Cinderella
Summary:
A rich man's wife died, but before she did, she called her daughter in and told her to be good and pious and the Lord would always assist her. So, she was good. She would go to her mom's grave everyday and cry. Winter came and went and by that time, her father had married another woman. This woman had two daughters who were pretty but who had wicked and evil hearts. They took everything away from the girl. They made her work and sleep in the kitchens. They would do things purposefully to give the girl extra work, for instance, they would pour peas and lentils into the ashes and make her pick them out. She became so dirty that they called her Cinderella. One day her father went to the fair and he asked each of the girls what they wanted. The stepsisters wanted dresses and jewelry and things, but Cinderella just asked him to bring her back the twig of the first tree that brushes his head. He brought that back for her and she planted it by her mother's grave and wept until the tears watered it. It grew quickly and became a beautiful tree. There was a little white bird that came to the tree and it would give Cinderella anything she asked for. Soon after, all the beautiful maidens in the land were invited to a festival that was being held by the king. During that time, his son was to choose a bride. Cinderella wanted to go so she asked her step mother but she said that she was too dirty, but if she could pick all the lentils out of the ashes in 2 hours she could go. She went and called on her bird friends and they helped her pick them out. She went back to see if she could go, but her stepmother again told her if she could pick two bowlfuls of lentils in 1 hour she could go. She called on her bird friends again and they helped her do it in 30 minutes. But when she went to her stepmother, she told her that she was too dirty and had no clothes and she left right away with her daughters. Cinderella ran out to her tree and asked the bird for gold and silver, and the bird gave her a gold dress that was beautiful beyond description. She went to the festival and the prince immediately came to her. She danced with him all night and if anyone else asked her he would tell that that she was his partner. He wanted to take her home to meet her father but she ran away before he could follow. The festival lasted three nights and each night was the same, she got an exquisite dress and the prince only wanted to be with her. The third night, the prince was tired of her leaving without a trace, and so he put something sticky on the stairs and her golden shoe stuck to it as she ran away. He went to every maiden in the land to try and find her. Finally he made it to Cinderella's house. The first step sister tried it on... it did not fit, but her mom cut off her toe to make it fit. He almost took her to marry her but two pigeons were sitting on her tree and they told the prince who the woman next to him really was. He took her back. The same thing happened with the second sister, but she cut off her heel. The birds again told the prince to stop! When he brought that sister back he asked Cinderella's father if there were any maidens left in the house and he said no one except Cinderella but that the prince wouldn't want her she was dirty and lame. But he summoned her anyway and... it was a perfect fit! They got married, and on that day, the two pigeons pecked out both eyes of the step sisters because they were evil.
A rich man's wife died, but before she did, she called her daughter in and told her to be good and pious and the Lord would always assist her. So, she was good. She would go to her mom's grave everyday and cry. Winter came and went and by that time, her father had married another woman. This woman had two daughters who were pretty but who had wicked and evil hearts. They took everything away from the girl. They made her work and sleep in the kitchens. They would do things purposefully to give the girl extra work, for instance, they would pour peas and lentils into the ashes and make her pick them out. She became so dirty that they called her Cinderella. One day her father went to the fair and he asked each of the girls what they wanted. The stepsisters wanted dresses and jewelry and things, but Cinderella just asked him to bring her back the twig of the first tree that brushes his head. He brought that back for her and she planted it by her mother's grave and wept until the tears watered it. It grew quickly and became a beautiful tree. There was a little white bird that came to the tree and it would give Cinderella anything she asked for. Soon after, all the beautiful maidens in the land were invited to a festival that was being held by the king. During that time, his son was to choose a bride. Cinderella wanted to go so she asked her step mother but she said that she was too dirty, but if she could pick all the lentils out of the ashes in 2 hours she could go. She went and called on her bird friends and they helped her pick them out. She went back to see if she could go, but her stepmother again told her if she could pick two bowlfuls of lentils in 1 hour she could go. She called on her bird friends again and they helped her do it in 30 minutes. But when she went to her stepmother, she told her that she was too dirty and had no clothes and she left right away with her daughters. Cinderella ran out to her tree and asked the bird for gold and silver, and the bird gave her a gold dress that was beautiful beyond description. She went to the festival and the prince immediately came to her. She danced with him all night and if anyone else asked her he would tell that that she was his partner. He wanted to take her home to meet her father but she ran away before he could follow. The festival lasted three nights and each night was the same, she got an exquisite dress and the prince only wanted to be with her. The third night, the prince was tired of her leaving without a trace, and so he put something sticky on the stairs and her golden shoe stuck to it as she ran away. He went to every maiden in the land to try and find her. Finally he made it to Cinderella's house. The first step sister tried it on... it did not fit, but her mom cut off her toe to make it fit. He almost took her to marry her but two pigeons were sitting on her tree and they told the prince who the woman next to him really was. He took her back. The same thing happened with the second sister, but she cut off her heel. The birds again told the prince to stop! When he brought that sister back he asked Cinderella's father if there were any maidens left in the house and he said no one except Cinderella but that the prince wouldn't want her she was dirty and lame. But he summoned her anyway and... it was a perfect fit! They got married, and on that day, the two pigeons pecked out both eyes of the step sisters because they were evil.
Who would benefit from reading this book/ who would I recommend this book to?
Ummm... I'm not sure if anyone would benefit from reading this... But, I would recommend it to a teacher teaching about fairy tales. It has all the characteristics of a good fairy tale. There is the theme of three multiple times throughout it, there is magic, and a prince, and good vs. evil... IT is a perfect fairy tale.
What problems/conflicts could this tale potentially cause?
Well, it is pretty bloody at the end. That is definitely not for children to read. Also, throughout the whole story, it seems like Cinderella's father doesn't care about her at all. Her step mother did all of these horrible things to her and he just let it happen. Even in the end he didn't want the prince to meet her. I thought that was pretty sad. That would cause some problems with a lot of parents if their children were reading this.
My Reaction:
I actually thought that there would somehow be more blood. I am glad that there isn't but That surprised me. I also liked this version better than the Disney version. I liked that there wasn't a fairy godmother but it was the birds of her own mother's grave that helped her. I liked that the festival was three days long and that the prince and her had more than just a day to know each other. I will want my children to watch the Disney version more than I will want them to read this version though.
Other Tales that I read:
Rapunzel
Hinsel & Grethel
Rumpelstiltskin
0 comments:
Post a Comment