A CINDERELLA TALE

A long time ago, before you and I were born. There lived a rich man and his pregnant wife in a village near the kingdom. The couple lived happily until the wife died of childbirth, the man became sorrowful yet it passed away when he saw his new-born daughter’s beautiful face. The man named his daughter Caroline after his wife, Carolina for the babe got her mother’s beauty.

Nine years later, Caroline grew into sunny-faced girl she always played in their orchard, learning interesting things and practicing herself being a proper young lady. Even she had everything she wanted to do, she was feeling lonely because she was motherless, so she went to her father and asked, “Father, can I please have a mother?”

The man promised his child to give her a mother. After many days, he remarried to Lady Triage, a family friend with two daughters just the same of Caroline’s age by the name of Diana, the elder and Anita, the younger.

It was that time that the man died of sickness and the step-mother finally revealed her true colors: cold, cruel and envious same as the two step-sisters. Because of their jealousness to Caroline’s charm and beauty, they made the little girl a servant of her own household.

As the years gone by, the step-mother and the elder step-sister still remained envious and impolite however Anita became a quiet young woman yet she never says polite words. Even the slave of her own house, Caroline still remained patient and kind, and the birds even the mice were her friends. When the sun rose, the blue birds flew to the window and opened the curtains for Caroline.

“Oh, Caroline wake up, my dear.

The sun finally smiles to you so clear.”

Tweeted the birds and the fair maiden finally woke up.

Caroline: Oh, what a lovely dream.

The blue birds: What kind of a dream?

Caroline: I don’t think I should tell you.

The blue birds: Why?

Caroline: Because if I do it won’t come true.

When the clock stroked seven in the morning, it rang telling Caroline to get up. She immediately jumped off from bed and proceeded to her bathroom.

When she put on her rag-dress, she swiftly rushed downstairs to feed the farm animals. After feeding all of the animals, three bells rang along with the calls from above “Caroline!”

Caroline went inside and gathered all the plates, cups, teas and breakfast for the two step-sisters and the step-mother. As she went in Diana’s room and politely greeted her, “Good morning, Diana. Sleep well?”

“Why? Do you care?! Take that ironing and have it back in an hour! One hour, you hear?” ordered Diana roughly to Caroline while she shoved all her laundry to the poor lass.

“Yes, Diana.” Caroline said in her still patient self, as if she didn’t heard the spoiled girl’s ruthless tone.

Next, she went in Anita’s room and greeted her politely,

“Good morning, Anita.”

“Wash all my clothes and be sure I have them dried when I call you after five minutes.” Anita said quietly but didn’t say please.

“Yes, Anita.” Caroline said.

Then finally, she went into her step-mother’s chamber.

“Good morning, step-mother.” Caroline said in a kind greeting.

“Pick up the laundry and get on with it.” The step-mother said coldly while she took her breakfast but didn’t help Caroline picking up her pile of clothes.

“Yes, step-mother.” Caroline said quietly and closed the door for the woman.

Not too long after Caroline went downstairs she heard a scream from above. It was Diana who screamed.

“Mother, oh mother! Mother!” Diana continuously screamed as she went out from her bedroom.

“You did it! You did it on purpose!” Diana shouted while pointing Caroline and ran to the step-mother’s chamber while she was screaming and shouting.

“Now what happened?” Anita asked herself ignoring Caroline as she walked passed to the chamber.

“There is a red ant under my tea cup.” Caroline heard Diana telling her mother what troubled her.

Moments later, the two step-sisters went out from the chamber and told Caroline that she was been called by her step-mother.

While inside in the step-mother’s chamber,

Caroline: Oh, please, you don't think that I would...

Step-mother: Hold your tongue! Now, it seems we have time on our hands.

Caroline: But I don’t know…

Step-mother: Silence! Perhaps we can put it to better use. Now, let me see... There's the large carpet in the main hall- Clean it! And the windows upstairs and down- Wash them! Oh yes, and the tapestries and the draperies...

