long long ago, in a land far away, there lived a beautiful young girl.
she was very sad. because her mother had died and her father had married again. his new wife had two ugly daughters, esmerelda and griselda
soon after, her father also died and life immediately(立即) changed for the girl.
"you will be our servant(僕人), "said her stepmother(繼母). "you will do everything we say."
"you must sleep in the kitchens." said the stepsisters.
there she had to do hard work from morning until evening, get up before daybreak(黎明), carry water, make the fires, cook, and wash. besides(除了) this, the sisters did everything imaginable(可以想象) to hurt her. they made fun of her. in the evening when she had worked herself weary(厭倦), there was no bed for her. instead she had to sleep by the hearth in the ashes(灰). and because she always looked dusty(塵土飛揚) and dirty, they called her cinderella.
"there are cinders(煤渣) all over your clothes!" exclaimed(喊叫) the stepmother. " cinderella. that's your new name. clear these things away, cinderella."
"cinderella! cinderella!" esmerelda and griselda said. "oh, how clever you are, mama!"
one day, an invitation(邀請) arrived from the palace.
"girls, listen to this," said the stepmother. cinderella was serving(準備) the breakfast. she listened as her stepmother read the invitation.
"the king is having a ball," she said excitedly(興奮). "he is looking for a wife for the prince! oh, my dears, this is wonderful. he will probably choose one of you, but it will be such a hard choice to make.
"am i invited too, stepmother?" asked cinderella.
"you! certainly(當然) not!" exclaimed(驚呼) her stepmother. "the thought of such a thing. a scruffy servant(破舊的僕人) going to a ball, when only beautiful ladies are invited!"
"hah! hah!" laughed the stepsisters. "beautiful! that doesn't include you, cinderella!"
"you may help my two lovely girls to get ready," said her stepmother.
"oh," said cinderella
"we shall all have new dresses, girls, and we shall go shopping today. clear away these things, cinderella."
'oh, i wish i could go to the ball,' thought(認為) cinderella.
the day of the ball arrived and the whole day was spent preparing esmerelda and griselda. cinderella did her best to make the sisters look pretty, but it was an impossible task.
finally, the coach arrived to collect the girls and their mother.
cinderella was very tired and she wandered back to the kitchens.
"oh, i did so want to go," she sighed(歎氣) as she sat down by the fire.
"what's to stop you?" asked a voice(聲音).
"who's that?" asked cinderella, looking around.
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