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CINDERELLA

GIAMBATTISTA BASILE
This Italian seventeenth century (ca 1575-1632) writer wrote approximately 50 different fairy tales. Writer of, among others, Cinderella, Snow white, Puss in boots, but also the famous 'Beauty and the beast'.

CINDERELLA:

{ Once upon a time... there lived an unhappy young girl. Unhappy she was, for ÿ her mother was dead, her father had married another woman, a widow with two ÿ daughters, and her stepmother didn't like her one little bit. All the nice things, ÿ kind thoughts and loving touches were for her own daughters. And not just the ÿ kind thoughts and love, but also dresses, shoes, shawls, delicious food, comfy ÿ beds, as well as every home comfort. All this was laid on for her daughters. ÿ But, for the poor unhappy girl, there was nothing at all. No dresses, only her ÿ stepsisters' hand-me-downs. No lovely dishes, nothing but scraps. No nice rests ÿ and comfort. For she had to work hard all day, and only when evening came was ÿ she allowed to sit for a while by the fire, near the cinders. That is how she ÿ got her nickname, for everybody called her Cinderella. Cinderella used to spend ÿ long hours all alonetalking to the cat. The cat said,
ÿ "Miaow", which really meant, "Cheer up! You have something neither ÿ of your stepsisters have and that is beauty."
ÿ It was quite true. Cinderella, even dressed in rags with a dusty grey face from ÿ the cinders, was a lovely girl. While her stepsisters, no matter how splendid ÿ and elegant thei clothes, were still clumsy, lumpy and ugly and always would ÿ be.
ÿ One day, beautiful new dresses arrived at the house. A ball was to be held at ÿ Court and the stepsisters were getting ready to go to it. Cinderella, didn't ÿ even dare ask, "What about me?" for she knew very well what the answer ÿ to that would be:
ÿ "You? My dear girl, you're staying at home to wash the dishes, scrub the ÿ floors and turn down the beds for your stepsisters. They will come home tired ÿ and very sleepy." Cinderella sighed at the cat.
ÿ "oh dear, I'm so unhappy!" and the cat murmured "Miaow". ÿ
ÿ Suddenly something amazing happened. In the kitchen, where Cinderella was sitting ÿ all by herself, there was a burst of light and a fairy appeared.
ÿ "Don't be alarmed, Cinderella," said the fairy. "The wind blew ÿ me your sighs. I know you would love to go to the ball. And so you shall!" ÿ
ÿ "how can I, dressed in rags?" Cinderella replied. "The servants ÿ will turn me away!" The fairy smiled. With a flick of her magic wand... ÿ Cinderella found herself wearing the most beautiful dress, the loveliest ever ÿ seen in the realm.
ÿ "Now that we have settled the matter of the dress," said the fairy, ÿ "we'll need to get you a coach. A real lady would never go to a ball on ÿ foot!"
ÿ "Quick! Get me a pumpkin!" she ordered.
ÿ "Oh of course," said Cinderella, rushing away. Then the fairy turned ÿ to the cat.
ÿ "You, bring me seven mice!"
ÿ "Seven mice!" said the cat. "I didn't know fairies ate mice too!" ÿ
ÿ "They're not for eating, silly! Do as you are told!... and, remember they ÿ must be alive!"
ÿ Cinderella soon returned with a fine pumpkin and the cat with seven mice he ÿ had caught in the cellar.
ÿ "Good!" exclaimed the fairy. With a flick of her magic wand... wonder ÿ of wonders! The pumpkin turned into a sparkling coach and the mice became six ÿ white horses, while the seventh mouse turned into a coachman, in a smart uniform ÿ and carrying a whip. Cinderella could hardly believe her eyes.
ÿ "I shall present you at Court. You will soon see that the Prince, in whose ÿ honour the ball is being held, will be enchanted by your loveliness. But remember! ÿ You must leave the ball at midnight and come home. For that is when the spell ÿ ends. Your coach will turn back into a pumpkin, the horses will become mice ÿ again and the coachman will turn back into a mouse... and you will be dressed ÿ again in rags and wearing clogs instead of these dainty little slippers! Do ÿ you understand?" Cinderella smiled and said,
ÿ "Yes, I understand!"
ÿ When Cinderella entered the ballroom at the palace, a hush fell. Everyone stopped ÿ in mid-sentence to admire her elegance, her beauty and grace.
ÿ "Who can that be?" people asked each other. The two stepsisters also ÿ wondered who the newcomer was, for never in a month of Sundays, would they ever ÿ have guessed that the beautiful girl was really poor Cinderella who talked to ÿ the cat!
ÿ When the prince set eyes on Cinderella, he was struck by her beauty. Walking ÿ over to her, he bowed deeply and asked her to dance. And to the great disappointment ÿ of all the young ladies, he danced with Cinderella all evening.
ÿ "Who are you, fair maiden?" the Prince kept asking her. But Cinderella ÿ only replied:
ÿ "What does it matter who I am! You will never see me again anyway." ÿ
ÿ "Oh, but I shall, I'm quite certain!" he replied.
ÿ Cinderella had a wonderful time at the ball... But, all of a sudden, she heard ÿ the sound of a clock: the first stroke of midnight! She remembered what the ÿ fairy had said, and without a word of goobye she slipped from the Prince's arms ÿ and ran down the steps. As she ran she lost one of her slippers, but not for ÿ a moment did she dream of stopping to pick it up! If the last stroke of midnight ÿ were to sound... oh... what a disaster that would be! Out she fled and vanished ÿ into the night.
ÿ The Prince, who was now madly in love with her, picked up her slipper and said ÿ to his ministers,
ÿ "Go and search everywhere for the girl whose foot this slipper fits. I ÿ will never be content until I find her!" So the ministers tried the slipper ÿ on the foot of all the girls... and on Cinderella's foot as well... Surprise! ÿ The slipper fitted perfectly.
ÿ "That awful untidy girl simply cannot have been at the ball," snapped ÿ the stepmother. "Tell the Prince he ought to marry one of my two daughters! ÿ Can't you see how ugly Cinderella is! Can't you see?"
ÿ Suddenly she broke off, for the fairy had appeared.
ÿ "That's enough!" she exclaimed, raising her magic wand. In a flash, ÿ Cinderella appeared in a splendid dress,shining with youth and beauty. Her stepmother ÿ and stepsisters gaped at her in amazement, and the ministers said,
ÿ "Come with us, fair maiden! The Prince awaits to present you with his engagement ÿ ring!" So Cinderella joyfully went with them, and lived happily ever after ÿ with her Prince. And as for the cat, he just said "Miaow"!