Caroline: But I just finished...

Step-mother: Do them again! And don't forget the garden. Then scrub the terrace, sweep the halls and the stairs, clean the chimneys. And of course there's the mending, and the sewing, and the laundry. Why are you standing there? Finish them all now!

Caroline exited from the chamber and desperately do her chores but didn’t complain at all.

Meanwhile in the King’s castle, the king himself started to complain about his son,

“Why it’s been over twenty years and Harold is not yet married. When shall I see him live in his own life with his dear wife?” the king asked his daughter, the Grand Duchess Irisa.

“Oh father, I think it is better that we should be patient.” The duchess answered.

“I am patient. I just wanted to see his family.”

“I understand, sire. But why not…”

“What?”

“Why not hold a ball for you to calm.”

She was right the king thought and command the royal messenger to deliver the message to the whole town that every eligible maiden is to attend.

Back at the chateau, Caroline sang a verse while she was cleaning the hall.

“Oh sing sweet little lark.

For grace is thy mark.

Oh please, please sing for me.

So I will pray thee.

And I will tell your tale wherever I sail.

Oh sing sweet little lark.

For grace is thy mark.”

She stopped cleaning and singing when Caroline heard someone knocking at the door. She opened and saw the royal messenger handing her a letter saying, “It’s an urgent message from his majesty’s, the king.”

Caroline thanked him and went upstairs to tell her step-mother and step-sisters.

“Step-mother? Are you in there?” Caroline called softly as she knocked the door.

“Yes, I am here!” the step-mother answered quite annoyed and angry every time when Caroline was there and here.

“It’s a note from the palace.” Caroline answered while showing the letter. The step-mother took it from her and read it out loud to the other three women. The step-sisters were in the stage of joy for there would be a ball tonight for the prince and every unmarried maiden was to attend.

“Then that means I can go to!” Caroline said also excited, but the step-sisters just mocked her including the elder one.

“Her? Dancing with the prince? I rather say she will dance with a broom!”

But the servant girl said, “Well, why not. After all I am part of this house and by royal command every unmarried maiden is need to attend.”

“Yes, then so be it. If only you could finish all your chores.” The step-mother said with a sly face. And then Caroline excited from the room with thanks.

While in her bedroom, Caroline took out her dress and showed it to her friends, the two blue birds.

“Isn’t it lovely? It’s my mother’s dress.”

“Yes and I think you will look very beautiful in that.” One of the birds answered.

“Caroline! Caroline! Caroline!” calls from above made Caroline stopped picking her jewelry and hurriedly went upstairs to her step-mother and step-sisters.

“Caroline, wash my dress.”

“Caroline, get my slippers.”

“Caroline, tie my corset now.”

The two-stepsisters and their mother began to make Caroline’s tasks more difficult. They ordered her to brush their hairs, polish their slippers, tie their belts, and iron their clothes and other things that seemed like the step-mother and her daughters forgot that Caroline was not a servant but the true heir of the house.

Hours passed and the carriage arrived.

Caroline: The carriage is here, step-mother.

Step-mother: Why Caroline, you’re not ready, child.

Caroline: I’m not going.

Step-mother: Not going? Why? You didn’t still finish…

Caroline: Yes, good bye.

Caroline leaved the room as the evil step-mother looked at her daughters with a sinister smile.

Caroline watched the carriage leave from her window and began to cry.

“Oh why am I crying? What is so good about this ball? Of course it would be fancy and boring but I think it would be wonderful.” She wept and wept until three drops of her tear fell, and a beautiful fairy just then appeared.

“Wonderful? How will a ball be so wonderful without your beauty?” the fairy surprised Caroline.

“The ball? Me? Beautiful? Why I’m not.” The young girl responded.

“Of course you are, and I will do anything for you, my child.”

“Who are you?”

“Why my sweet girl! I’m your fairy godmother.”

Delighted she was, Caroline asked what her fairy godmother wanted for her. The fairy then requested her to get some flowers and two mice, and Caroline did so.

