ONCE UPON A TIME a girl lived with her stepmother and two stepsisters.  The poor girl could not stay clean for all the cinders from the fire, at which she had to work hard all day long. That is why they called her “Cinderella.”

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One day, the King and Queen were to have a ball! All the young ladies in the land were invited to come. They would wear their most beautiful gown and fix their hair extra nice.

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“A ball sounds so much fun,” said Cinderella.

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

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Soon the time came for the stepmother and stepsisters to leave for the big party.

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“Ah, me!” said Cinderella sadly as their grand carriage rode down the street, “I wish I could go to the ball, too!”

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Then - Poof!

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

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“I am your Fairy Godmother! And I have come to grant your wish.”

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“Well, I think you know I want to go to the ball, too.” She looked down at her dirty clothes, “Even if I had something nice to wear, I would have no way to get there."

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

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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.

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The Fairy Godmother tapped her wand again. At once, a beautiful carriage came to be, with a driver and four white horses. “But, there is one thing you must know.”

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“What is that?”

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“Tonight, at the stroke of midnight, it will all be over.  Everything will go back to how it was before.” And with that, the Fairy Godmother was gone.

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Cinderella looked around her, then, with a smile, she stepped into the carriage.  And they were off to the ball.

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The moment Cinderella set foot in the palace, all eyes turned to examine the beautiful and gracious young lady. Including those of the

Prince.

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“There is something about her,” said the Prince to himself.  “I will ask her to dance.” And he walked over to Cinderella. He and Cinderella danced. They laughed and talked, and they danced some more.  In fact, they danced for so long that Cinderella did not see the clock.

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“Dong!” said the clock, “Dong!”

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Cinderella looked up.  “Oh, my!” she cried out.  “It is almost midnight! I must go!”

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“Dong!” went the clock, “Dong!”

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

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“Dong!” rung the clock, “Dong!”

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

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“Dong!” called the clock, “Dong!”

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

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

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“Dong!” said the clock, “Dong!”

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The prince rushed out the door after her.

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“Dong!” rang the clock,

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He looked around but could not see her blue dress anywhere.

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“Dong!”

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And the clock was quiet.

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It was midnight. 

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He picked up her glass slipper.  “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!”

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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.

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At last the Prince came to Cinderella’s house. 

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

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The first step-sister tried to place her foot in the glass slipper.  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 she had no luck either.

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

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“Maybe there is one more,” said Cinderella, stepping up to him.

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The Prince got down on one knee and tried the glass slipper on her foot.  It fit perfectly! Then, from her pocket Cinderella took out something. It was the other glass slipper!

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

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“WHAT?” shouted her step-sisters. 

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