经典 | Cinderella《灰姑娘》

Once upon a time, there lived an unhappy young girl. Unhappy she was, for her mother was dead, her father had married another woman, a widow with two daughters, and her stepmother didn’t like her one little bit. All the nice things, kind thoughts and loving touches were for her own daughters. And not just the kind thoughts and love, but also dresses, shoes, shawls, delicious food, comfy beds, as well as every home comfort. All this was laid on for her daughters. But, for the poor unhappy girl, there was nothing at all. No dresses, only her stepsisters’ hand-me-downs. No lovely dishes, nothing but scraps. No nice rests and comfort. For she had to work hard all day, and only when evening came was she allowed to sit for a while by the fire, near the cinders. That is how she got her nickname, for everybody called her Cinderella. Cinderella used to spend long hours all alone talking to the cat. The cat said,

“Meow”, which really meant, “Cheer up! You have something neither of your stepsisters have and that is beauty.”

It was quite true. Cinderella, even dressed in rags with a dusty grey face from the cinders, was a lovely girl. While her stepsisters, no matter how splendid and elegant their clothes, were still clumsy, lumpy and ugly, and they always would be.

One day, beautiful new dresses arrived at the house. A ball was to be held at Court and the stepsisters were getting ready to go to it. Cinderella, didn’t even dare ask, “What about me?” for she knew very well what the answer to what would be.

“You? My dear girl, you’re staying at home to wash the dishes, scrub the floors and turn down the beds for your stepsisters. They will come home tired and very sleepy.” Cinderella sighed at the cat.

“Oh dear, I’m so unhappy!” and the cat murmured “Meow”.

Suddenly something amazing happened. In the kitchen, where Cinderella was sitting all by herself, there was a burst of light and a fairy appeared.

“Don’t be alarmed, Cinderella,” said the fairy. “The wind blew me your sighs. I know you would love to go to the ball. And so you shall!”

“How can I, dressed in rags?” Cinderella replied. “The servants will turn me away!” The fairy smiled. With a flick of her magic wand, Cinderella found herself wearing the most beautiful dress, the loveliest ever seen in the realm.

“Now that we have settled the matter of the dress,” said the fairy, “we’ll need to get you a coach. A real lady would never go to a ball on foot!”

“Quick! Get me a pumpkin!” she ordered.

“Oh of course,” said Cinderella, rushing away. Then the fairy turned to the cat.

“You, bring me seven mice!”

“Seven mice!” said the cat. “I didn’t know fairies ate mice too!”

“They’re not for eating, silly! Do as you are told, and remember they must be alive!”

Cinderella soon returned with a fine pumpkin and the cat with seven mice he had caught in the cellar.

“Good!” exclaimed the fairy. With a flick of her magic wand — wonder of wonders! The pumpkin turned into a sparkling coach and the mice became six white horses, while the seventh mouse turned into a coachman, in a smart uniform and carrying a whip. Cinderella could hardly believe her eyes.

“I shall present you at Court. You will soon see that the Prince, in whose honour the ball is being held, will be enchanted by your loveliness. But remember! You must leave the ball at midnight and come home. For that is when the spell ends. Your coach will turn back into a pumpkin, the horses will become mice again and the coachman will turn back into a mouse, and you will be dressed again in rags and wearing clogs instead of these dainty little slippers! Do you understand?”

Cinderella smiled and said, “Yes, I understand!”

When Cinderella entered the ballroom at the palace, a hush fell. Everyone stopped in mid-sentence to admire her elegance, her beauty and grace.

“Who can that be?” people asked each other. The two stepsisters also wondered who the newcomer was, for never in a month of Sundays, would they ever have guessed that the beautiful girl was really poor Cinderella who talked to the cat!

When the prince set eyes on Cinderella, he was struck by her beauty. Walking over to her, he bowed deeply and asked her to dance. And to the great disappointment of all the young ladies, he danced with Cinderella all evening.

“Who are you, fair maiden?” the Prince kept asking her.

But Cinderella only replied: “What does it matter who I am! You will never see me again anyway.”

“Oh, but I shall, I’m quite certain!” he replied.

Cinderella had a wonderful time at the ball, but, all of a sudden, she heard the sound of a clock: the first stroke of midnight! She remembered what the fairy had said, and without a word of goobye she slipped from the Prince’s arms and ran down the steps. As she ran she lost one of her slippers, but not for a moment did she dream of stopping to pick it up! If the last stroke of midnight were to sound… oh, what a disaster that would be! Out she fled and vanished into the night.

The Prince, who was now madly in love with her, picked up her slipper and said to his ministers, “Go and search everywhere for the girl whose foot this slipper fits. I will never be content until I find her!” So the ministers tried the slipper on the foot of all the girls… and on Cinderella’s foot as well… Surprise! The slipper fit her perfectly.

“That awful untidy girl simply cannot have been at the ball,” snapped the stepmother. “Tell the Prince he ought to marry one of my two daughters! Can’t you see how ugly Cinderella is! Can’t you see?”

Suddenly she broke off, for the fairy had appeared.

“That’s enough!” she exclaimed, raising her magic wand. In a flash, Cinderella appeared in a splendid dress, shining with youth and beauty. Her stepmother and stepsisters gaped at her in amazement, and the ministers said,

“Come with us, fair maiden! The Prince awaits to present you with his engagement ring!” So Cinderella joyfully went with them, and lived happily ever after with her Prince.

And as for the cat, he just said “Meow”!

...... 

版本2：

   Long ago, there was a lttlt girl. Her father was a businessman. He was too busy to look ater her.

      Then one day. the little girl's mother died. She buried her mother under a tree in the garden. The litttle girl cried before the tomb every day. Even the birds in the tree became her friends.

  Before long, her father remarried. Her stepmother had two daughters.They had beautiful faces but evil hearts. They lived in her room, wore her clothes and forced her to do a lot of housework.

      The little girl did not have a room, so she had to sleep beside the stove and got very dusty. So her stepmother and stepsisters called her Cinderella.

    One day, the king decided to hold a ball to choose a wife for the prince,

      Cinderella's stepsisters were invited to the ball. They were very excited. "Hurry up! Comb my hair!" one stepsister ordered Cinderella. "Cinderell, tie my belt, polish my shoes!" the other one commanded.,

      Cinderella also wanted to go to the ball. "How could you go to the ball in such dusty clothes?" her stepmother sneered.

   Her stepmother and sisters left.  Cinderella was very upset. She went to her mother's grave and cried. Suddenly an old woman  appeared.

    Cinderella was surprised. She greeted the old woman poitey,"Good evening, Granny!"

       "Litte girt don't cry, I'm a fainy. l will help  you!"  the old woman said.

   Cinderella was puzzied. The fairy took out a magic wand from her robe. She pointed it at Cinderlla. Suddenly, Cinderlla's ragged clothes turned into a beautful dress! And her hair was done up, too

    "What a beautiful dress .I can go to the ball now! Thank you very much!" Cinderella said happily.

   Cinderella could hardly wait to attend the ball. Then the fairy told her, "Wait a moment. You should take a carriage."

      The fairy thought for a while and then she pointed her magic wand at the big pumpkin in the comer of the house. The pumpkin became a large carriagel

      "We need four horses," the fairy said to herself. Just then she saw four mice running by. So she waved her magic wand and turned the mice into four white horses!

    Then the fairy gave Cinderella a box.

      Cinderella opened it. A pair of glass shoes was lying in it!She put them on and they fitted perfectly, Cinderella thanked the faiy again and got into the arriage.

      The fairy reminded her, "You must come back before midnight. After twelve o'clock, all the magic things will disappear."

      At the ball, Cinderella was so beautiful that everyone was attracted by her charm. Even her stepmother and stepsisters did not recognize her. They took her for a princess of another country.

      When the prince saw Cinderella, he invited her to dance with him at once. He didn't dance with any other girls the whole night.

   It was almost twelve o'clock. Cinderella had to leave. She left the prince and ran downstairs  to the door.

    "Miss, wait!  May I have your name?"  The prince  ran  after Cinderella. But he didn't catch up   with  her and  only found a glass shoe  on the stairs. 

  The prince missed Cinderella so much. He wanted Cinderella to his wife. But how could he find her? The glass shoe was the only clue.

      The prince and his ministers went to every street and every  house, asking the girl's to try on the shoe. But several days went by, and the shoe still fitted no one.

  One day, the prince and his ministers came to Cinderella's house with the glass shoe.

      The elder sepsister tried it on frst. Although the shoe was too small for her foot, she sill managed to put it intothe shoe. She suffered great pain in her foot, but she tried to act gracefully in order to please the prince. But when she walked out, the birds sang to the prince, "The shoe is too tight, this girl is not the bride!"

  "Did any other girls go to the ball?" the prince asked. The other stepsister put on the shoe at once. But her foot was too small. When she walked out, the shoe fell off her foot. The birds sang again, "The shoe is too big, this gird is not the bride!"

   The ministers said they would punish the family for lying to the prince.

      At that moment, Cinderella walked out of the kitchen. "Please let me try," she said.

      She put on the shoe. It fitted perfectly!

      The prince came closer and studied her face. "Yes, she is the girl!" the prince cried happily.

      Seeing this, Cinderella's stepmother and stepsisters were furious.

     Cinderella sat on the horse led by the prince. They went back to the palace. The birds sang, "She's the beautiful bride, you'll be happy forever!"

     The prince and Cinderella got married, They loved each other rand lived happily ever after.

版本3：

The Little Princess Cinderella - 童话故事《灰姑娘》英文版

Part 1

Once upon a time there lived an unhappy young girl. Her stepmother didn't like her one little bit. 

No dresses, no lovely dishes, she had to work hard all day. Only when evening came was she allowed to sit for a while by the fire, near the cinders. That’s why everybody called her Cinderella.

Part 2

One day, beautiful new dresses arrived at the house. A ball was to be held at the palace and the yonger ladies were invited. Stepsisters were getting ready to go. 

Cinderella didn't even dare ask if she could go too. She knew very well what the answer would be: .You? You're staying at home to wash the dishes, scrub the floors and turn down the beds for your stepsisters. 

Part 3

Cinderella felt very sad on that day when her stepsisters went to the ball. 

Suddenly something amazing happened. As Cinderella was sitting all alone, there was a burst of light and a fairy appeared. 

Don't be alarmed, Cinderella. said the fairy. 

I know you would love to go to the ball. And so you shall!.

The fairy smiled and with a flick of her magic wand, Cinderella found herself wearing the most beautiful dress she had ever seen. 

With a flick of the magic wand the pumpkin turned into a sparkling coach and the mice became six white horses, while the seven mouse turned into a coachman in a smart uniform and carrying a whip.

Part 4

Cinderella had a wonderful time at the ball until she heard the first stroke of midnight! She remembered what the fairy had said, and without a word of goodbye she slipped from the Prince's arms and ran down the steps. 

Cinderella lost one of her glass shoe on the steps while she left.

The Prince, who was now madly in love with her, picked up the slipper and said to his ministers, “Go and search everywhere for the girl whose foot fits this slipper. I will never be content until I find her!”

Part 5

So the ministers tried the slipper on the foot of every girl in the land until only Cinderella was left.

That awful untidy girl think that is impossible since the Cinderella could not be at the ball. 

Snapped the stepmother. Tell the Prince he ought to marry one of my two daughters! Can't you see how ugly Cinderella is?

But, to everyone‘s amazement, the shoe fitted on Cinderella perfectly.

Part 6

Suddenly the fairy appeared again and waved her magic wand. In a flash, Cinderella appeared in a splendid dress, shining with youth and beauty. 

So Cinderella married the Prince and lived happily ever.