灰姑娘(Cinderella)

灰姑娘CinderellaChapter 1Once upon a time（很久以前）there was a beautiful and kind hearted（好心的）girl named Cinderella.Cinderella’s mother died when she was very young, so her father married a second time. He wanted his daughter to grow up（成长） with a mother’s love（母爱）.But Cinderella’s father chose his second wife poorly. She was a cruel（残酷的） and nasty （险恶的）woman with two very spoiled（被宠坏的）and mean（卑鄙的）daughters named Sula and Rica. Cinderella’s step-mother and two step-sisters treated（对待）her very badly.She became their servant（佣人）, tending（照料）to their every need.Cinderella never had time to have any fun. Her father could not see what was going on, because he was always away on business（出差）. Not wanting to make her father worried, Cinderella never complained（抱怨） about her situation（处境）.Chapter 2One day, a fair（仙女）disguised（伪装）as an ugly, old woman came to the house where Cinderella, her step-mother and two step-sisters lived.Please, may I beg you for a piece of bread? I am so hungry.If we gave food to every beggar we met, we would have nothing left for ourselves.Yes! And we would starve to death（饿死）. Now go away!The old woman turned and walked away, but Cinderella felt sorry for（同情）her and decided to give her what little food she had.Just where do you think you are going?Uh, I am just going outside to get some fresh air for a minute.You have only half a minute（片刻）. You have all these dishes（餐具） to wash!Cinderella knew her evil（邪恶的）step-sisters must not see her giving food to the poor old lady, or she would be punished（惩罚）. She had to（不得不） hurry. She quickly ran to the gate before the woman left.Please, kind lady, don’t go away hungry. Take my dinner.Is that all you have to eat, my child?Yes, but I am not hungry. I am young, and you are old. You need it more than I.Thank you, my child. What is your name?My name is Cinderella.Well, Cinderella. You are a very kind girl and will surely be rewarded（回报） for this.Just then（就在这时）, Cinderella heard her two evil step-sisters calling for（要求） her.Cinderella!! Come back and do these dishes at once（马上）!And wash the floors, and polish（擦亮） our shoes. We should punish you for being so lazy!Cinderella bid the poor old woman farewell（告别） and went back to the house to do her many chores（杂务）.Chapter 3Not far away（不远处）, the crown prince（皇太子） and his servants（仆人） were just returning to the castle after a long journey（旅行）. They had been to many lands searching for a bride（新娘） for the prince. When the king and queen saw the prince, they said.Welcome home, my dear son. Did you find a girl to marry?No. Mother and father. We searched in many lands for a bride, but I could not find one to love.Oh dear. You simply must find a bride soon!Yes, I know, father, but I just can’t seem to（看起来） find the right girl.You look tired from such a long journey, son. Why don’t you go and lie down（躺下）.I am really tired. I think I will take a nap（小睡片刻）.So the prince went to his room to rest. Not long after（不久） he fell asleep（睡着了）, he began having the most wonderful dream. In his dream, he was dancing with a beautiful girl and was happier than he had ever been before. Suddenly, he woke up and realized that he had found his bride-to-be（准新娘）.But he wondered（想知道）who she was and how he would ever（究竟）find her. He ran downstairs to tell his mother and father the good news.I’ve found her! I’ve found the girl I am going to marry!What do you mean（是什么意思）you’ve found the girl you are going to marry?Who is she, and where is she from?I’m not sure who she is yet or where she is from. I just know that I danced with her in my dreams at a ball（舞会）.Of course. We shall have a ball and invite all the young ladies of the kingdom, rich or poor, to attend（参加）. Then maybe you can find your bride（新娘）.Wonderful idea! Call for the servants to make an announcement（公告） throughout（遍及） the entire（整个） kingdom tomorrow.The next day, the king’s servants went to every town throughout the kingdom to announce （宣布） the ball.Hear ye（你们听着）! Hear ye! On Saturday next, a ball will be given at the Royal Palace （皇宫）in honor of（纪念）the Crown Prince（皇太子）who is in search of（寻找）a bride-to-be（准新娘）. All maidens（少女）, be they rich or poor, are hereby（特此） invited （邀请）! Come one, come all（大家一直来）!All the young ladies of the kingdom were very excited to be invited to a Royal Ball, including（包括） Sula, Rica, and even Cinderella.I must have a new dress for the Royal Ball, mother.Oh, me too. I have nothing to wear.A Royal Ball. I wonder what I shall wear.You?!Surely you don’t thing