Long ago, in a small village, there lived a young woman named Cinderella. She had been taken in by an adopted family after losing her parents, but her stepmother and stepsisters treated her poorly. They gave her the hardest chores and spoke to her with unkind words, though she longed for a home where she could truly belong.
One night, as she slept in her small attic room, a warm golden light awoke her. A gentle voice said, “You have been patient and good, and I wish to reward you.”
Before her stood a woman in a silver cloak, holding a wand carved from an ancient branch. She hung a beautiful blue gown upon the wall and placed a pair of crystal slippers beside it. On the table lay an envelope sealed with gold wax: