This post is a bit different than previous posts. When I was going through and purging stuff from my life, I came across poetry and some short stories that I had written in the past. I transferred them all to my computer for safe keeping but thought I would share one.

It wasn’t dated, so I have no idea when it was written. I am hoping that in sharing that it will encourage me to do more writing.

Cinderella didn’t want to go to the ball at the Castle. Her stepsisters were so excited. They had not stopped talking about it since the Castle had made the announcement. The prince is so handsome, so rich, he lives in a big Castle, who cares, Cinderella thought. He clearly sounded as if he was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. Did he even know what it was like to do actual work? Highly unlikely, she thought to herself. How badly she wanted to get away from her awful stepmother and sisters. Maybe going to the ball wasn’t such a bad idea, although her stepmother would never allow it. She still hadn’t gotten done with the list of chores that she had to do.

Cinderella watched from the entry as the carriage pulled away, set on finishing the chores and then allowing herself a rest with a good book. She hardly had any time to do anything that she liked anymore, not with the constant beckoning from her stepfamily. Just as she was about to turn and go back inside, she saw a little old lady walking up the drive.

Cinderella came out to greet her, “Hello, is there something I can help you with?”

“Why yes dear, could I trouble you for a bit of water? I have travelled very far and am very thirsty.”

When Cinderella returned from the will with some water, the old lady was gone and before her stood a young woman carrying a wand.

“Who are you,” she asked.

“I am your fairy godmother and for your kindness I am going to reward you,” she replied.

“Reward me, how?” Cinderella asked.

“Don’t you want to go to the ball?” the Fairy godmother asked.

Cinderella thought it over, she didn’t really want to meet the Prince, he sounded boring. However, maybe by going to the Ball she would find another eligible suitor that could take her away from this place.

“I would,” Cinderella replied.

The fairy godmother worked her magic, getting Cinderella ready for the ball, all the way down to glass slippers upon her feet. As she was pulling away to the leave, the Fairy godmother stopped her and told her that she was to leave the Ball before the clock chimed midnight.

When she pulled up to the Castle, she was taken back by how big it was. How was she to ever find her way to the Ball, she thought to herself. She climbed the stairs up to the Castle. She felt lost inside, as she wandered the halls. Just as she found the Ball, the clock began to chime, she had already forgotten the Fairy Godmother’s words. At the last strike of the clock, the magic wore off and there she stood in front of everyone, wearing the rags, while all the guests and the Prince laughed.

She ran from the palace, the sounds of their laughter echoing in her ears. She ran as fast as she could, disappearing into the forest.

No one knows what happened to poor Cinderella after she left the Ball. Her stepfamily never saw her again, not that they very much noticed. They ended up moving into the Palace, after Anastasia married the Prince.

Occasionally you will hear stories told by the local crazy about having seen a young maiden in the forest wearing rags for clothes and glass slippers upon her feet, but those are just stores.