you will be attending the Ball, do y ou Cinderella?Well, I … I thought…You thought we would bring you with us? Ha!Now girls. Cinderella is welcome to attend the Royal Ball.WHAT!!!That is … if she can finish ALL her chores（杂务）.Oh, I will, I will. I will work very hard. You’ll see.The day of the Ball, Cinderella woke up early to start her chores. She washed the dishes, cleaned the floors, made the beds and did all the laundry（要洗的衣服）. She was so excited to go to the Royal Ball. After all（最后） her chores were completed, Cinderella skipped（跳跃）upstairs to start getting ready when she heard…Cinderella!! Cinderella!! Bring me my dress!Cinderella! Help me with my hair.Cinderella!!Did you call me, sisters?Where have you been, you lazy child? Go help your sisters get ready for the Ball. Surely the prince will choose one of my lovely girls for his bride-to-be.Yes, step-mother.Cinderella! Fasten（扣紧） my dress.Cinderella! Lace（系） my shoes.Pleases, sisters. I have only two hands.Cinderella, don’t talk back（顶嘴） to your sisters. Now fetch（拿） me my wig（假发）, and hurry!Cinderella worked and worked to help her step-sisters and step-mother get ready for the ball. She fastened their dresses, combed（梳理）their hair and polished（擦亮） and laced（系）their shoes.She was so busy, she didn’t even（甚至） realize（认识到）that it was almost time for the Ball to begin, and she was still dressed in rags（穿着破衣）.Wow! I am so beautiful. I shall have a hundred servants when the Prince makes me his bride.I shall have two hundred servants when the Prince chooses ME.The crown prince would be lucky to have either one of you as a wife. We must hurry though （然而）, or we shall be late.What about me? You said I could go to the Ball if I finished my chores.Of course you can go … dressed in your rags! Ha, ha, ha, ha.You will be the star of the Ball dressed like that.Cinderella, really, what would people think if they saw you with us? Come on, my two beautiful daughters. We must get you to the Ball. Someday, one of you will be queen of the land.Cinderella’s step-mother and two step-sisters left for the Ball without her. Cinderella had wanted to go so badly（非常）. She had worked hard all day, and now she was left all alone.Cinderella laid（躺） on the floor and began to cry.Oh, what a day! I do my best to serve（服务）my step-mother and two step-sisters, and they only repay（回报）me with cruelty（残忍）. I only have time to work and never have time to play. Oh, how I wish I could go to the Ball!Chapter 4Poor Cinderella was so sad and lonely. She thought of her mother and how happy she was back then.Suddenly, there was a bright light, and a fairy appeared（出现） before her.Tonight your wish shall come true. You shall go to the Royal Ball.What! Who are you?I am your fairy.My fairy?Yes, your fairy. I know you are very kind and loving, and tonight, you shall be rewarded （报答）.Cinderella was so excited about getting to go to the ball, until（直到）she remembered（记起）, she had nothing to wear.Fairy, you are so kind, but I can not go to the Ball. I have only these rags to wear, and there is not enough time to buy a new dress.Oh dear! That simply won’t do. Leave everything to me.With a wave（挥动）of her wand（魔杖）, the fairy dressed Cinderella in the most beautiful gown（礼服）anyone had ever（曾经）seen. With another wave of her wand, Cinderella was wearing a lovely pearl necklace（珍珠项链） and pearl earrings（珍珠耳环）.Wow, I have never owned such a beautiful dress! I must be dreaming.It’s not a dream, Cinderella. Now you can g o to the Royal Ball too.But wait, I don’t have any way to get there.Don’t worry, Cinderella. I know just what to do. I will need a pumpkin, six white mice, a rat with long whiskers（胡须） and three lizards（蜥蜴）.But, I don’t understand, fairy.Trust me, my dear.The fairy waved her wand and a pumpkin, six white mice, a rat with long whiskers and three lizards appeared. She turned the pumpkin into a magnificent（华丽的） carriage（四轮马车）. The white mice became six white horses to pull（拉）the carriage. The three lizards became Cinderella’s servants（仆人）, and the fairy turned the rat into a carriage driver.Cinderella could not believe her eyes!Oh! Everything is perfect, fairy, but I have no shoes to wear.Ah, no ordinary（普通的） shoes will do for you. I will give you a pair of beautiful glass shoes.Thank you, fairy, thank you!!Hurry（赶快）dear, you don’t want to be late. Just remember, Cinderella, you must leave the palace（宫殿） by midnight.When the clock strikes（打） twelve, the magic will disappear （消失）, and everything will return to the way it