Storytelling is an ancient tradition that can be traced to the origin of mankind. Initially conceptualised in an oral form, it later transitioned to paper and books with the development of the printing press. The importance of stories is well documented over the years as an important part of the school curriculum and as a hobby. \ Cognitive development begins from a very young age and children must acquire the literacy skills of listening, reading and writing. This is where the art of listening to or reading stories plays a pivotal role. It is indeed imperative for the stories to be age-appropriate, with most stories conveying some moral lesson or the other. One such example is the Cinderella fairy story. Before we delve deeper into what the story is about and how it can benefit children, let’s look at its origin.
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Origin Of The Story Of Cinderella
The Cinderalla story is historically believed to date back to ancient China. One of the earliest versions of this story appeared as a Chinese story named, “Yeh-Shen” which surrounds the life of a young girl who was illtreated by her stepmother and stepsister. Assisted by a magical fish, the young girl attends a festival where she loses a golden shoe. The king finds the shoe and ultimately ends up marrying the young girl, saving her from her evil stepmother and stepsister. The Cinderella story in English is based on the very same concept.
The Cinderella Story
Long ago in an enchanted land lived a girl named Cinderella who was known for her kindness and generosity. She lived with Lady Tremaine, her stepmother, Anastasia and Drizella, her evil stepsisters. Unfortunately, Cinderella was made to stay all alone in an attic where she befriended two small mice and chirping birds. Her life was monotonous as she was looked down upon by her stepmother and stepsisters, who hated her because she was beautiful. Her life was made miserable with her performing all the household tasks. She woke up early in the morning to light the fire to keep their house warm. She also worked in the kitchen and prepared all the meals. She was called Cinderella because of the cinders left on her garment from lighting the fire.
As is customarily done, every wealthy and eligible bachelor in search of a wife organises a ball to which young maidens are invited. In the story of Cinderella, a messenger informed the townspeople of an upcoming ball as the King and Queen were in search of a bride for their prince. All the ladies were thrilled and started looking for their most beautiful gowns and jewellery. The news reached Cinderella’s stepmother who engaged her in the important task of sewing two dresses for her stepsisters. Sadly, Cinderreall was too tied down with work to even think of attending the ball. However, her urge and will to attend it got the better of her, She found an old dress which belonged to her mother and decided to transform it into something stunning.
As soon as Anastasis and Drizella saw how beautiful Cinderealla’s dress was, they were filled with jealousy. They tore the beads and ribbons from her dress while Lady Tremaine played the role of the innocent bystander. Dismayed by what her dress looked like, she ran into the garden and began to cry, wishing that she could attend the ball somehow. Immediately, Cinderella was met by her Fairy Godmother who with the flick of her wand magically transformed Cinderella and her dress into a timeless vision of beauty. She also transformed the two mice into carriage drivers so Cinderalla could attend the ball. However, there was just one condition. Her Fairy Godmother cautioned her that the spell would end at midnight and that she needed to leave before that.
Cinderella entered the ballroom looking stunningly gorgeous. She was unrecognisable to her stepmother and stepsisters. Everyone was in shock, believing her to be a princess owing to her magnificent appearance. In almost no time, the Prince’s eye fell on Cinderella and he invited her to dance. For the rest of the night Cinderella and the Prince enjoyed each other’s company. Cinderella was completely oblivious to what was happening around her to the extent that she lost track of time. All of a sudden the bell reminded her that midnight was approaching. Cinderella hurriedly took leave of the Prince and ran down the stairs.
In the flash of a moment, the spell began to slowly ear off people of an upcoming ball and Cinderella lost her glass shoe while attempting to escape. The young Prince was so captivated by her that he dedicated the next day to finding the owner of the glass slipper by himself personally visiting different houses. Ultimately, he arrived at Cinderella’s house. Lady Tremaine was sure it belonged to one of her daughters. However, the glass slipper fit neither of them. When Cinderella tried it on, they were surprised that it was a perfect fit. The Prince was elated to have found the lady whom he was so captivated by and the two were soon married, liberating Cinderella from her life of cruelty and pain.
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Moral Of The Story
Fairy tales and fables have long served as bedtime stories. The Cinderella bedtime story is a fairy tale which conveys a moral lesson. Deeply woven into the fabric of the narrative are the moral values of kindness, love, forgiveness and a belief in faith, Despite the cruelty of her stepmother and stepsisters, Cinderella has an unrelenting spirit that is willing to take on challenges and overcome adversities. It serves as a perfect story to teach children to dream big and have faith in themselves.
EuroSchool aspires to instill young minds with the hope of reaching great heights. The story of Cinderella elucidates the very same value. EuroSchool has a highly skilled group of experts involved in curriculum planning and the teaching-learning process. Our goal is to mold young minds into becoming effective leaders of tomorrow. One of our primary methods is through the art of storytelling. If you want to read more informative articles like this, do not forget to visit our blog.
Check out other Stories for your kids:
Pinocchio
The Wolf and The Lamb
Little Red Riding Hood
Beauty and The Beast
The Ant and The Dove
The Gift of Magi
Snow White and Seven Dwarfs
Sleeping Beauty
Aladdin and the Magic Lamp
