Once upon a time, there lived a poor man. He had a sharp-tongued wife and two daughters. One of the daughters was his own, and the other was his stepdaughter. The stepdaughter was very lazy, but his own daughter, Cinderella, was kind and diligent. She would wipe the floors, wash clothes, and prepare food until evening. The stepmother and her daughter, however, would adorn themselves in front of the mirror, giving Cinderella no peace.
One day, the king's herald announced to everyone:
— The Prince wishes to marry, and for this occasion, he is holding a celebration to choose a bride for himself. Everyone is invited to this celebration!
The stepmother and her daughter immediately began to adorn themselves. Cinderella asked if they would take her too. The stepmother said:
— What business do you have there? There's so much work at home, sit down and do your chores.
The stepmother went to the celebration with her daughter.
Cinderella sat on the stairs and began to weep bitterly.
Suddenly, a fairy appeared and tried to comfort her:
— Don't cry, Cinderella, I will help you!
The fairy waved her magic wand, and instantly Cinderella was wearing a beautiful dress, and on her feet were crystal shoes.
The fairy waved her wand again, and this time a beautiful carriage drawn by magnificent horses was ready.
— Go, Cinderella, and have fun, but remember, at midnight, this beautiful dress, the horses, and the carriage will all disappear.
As soon as Cinderella entered the palace, the Prince saw her and was smitten. They danced and had fun all night, and the Prince firmly decided that she was the girl he wanted. The stepmother and her daughter had no idea.
Suddenly, the clock struck midnight. The fairy's words came back to Cinderella, and she began to flee from the palace. She was in such a hurry that she didn't realize one of her shoes had fallen off and was left behind.
The Prince was in a state of excitement, for he hadn't even asked his new acquaintance's name. He found the girl's single shoe on the stairs.
Then the Prince decided that this shoe should be tried on all young girls, and whoever it fit, he would marry. The king's men did as he commanded.
Thus, they also reached Cinderella's courtyard. The stepdaughter struggled greatly to put on the shoe, but it was impossible. At that moment, Cinderella came out into the courtyard, took the shoe, and put it on. The shoe fit her perfectly.
The Prince had a beautiful wedding with Cinderella, and they also invited the fairy to the wedding.
They lived a long and beautiful life. The stepmother and her daughter, however, were bursting with envy.