They went outside and the fairy godmother found a watermelon and transformed it into a beautiful carriage using her wand and verse.

“Just a wave of my stick

It will do my masterpiece with no trick.”

“Oh it’s incredible!” Caroline awed. Next, the fairy godmother waved again her wand and said a jinx.

“Stallions from flowers

As one of my powers

Coachmen from mice

It will be pretty nice.”

The two mice and flowers then magically turned into white horses and gentlemen. The fairy looked at Caroline and said, “Now as for you, my dear. I will make you the rose of the roses.”

One last time, she took and waved her wand while she said a spell.

“Royal blue will do

For I know it will be suitable for you

Queenly pearls which are radiant white

It will shine you like a glorious light.”

Caroline’s rag-dress transformed into a beautiful blue gown and she was wearing a pearl necklace, crown and slippers.

“Why, this is a beautiful dress. I’ve never seen such a beautiful dress like this. Oh look, pearl slippers. Oh this is a dream that comes true.” Quote she while she danced around. However, her fairy godmother told her that the spell would disappear by midnight so there was no time Caroline should loose.

At the castle, Prince Harold was jaded of meeting beautiful young ladies. He bowed at them and again and again as he grew more tired of standing in front of gentlewomen. But wait, he straighten himself up when she saw a beautiful lady in blue and pearls, so he made his way through the crowd and went to Caroline asking her to dance and the latter accepted. The king and Lady Irisa told the musicians to play music and started the dance. The prince with Caroline danced the whole night through, whenever someone asked Caroline to give him her hand for a dance the prince kept refusing and won’t let the pretty girl away from him.

When Caroline saw the clock at eleven fifty-eight, “I have to go. Please let me go.” Said she.

“Why, my beauty?” the prince asked.

“Because I have to. Please let me go. Good-bye!”

“I think I need a fresh air for a while.” Anita told her mother and sister and exited the room.

Meanwhile, while running, Caroline dropped one of her pearl shoes and the prince picked it up.

“Wait! You forgot your shoe! Wait! Please wait!” Prince Harold called but was ignored by Caroline.

Caroline swiftly went back to her house just in time the magic disappeared. Then her fairy godmother reappeared.

Fairy godmother: I thought I told you that the magic will be gone by midnight.

Caroline: I'm sorry. I-I guess I forgot about everything, even the time, but... but it was so wonderful. And he was so handsome, and when we danced... oh, I'm sure that even the Prince himself couldn't have been more... more... Oh, well, it-it's over, and...

Fairy godmother: And it’s time for you to go to bed.

Caroline: Thank you. Thank you so much for everything.

And so her fairy godmother watched over her through the night. Caroline’s step-mother and sisters returned home and found her sleeping in her rags yet with a smile on her face.

By the next morn,

“Caroline! Caroline where are you?!” the step-mother called hastily.

“Yes? Here I am.”

Caroline was told to bring breakfast for her step-sisters but it was too early for breakfast, what could the step-mother possibly made her rush?

The two blue birds flew upstairs to know the information from the step-mother. While drawing the curtains, the step-mother told her daughters to get up.

Step-mother: Diana? Diana.

Diana: What?

Step-mother: Get up. Quick this instant. We haven't a moment to lose. Anita? Anita. Get up, Anita.

Anita: What for? Why?

Step-mother: Oh, everyone's talking about it. The whole kingdom. Oh, hurry now. They'll be here any minute.

Diana: Who will?

Step-mother: The Grand Duchess and her brother. They’re been hunting all night.

Diana: Hunting?

Step-mother: For that girl. The one who lost her slipper at the ball last night. They say he's madly in love with her.

Anita: Who?

Step-mother: The prince. And he and his sister will come here any minute to find the lady who will fit the slipper. No one’s foot yet fit the shoe and not even the prince knew that lady. So if there is any chance for any two of you will fit the slipper then that girl will be the prince’s bride.

