Cinderello

Once upon a time, long long ago, there lived a merchant, her beloved husband, and their handsome little son.
They were blessed with health, happiness, and all the good things of life. Their cozy house was in a lovely valley surrounded by friendly neighbors. And on a hilltop overlooking the valley stood the palace of the queen and the king and their young daughter, the princess.
But fate brought a sudden end to the merchant's blissful life. One day her husband became ill, and within a week he died.

The merchant and her son were grief-stricken. But after several years, the merchant began to search for someone with the same qualities as her late husband.
At last she thought she had found him. He was a widower with two young sons of his own. She married him and brought her new family home with her. Her son welcomed them happily.

But within a few months, fate struck once more. The merchant was lost at sea on one of her ships. Soon the merchant's son discovered the true nature of his new father and brothers. They were jealous of his charms and kindness, and forced him to be little more than a servant in his own home. They dressed him in rags that smells like a dog and made him sleep in an attic room on a bed of straw.

And they were always ordering him about.
"Fix the tea! Wash the dishes! Sweep the ashes!" they would scold.
Because the poor boy spent his few free hours huddled by the kitchen hearth among the ashes and cinders, they called him Cinderello.

One day, some time later, a messenger from the queen brought an invitation to a royal ball. All the eligible young gentlemen in the land had been asked to attend, for the princess was looking for a bridegroom. Cinderello's wicked brothers immediately began arguing about what they would wear.

Poor Cinderello had nothing but smelly rags. Without a flamenco suit, he could not even think of going to the ball.

They did nothing but fuss and fret the whole time.

And when they were ready, they flounced off without even saying good-bye.

All alone, Cinderello sat down beside the hearth. "How I wish I could go to the ball," he cried.
Suddenly, into the kitchen flew a most extraordinary person.
"Who are you?" asked Cinderello, drying his eyes.
"I am your fairy godfather, and because you are so kind and good, you shall go to the ball tonight!"
"But, Godfather," said Cinderello, "my brothers have taken the carriage, and these smelly rags I'm wearing are my only clothes!"

"No bother!" said the fairy. "We will find everything we need right in the garden. Bring me a pumpkin, one fat rat, two mice, and four lizards!"

Cinderello watched with amazement as his fairy godfather began to chant, giving each of the things he had asked for a tap with his magic wand.

A plump orange pumpkin.
I've been told.
Will make a fine carriage
Of crystal and gold!

Little mice, very nice!
They'll be two footmen
In a trice!

Here, old rat, a playful pal!
Now you're a coachman.
Jolly and fat!

Lizards will complete our needs.
They'll become four
Stamping steeds!

"Now, Cinderello," ordered the fairy, "fetch me the following":
Guinea-fowl feathers and bottles of blue.
Mothwings and cobwebs sprinkled with dew!

"I'll mix them with berries and sassafras,
And dress you in gossamer traje de luces with slippers of glass!
"There!" cried the fairy triumphantly. "You're ready for the royal ball!"

With a cry of joy, Cinderello sprang into his carriage.
"Beware, Cinderello!" called his fairy godfather. "You must leave the ball by midnight or the spell will vanish! The carriage and horses, the footmen, your torero suit—everything will disappear when the clock strikes twelve!"
"I will remember!" called Cinderello, waving good-bye.

From the moment Cinderello entered the ballroom, the princess would dance with no other partner. His wicked brothers did not even recognize him. Ever wondered who this handsome stranger could be.

While the orchestra played waltz after waltz, Cinderello danced every one with the princess. He was so happy he did not think about the time. When at last the clock began to strike the hour of midnight, Cinderello scarcely heard it...

Suddenly, Cinderello recalled his fairy godfather's warning. He ran out of the ballroom and flew down the stairs. The princess tried to follow him, but she found only his tiny glass slipper, which had fallen from his foot.

At the last stroke of midnight, the spell vanished. Cinderello's gossamer torero suit disappeared. When he looked for his carriage, there was only a shattered pumpkin shell. All that left of the fairy's magic was the other glass slipper. Cinderello put it in the pocket of his shabby smelly apron and ran all the way home.

When Cinderello's brothers returned from the ball, they taunted him with stories of the grand time they'd. they told about the mysterious stranger, and how the princess had sworn to make her bullfighting prince.

"He vanished a midnight," said one brother, "leaving only a tiny glass slipper."
"The princess will search the whole countryside for its owner," said the other, "and he shall be her bridegroom."

The princess herself led the search for the owner of the glass slipper.

Although ever young man in the land tried it on...

...not one could slip his foot into the tiny shoe.

Finally, the princess came to Cinderello's house the first brother tried on the slipper. But it was much too small. The second brother pushed and pulled at the shoe. But try as he might, he could not get the slipper on.

The princess sadly turned to leave. Then she heard a familiar voice coming from the kitchen. "Let me try," said Cinderello. His stepfather and brothers were horrified when he drew the other slipper from his pocket.
The princess fell to her knees before Cinderello as he easily slipped his foot into the glass shoe. "My bullfighting prince!" she cried, and she threw her arms around him.


Cinderello married the princess and went to live in the palace. Of course, he forgive his stepfather and brothers and asked them to live with him. From then on, they treated him kindly.
As for Cinderello's fairy godfather, he watched over them constantly...
And they all lived happily ever after.

—The End—