Cinderella

Once upon a time, a kind young girl lived in a house where nobody seemed to notice how hard she worked. After her father remarried, her stepmother and two stepsisters gave her endless chores. They sent her to fetch water, sweep floors, mend dresses, and clean the ashes from the fireplace.

Because her clothes were often dusty, they called her Cinderella. Cinderella missed the days when her home felt warm and welcoming. Yet she did not let unkind words make her unkind in return.

She shared crumbs with the sparrows, rescued beetles trapped on their backs, and sang softly while she worked. Every spring she visited a little tree growing near her mother's resting place. There, beneath its gentle branches, she told the wind her hopes.

One morning, the royal palace announced a grand celebration. The prince would meet people from across the kingdom, and everyone was invited. Cinderella's stepsisters spent days choosing ribbons and polishing shoes.

Cinderella helped them dress, then asked whether she might attend too. Her stepmother looked at Cinderella's plain clothes. 'You have too much work,' she replied, and left with her daughters.

When the house grew quiet, Cinderella sat beneath the tree and whispered, 'I wish I could go, even for one evening.' A little bird fluttered among the leaves. Then something wonderful happened.

Golden light drifted down like falling petals, and beside the tree appeared a beautiful dress and a pair of delicate slippers. Cinderella stared in astonishment. She dressed quickly and hurried to the palace.

At the celebration, the rooms glowed with candles and music. The prince noticed a young woman who smiled at the servants and thanked the musicians. When he asked her to dance, she said yes.

They danced once, then twice, and talked about ordinary things: favourite books, the smell of rain, and what made a home happy. Cinderella felt she could finally be herself. But as the evening grew late, she remembered the work waiting at home.

She thanked the prince and rushed away, leaving one slipper on the palace steps. The next day the prince travelled through the kingdom, hoping to find the young woman he had met. He carried the lost slipper, the one clue he had.

At Cinderella's house, both stepsisters tried to squeeze into it, but neither could walk comfortably. Then Cinderella asked for a turn. Her stepmother objected, but the prince said, 'Everyone deserves a chance.'

The slipper fitted perfectly. More important, the prince recognised Cinderella's voice, her smile, and the kindness she had shown at the ball. He invited her back to the palace, not as a servant or a stranger, but as someone whose company he treasured.

Cinderella chose a new life where she was treated with respect. She never forgot the birds, the tree, or the quiet courage that had carried her through difficult days. And whenever she saw someone standing alone at a celebration, she was always the first to offer a hand.