Cinderella

Once upon a time, in a small village, there lived a wealthy man with his wife and their little daughter.

Their home was filled with peace and love, until one day, great sorrow struck them — the girl’s mother fell gravely ill.

When she felt her time was near, she called her beloved daughter to her bedside and said gently,

“My dear child, always be pious and kind, and God will never abandon you. I will watch over you from heaven and keep you safe.”

The girl wept bitterly when her mother closed her eyes forever.

Every day, she visited her mother’s grave, mourning her loss and whispering her sorrows into the wind.

After some time, her father decided to marry again.

His new wife, a woman from the neighborhood, had two daughters of her own. They were fair of face but cold and cruel at heart.

From the very first day, they mocked their new stepsister and made her do the hardest chores.

“Why should that shabby girl sit with us at the table?” they sneered. “If she wants to eat bread, she must earn it! Out of the kitchen! Up to the attic!”

And so, the poor girl had to carry water, chop wood, sweep every corner, and tend to the chickens.

At night, she slept by the hearth, among the ashes and soot. Her hair and face were always dirty, and soon everyone began to call her Cinderella.

Her father paid little attention to her complaints, believing she was safe and cared for. In time, it came to pass that Cinderella was not even allowed to eat with the family. She sat alone by the fireplace, tired and silent. Yet she never complained, nor did she blame anyone.

When she had a free moment, she would run to her mother’s grave beneath the great tree, sit quietly, and weep.

There she prayed, and little white birds would gather around her, singing songs of comfort and joy.

One day, her father was preparing to go to the great fair in the city. He asked his daughters what he should bring them. The stepsisters demanded fine dresses, pearls, and rings. Cinderella said softly, “Dear Father, please bring me the first twig that brushes your hat on your way home.”

When he returned, he brought each of them their wish. Cinderella ran to her mother’s grave, planted the twig, and watered it with her tears. The twig soon grew into a beautiful tree, and each day she prayed beneath it. Whenever she wished for something with a pure heart, the white birds that lived in the branches would bring it to her.

One day, a royal announcement spread through the kingdom: The king was giving a grand ball, and every young lady was invited, for the prince was to choose his bride.

Cinderella’s stepsisters squealed with excitement. They ordered gowns, called for seamstresses and jewelers, and had Cinderella polish, mend, and prepare everything for them.

“We are going to the ball! And you?” they laughed cruelly. “Stay by the fire!”

The stepmother, of course, made sure Cinderella could not leave the house.

Through tears, Cinderella begged, “Please, may I go to the ball?”

“You may,” said her stepmother slyly, “if you can do what I ask.”

She poured two bowls of lentils into the ashes and said, “If you can separate the lentils from the ashes in two hours, you may go.”

Cinderella sighed and opened the window.

“Good evening, dear doves, dear turtle-doves, and all the birds beneath the sky! Come and help me in my need — come, and pick the lentils for me!”

And truly, through the window flew hundreds of little birds. In the blink of an eye, the lentils were neatly picked and sorted into the bowls. Cinderella brought them to her stepmother, who only laughed and said,

“You have no proper dress or shoes. You cannot go!”

When everyone had left for the ball, Cinderella ran to her mother’s grave and cried,

“Tree, gentle tree, shake your branches for me! Send me a gown of gold and silver, I pray!”

At once, a splendid dress fell from the branches, shimmering with gold and silver, and along with it — golden slippers.

Cinderella dressed quickly and went to the ball. No one recognized her — not even her sisters. The prince saw her and at once asked her to dance. He danced with no one else the entire evening, keeping her by his side until midnight approached.

Then, as the clock began to chime, Cinderella slipped away, ran through the garden, and left her gown hidden among the trees.

The birds carried it back to the tree, and she returned home wearing her dusty apron. The next night, another ball was held.

Again, the stepmother promised Cinderella she could go - if she picked lentils from ashes in two hours.

The faithful birds came once more, and the task was done. But still, the stepmother refused her.

So Cinderella went again to her mother’s tree and said her wish. This time, the tree gave her an even more beautiful gown, with silver slippers that sparkled like moonlight.

She went to the ball, and once again, the prince danced only with her. But as the clock neared midnight, she vanished like a shadow, returning home unseen. On the third evening, she called upon the tree once more.

Out fell the most magnificent gown yet - one adorned with jewels that shone like stars. The prince was enchanted and vowed she would not escape again. He ordered the palace steps to be smeared with pitch.

As Cinderella fled, one of her golden slippers stuck fast to the stairs.

The next morning, the prince set out across the land, carrying the tiny slipper in his hand. He tried it on every maiden, but it fit none. At last, he came to Cinderella’s house.

The stepmother locked the girl in a small room and brought forward her own daughters. The eldest tried to force her foot into the slipper, but her heel was too large.

The stepmother handed her a knife and whispered, “Cut off a bit of your heel - once you are queen, you’ll no longer need to walk.”

The girl obeyed, slipped her foot into the shoe, and bit her lip in pain. The prince lifted her onto his horse and rode away. But from the tree beside the house, two white doves sang:

“Blood in the shoe! Turn back, turn back! The true bride waits at home, not far from your track!”

The prince looked down and saw blood trickling from the slipper. He turned his horse and brought the false bride back.

The stepmother then sent for her younger daughter. She cut off her toe to fit the slipper, and though she smiled bravely, the pain was terrible. Again, the prince took her onto his horse — and again, the doves sang:

“Blood in the shoe! Turn back, turn back! The true bride waits at home, not far from your track!”

The prince looked once more and saw the blood. He returned in anger.

“Have you no other daughter?” he asked the father.

The man hesitated. “Ah… only one more, from my first wife. But she is too dirty, too lowly to appear before you.”

But the prince insisted.

And so Cinderella was brought out. She washed her face, wiped her hands, and put on the golden slipper.

It fit perfectly. Then she drew from her pocket the other slipper she had kept. The prince knew at once - this was the maiden from the three balls!

Just then, golden and silver light fell from the tree, and the white birds fluttered down, singing joyfully around her.

The sisters stood speechless, and the stepmother turned pale and sank onto a bench. The prince took Cinderella to his carriage, and together they rode away to the royal palace. Soon after, a grand wedding was held.

The wicked sisters tried to join the procession, hoping to win favor at court. But as they stepped across the threshold of the cathedral, the faithful doves from the tree flew down and stopped them.

And so Cinderella lived long and happily with her prince. She never forgot her mother’s kindness and remained gentle and just all her days. Her pure and loving heart was rewarded, and the birds in the tree sang for her joy until the end of her days.