was.I’ll remember, fairy. Thank you for everything!Cinderella quickly got into the carriage and left for the Ball.Meanwhile（此时）, at the Royal Palace, the Crown Prince looked everywhere（到处）for the girl he danced with in his dreams. He couldn’t find her anywhere（任何地方）.Son, why don’t you go and dance? Surely one of these girls would make a perfect bride-to-be.I only want to dance with the girl I saw in my dream.Just then, a servant came and said.A beautiful princess who does not give her name has just arrived.When Cinderella entered the Palace, everyone turned to see such a beautiful girl. The princeknew immediately that she was the girl in his dreams.He went to her and took her hand and led（指引） her to the dance floor（舞池）. They danced all night.The prince never even danced with another girl. Some of the people began to complain（抱怨）, including Cinderella’s step-sisters.Who is that girl the Prince is dancing with? He should be dancing with me!She’s not that pretty. I am more beautiful than she is.Cinderella was having so much fun that she forget what time it was.As she and the Prince were dancing, the clock began to strike twelve. Suddenly, Cinderella remembered that her Fairy said she must leave the ball before twelve, because everything will return to the way it was.I … I have to go.You are leaving so soon? It’s only twelve.I’m sorry, but I must leave.Cinderella ran as fast as she could, knowing that soon（很快） she would be wearing her old rags（破旧衣服）.She couldn’t let the prince see her like that.As she was running, one of her glass shoes fell off（跌落）. She didn’t have time to pick it up, so she just left it on the steps（台阶）. She got in her carriage and quickly went home.The price came running out after Cinderella.Please, wait! I don’t even know your name. Does anybody know who that beautiful girl was I was dancing with? I must find her.Prince, look! I have found one of her glass shoes here on the steps.Now hear this. The girl whose foot fits this shoe shall become my wife, be she rich or poor. Chapter 5The next day, the prince and his servants began going to every house in the kingdom trying to find the girl whose foot fit（适合） the glass shoe. They searched and searched, but no one seemed to be able to fit into the shoe. At last, they came to the house where Cinderella and herstep-mother and two step-sisters lived.Hear ye（你们听着）! Hear ye! Whosever（无论是谁的） tiny foot fits this glass shoe is the future queen. May we enter（进入）?Oh, of course. Welcome. It is an honor（荣誉）to have you in our home. These are my lovely daughters, Sula and Rica. I am sure one of them will fit into the glass shoe.I will go first. I know my foot will fit the shoe.I shall be the next queen.The servants brought the shoe to Sula to try on. She tried and tried to push her fat foot into the tiny shoe, but she just couldn’t do it.Step aside（让开）, Sula. It’s my turn now. It looks like I shall（应该） be the next queen.The servants brought the shoe to Rica. She pushed and she shoved（推挤） her foot into the shoe, but still it was about three sizes too small for her big foot.There must be some mistake（错误）. I know that shoe must fit one of my daughters. Try again!My apologies（对不起）madam, but the shoe just doesn’t fit.Are there any other young ladies in this house left to try on the shoe?No! I only have two daughters.Wait! Could I try the shoe on?You? Why should you get to try the shoe on?You did not even go to the ball.You are just a kitchen maid（女仆）, you should get back to work!Please ladies. The prince did say that everyone, be they rich or poor, shall have a chance to try on the glass shoe.The servant brought the shoe to Cinderella to try, and of course it fit perfectly.Behold（瞧）, oh prince the shoe fits!And here is the other one.What?But how?Chapter 6Just then the fairy appeared and worked her magic. Cinderella’s rags（破衣服） were gone （消失）, and once again she was dressed in the beautiful gown（礼服） she wore go the Ball.It’s her! It’s the girl I danced with in my dreams and at the Ball. She shall be my wife. Servants, announce（通知） to the entire（整个的） kingdom（王国） that they are all invited （邀请） to attend my wedding（婚礼） tomorrow afternoon.The prince helped Cinderella into his Royal carriage and took his bride-to-be（准新娘）back to the castle. This time it was Cinderella’s step-mother and two step-sisters who were left crying.The next day, everyone in the kingdom came to celebrate（庆祝） the royal wedding（皇室婚礼）. Cinderella and the Crown Prince were married, and they lived happily ever after（从此以后一直）.。