, then to the duchesses and finally to the other ladies of the royal court. However, none of them could wear it.
Eventually, it was brought to Cinderella’s household.
Her two stepsisters tried desperately to force their feet into the delicate slipper, but neither could make it fit.
Cinderella watched them and recognised the slipper immediately. She calmly asked whether she could try it.
Her sisters burst into laughter. They could not believe that someone they considered a servant could possibly be the mysterious princess.
However, the gentleman responsible for testing the slipper noticed Cinderella’s beauty and insisted that she should be allowed to try it. He had received instructions to let every woman attempt to wear it.
Cinderella sat down, and the slipper fitted her foot perfectly.
The astonishment of her stepsisters increased when she brought out the matching slipper from her pocket and placed it on her other foot.
At that moment, her fairy godmother appeared and touched her clothing with the wand. Cinderella’s garments immediately became even more magnificent than those she had worn at the balls.
Her sisters finally realised that the beautiful princess they had admired was the same young woman they had mistreated at home.
Cinderella Forgives Her Stepsisters
The two sisters threw themselves at Cinderella’s feet and begged her to forgive their cruel behaviour.
Cinderella did not use the opportunity to punish or humiliate them. Instead, she helped them to their feet, embraced them and declared that she forgave them wholeheartedly.
She also asked them to continue loving her.
The gentleman who had brought the slipper escorted Cinderella to the King’s son. The prince was delighted to discover her true identity and found her even more charming than before.
A few days later, they were married.
Cinderella’s generosity did not end with her marriage. She arranged for her two stepsisters to live in the palace and helped them marry two great lords of the Court.
The young woman who had once been treated as a servant had become a princess, yet she remained kind towards those who had treated her badly.
Cinderella’s Marriage and the Ogress Queen
In Perrault’s version, the story continues beyond Cinderella’s wedding.
The prince’s mother was still alive. She was an ogress, although this was not widely known at Court. The King had married her because of her immense wealth, and the prince feared her despite loving her as his mother.
For more than two years, the prince continued visiting Cinderella secretly. During this period, they had two children.
Their first child was a daughter named Dawn, while their second was a son named Day. The prince’s mother became increasingly suspicious of his frequent journeys and began to suspect that he had married without telling her.
The prince refused to reveal his secret because he feared what his mother might do.
Eventually, his father died, leaving him in control of the kingdom. He then openly declared his marriage and brought Cinderella and their children to the palace in a magnificent royal procession.
Not long afterwards, the new King went to war against Emperor Cantalabutte, a neighbouring ruler. Before leaving, he entrusted the government of the kingdom to his mother and placed his wife and children under her protection.
The Queen-mother immediately sent Cinderella and the children to a country house in the woods. She intended to satisfy her terrible appetite without attracting attention.
The Queen-mother’s Cruel Plans
A few days later, the Queen-mother visited the country house and summoned the chief cook.
She announced that she wanted to eat little Dawn for dinner the following day.
The cook was horrified. He could not imagine harming the innocent child, who was almost four years old.
When he entered her room with a knife, Dawn approached him cheerfully and asked for sugar-candy. The sight of the little girl made him weep, and the knife fell from his hand.
Instead of harming her, he killed a small lamb and prepared it with a delicious sauce. The Queen-mother ate it, believing that she had been served the child.
Eight days later, she demanded little Day for supper.
The cook again refused to harm the prince’s son. He found the three-year-old playing with a small fencing sword against a large monkey. He carried the child to his wife, who helped conceal him with his sister.
In Day’s place, the cook prepared a young kid, which the Queen-mother also ate without discovering the deception.
For a while, the cook’s plan succeeded. However, the ogress soon made an even more terrible demand.
She announced that she wanted to eat Cinderella herself.
The cook was now in despair. He had managed to save the children, but he could not easily find another animal to take the place of an adult woman.
Fearing for his own life, he entered Cinderella’s room carrying a dagger. Rather than deceive her, he respectfully explained the Queen-mother’s orders.
Cinderella, believing her children were already dead, thought there was nothing left to live for. She told him to carry out the order so that she could at least go and see her beloved children again.
The cook was deeply moved. He revealed that the children were alive and had been hidden safely with his wife.
He took Cinderella to his lodging, where she was reunited with Dawn and Day. The family embraced one another, overwhelmed with relief.
The cook then prepared a young hind and served it to the Queen-mother in Cinderella’s place.
The ogress ate the meal happily, believing that she had finally destroyed her daughter-in-law and grandchildren.
The Ogress Meets Her End
After the meal, the Queen-mother invented a story to explain the disappearance of Cinderella and the children. She intended to tell her son that his wife and children had been devoured by wolves.
However, her deception did not last.
One evening, while walking around the palace in search of fresh meat, she heard the voices of two children coming from a room on the ground floor.
She immediately recognised the voices of Dawn and Day. She also heard Cinderella speaking to them.
The discovery filled her with anger. She realised that the cook had deceived her and that the family she wanted to destroy was still alive.
She ordered that a large tub should be placed in the middle of the palace courtyard. It was to be filled with toads, vipers, snakes and other poisonous creatures.
Cinderella, her two children, the chief cook, his wife and their maid were all to be thrown into the tub with their hands tied behind their backs.
The following morning, the prisoners were brought into the courtyard. The executioners were preparing to carry out the Queen-mother’s command when the King unexpectedly returned from the war.
He was astonished by the terrible scene and demanded to know what was happening.
Nobody dared to explain.
The Queen-mother, furious that her plan had been interrupted, threw herself headfirst into the tub she had prepared for the others. The poisonous creatures immediately attacked and devoured her.
The King was naturally distressed because the woman was his mother. Nevertheless, he soon found comfort in being reunited with his beautiful wife and children.
Cinderella’s family was finally safe, and the story ends with the destruction of the cruelty that had threatened their happiness.
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Moral Lessons
Cinderella’s story highlights the importance of kindness, patience and humility. Although her stepmother and stepsisters treated her unfairly, she did not allow their behaviour to turn her into a cruel person. Her generosity towards them after discovering her identity demonstrates that forgiveness does not have to be accompanied by revenge.
The story also warns against pride, selfishness and cruelty. Cinderella’s stepsisters judged her by her clothing and circumstances, while the Queen-mother allowed her terrible desires to endanger an innocent family. The chief cook’s compassion, on the other hand, shows how courage and kindness can protect those who cannot defend themselves.
Knowledge Check
1. Why was Cinderella treated badly by her stepmother?
Her stepmother disliked her goodness and gave her the meanest household duties while favouring her own two daughters.
2. What did Cinderella’s fairy godmother transform into a royal carriage and its attendants?
She transformed a pumpkin into a coach, six mice into horses, a rat into a coachman and six lizards into footmen.
3. What warning did the fairy godmother give Cinderella before she attended the ball?
She warned Cinderella to leave before midnight because the magical transformations and her beautiful clothing would disappear.
4. How did the prince discover Cinderella’s identity?
He arranged for the glass slipper to be tried on by women throughout the kingdom. It fitted Cinderella perfectly, and she produced its matching slipper.
5. How did the chief cook save Cinderella and her children from the Queen-mother?
He secretly hid Dawn and Day, substituted animals for the children, and later rescued Cinderella by concealing her with them.
6. What happened to the Queen-mother at the end of the story?
She threw herself into the tub filled with poisonous creatures that she had prepared for Cinderella, her children and the chief cook’s household, and was devoured by them.
Source
This retelling is based on “Cinderella, or the Little Glass Slipper,” by Charles Perrault, translated by Charles Welsh.
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