Once upon a time there was a little girl, who was beaten and misused by her step mother and her sisters. She should have turned into a horrid person herself, had it not been for her faint memory of a mother who had been good, beautiful, and loving. In her fantasies her mother loved and watched over her, so she tried very hard to be good, sweet and strong to make her mother proud.
One day after she was heavily beaten she ran outside and could not control the terrible sadness and loneliness that overcame her. She longed to have someone visible to share her heart with. She ran to the river bed and started to cry, her tears watered the ground and a beautiful flowering bush started to grow. She decided that this must be a gift from her mother and she took care of it every day. From then on whenever her heart felt like breaking she would come to her bush and share her sadness receiving comfort from its heavenly fragrances.
The Prince in the castle was supposed to get married, did he want to? Of course not, he was terribly bored by the all the silly spoiled ladies of the court who did nothing else but gossip and simper. Under pressure he finally consented to attend a ball in his honor where all these silly ladies were to attend.
Oh! Cinderella wanted so much to go, though she knew she would never be permitted. At 16 years old a ball at the palace was the most exciting and beautiful thing imaginable. She timidly requested permission of her step mother, who cackled a cold derisive laugh and said, “You go to the ball? None of the fine people would stand within 10 meters of you. You’re filthy and you have nothing to wear, rather, you should help us who are going” At which she proceeded to give her a list of chores so long that it would have taken Cinderela a week. “Well maybe if you have completed all the chores, and can find yourself something decent to wear, we would permit you to come.”
Poor Cinderella, after a whole day of helping and toiling, while her mother and stepsisters pampered themselves and giggled, was left at home alone. Her feet felt heavy, as she dragged herself to her last chore, a huge basket of laundry. She couldn’t stop the tears which fell on her flowering bush as she unburdened her heart. Suddenly the bush started to grow and shimmer, till it took the semblance of a beautiful lady who said. “My dear child if I were you I would wash away my sorrows in the river.” Cinderella who was a good swimmer jumped in the river, when she came out she felt refreshed, clean and dry. And to her great surprise she was wearing the most beautiful gown imaginable, with soft rose buds and gosh! It was stylish. Even her hair was all done up, not to mention her pretty slippers. She rushed off in a magical carriage, waving a million thanks.
The Prince was about to fall asleep from boredom, when all eyes turned to Cinderella, and she became the belle of the ball. In fact the Prince had eyes for no one else. She had all the natural grace that the other ladies attempted to have. Her eyes shone with such sweetness and delight and she emanated a scent of sweet rose. All that night she whirled lightly in her Prince's arms, her happy cheeks flushed a rosy hue, which matched the tints in her gown.
The other ladies whispered, “Who is she? She must be a very important princess. Did you see her gown? Now that is the latest style.”
The rest of the story is well known the prince could not rest until he found her, and find her he did the following week, or should I say that she found him. He was walking along the river bank day dreaming of the beautiful rose bud maiden whom he most certainly loved, when he fell into the river. With a little laugh but no hesitation she jumped in and rescued him. She was wet; he was wet; she was ragged; he was not, but he recognized her at once for her sweet pretty face and the scent of rose.
