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Perrault's Cinderella

2016 January 14. Thursday.

“Cinderella” is a fairy tale about a girl who is mistreated by her sisters until she is helped by her godmother. Cinderella is consistently nice to her sisters, even in the end when she is in a position of authority over them.

At the start of the story, Cinderella’s father has remarried to a woman who already has two daughters. As soon as the wedding ceremony is over, the new wife forces Cinderella to do dirty chores and sleep in a straw bed. One of Cinderella’s quirks is sitting in the chimney when she is done working, which is why her sisters have given her the name “Cinder-ella.”

Years later, the prince announces that there will be a ball. The sisters are invited and spend days preparing to look nice for the event. Cinderella, without complaint, helps them pick outfits and style their hair. One of them asks Cinderella if she would like to go, only to immediately jeer and say that people would laugh at her.

However, Cinderella’s godmother sees how meaningful the ball is to Cinderella and gives aid. The godmother turns a pumpkin into a coach, a mouse into a coachman, and cinderella’s ragged clothes into a gold & silver gown to wear to the ball. She also tells Cinderella that all of the items will transform back at midnight.

Cinderella arrives at the ball and everyone stops and stares at her beauty. Throughout the ball, the prince is flirting with Cinderella, who has completely caught his attention. Cinderella briefly sits down with her sisters, who do not recognize her. She shows them significant courtesy, much to their surprise. Cinderella notices the time at 11:45 and gets out well before she needs to.

The next day, the godmother dresses up cinderella again. After spending more time with the prince, he is extremely entranced by her. Cinderella gets so caught up that she doesn’t leave until right at midnight, transforming back before she reaches the door. On her way out, she drops a glass slipper which does not turn back to a normal shoe.

Finally the ball is over and a little time has passed. The prince is trying to find the princess by having women try on the glass shoe. Whoever the slipper fits will marry the prince. When the shoe men arrive at Cinderella’s house, her sisters desperately try to put the shoe on. Cinderella jokingly suggests she try. Of course, she slides it on smoothly then reveals the other shoe as well.

Cinderella and the prince spend more time together and get married days later. She allows her sisters to live in the castle and even marries them off to two lords.

Public Domain Dedication.