Upon hearing this, the birds flew away to tell Caroline about the news. When Caroline heard the information, she started to clean the house quickly from the master’s bedroom to the stables for the arriving guests.

Time passed and the Grand Duchess with the Prince and the slipper finally came to Caroline’s chateau. A light shone in the eyes of women when they saw the pearl slipper. The step-mother first motioned Anita to fit the slipper, but unfortunately, the thing would be perfectly fit if it weren’t her hideous heel. They tried to squeeze it in but no success.

“This is not the right bride of yours, brother. Let the other sister try the slipper.” The duchess said. And the step-mother motioned Diana to see if the shoe does fit her or not. On her first try, the shoe didn’t fit, and she did it again and again but no avail for her foot was too flat for the shoe.

“This is not my true bride. Is there any maid here in your house?” the prince asked looking at the step-mother and sisters, and they knew what he meant was Caroline.

Of course, because of their bitter hate for Caroline, the step-mother and Diana denied the prince. But Anita said, “No, they are lying. There is one maiden doing her chores somewhere here in this house.”

Anita turned at the corner and saw Caroline’s blue birds sitting by the window frame.

“Friends, please tell Caroline to come here for a minute.” Told she and they obeyed.

The birds went to find Caroline and found her cleaning the chimney. When she faced the guests as well as Prince Harold, her face was covered by ashes whereas the nobles didn’t mind at all. Caroline took her right foot and placed it gracefully on the pearl slipper and eventually it fits perfectly for her.

“It is you, you are my bride.” The prince said with a smile.

But there is something…

Step-mother: Anita! What is wrong with you?! Why did you do this?!

Anita: Do you want to know why I became so quiet? Do you want to know why I say “please”? Do you want to know why I called Caroline to come here? All of those questions are because I am not the real Anita, I am Cinderella.

She transformed into a lady with wings and Caroline recognized her, it was her fairy godmother. They are confused at once but then understood when she told the tale.

It started many years ago when Cinderella, the fairy godmother was once a servant of her own house but became a princess when she married her prince. Cinderella’s own fairy godmother taught her magic as her apprentice while she reigned. Cinderella died after giving birth to a son and a daughter, who were actually Prince Harold and Grand Duchess Irisa. When she died, her fairy godmother told her that she has a mission with a girl named Anita and transferred all of her powers to Cinderella. As the time goes by, Cinderella and Anita met each other. Cinderella found Anita as an impolite, noisy and selfish young lady. She tried to change her personality but no until Caroline came to the family. Anita hated Caroline once but softened when Caroline showed her kindness although a slave, and only Cinderella, Anita’s fairy godmother knew about this. When Anita grew into her early adolescence, an unknown and incurable disease attacked her and she hid it from her own family for she was ashamed that she was the only one in the family who was very sickly. In an evergreen forest, Anita called for her fairy godmother for one request: leading Caroline to the path of luxury as repayment for her kindness. She closed her eyes and died, Cinderella buried her beside the tree where she was sitting and secretly disguised herself as Anita to get near to Caroline and to fulfill Anita’s (real) wish, she doesn’t even wanted Caroline to go at the same path that she walked and wanted to test how kind was Caroline. Anita was actually Cinderella in our story the whole time, she was also became Caroline’s fairy godmother, and Harold and Irisa’s mother.

“Mother, we are happy to see you!” said the prince and her sister.

“I am a thousand times more happier than you both.” Said Cinderella with a teary eyes and a sweet smile, and she embraced her two babes. Cinderella gestured the two birds to her palm.

“Carolina, your daughter passed the test. Anita, your will is done.” She whispered and the two birds gave her a peck and to Caroline, then they flew away to heaven.

“Thank you for everything, Fairy godmother.” Caroline said while she was embracing her.

Cinderella looked at the step-mother and Diana, and took her wand saying a spell,

“Your hearts are sour

Then may your eyes be blind

Empty hearts are empty riches and will never find

Blind beggars forever more.”

And so, Caroline and Prince Harold were married and they all lived happily ever after.