داستانهای صوتی

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مجموعه ای از داستانهای کوتاه انگلیسی

این کتاب مجموعه ای از داستانهای کوتاه انگلیسی می باشد که توسط آقای محمد حسینی گردآوری شده است.

داستان های این مجموعه عبارتند از:

-How good we are

-All Depends On Your Perspective

-Unconditional Love

-The Butterfly & the cocoon

-The purpose of life

-Love and Time

-Mountain Story

-Eagles in a Storm

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[zoha 53]

لطفا براي خواندن ادامه اين داستان صوتي انگليسي و يا دانلود فايل صوتي آن ادامه متن را كليك فرمائيد.

Snow White

A very long time ago, in mid winter, when the snowflakes were falling like feathers from heaven, a beautiful queen sat sewing at her window, which had a frame of black ebony. As she worked, she looked sometimes at the falling snow, and it happened that she pricked her finger with her needle, so that three drops of blood fell upon the snow. How pretty the red blood looked upon the dazzling white! The Queen said to herself as she looked it, “Ah me! If only I had a dear little child who had skin as white as the snow, lips as rosy as the blood, and hair as black as the ebony window-frame.”

Soon afterwards she had a little daughter, with skin white as snow, lips rosy as blood, and hair as black as ebony– and she was therefore called “Little Snow-White.”

But alas! When the little one was born, the good queen died.

A year passed away, and the King took another wife. She was a beautiful woman, but proud and haughty, and she could not bear that anyone else should surpass her in beauty. She had a mirror and when she stood in front of it and asked,

“Mirror, mirror upon the wall, Who is the fairest of us all?”

the mirror answered-

“Thou, O Queen, art the fairest of all,”

and the Queen was contented, because she knew the mirror could speak nothing but the truth.

But as time passed on, Little Snow-White grew more and more beautiful, until when she was seven years old, she was as lovely as the bright day, and still more lovely than the Queen herself, so that when the lady one day asked her mirror-

“Mirror, mirror upon the wall, Who is the fairest fair of us all?”

it answered-

“O Lady Queen, though fair ye be, Snow-White is fairer far to see.”

The Queen was shocked, and grew yellow and green with envy, and from that moment envy and pride grew in her heart like rank weeds, so that she had no peace day or night, until one day she called a huntsman and said “Take the child away into the woods and kill her, for I can no longer bear the sight of her. And when you return, bring with you her heart, that I may know you have obeyed my will.”

The huntsman dared not disobey, and he led Snow-White out into the woods and placed an arrow in his bow to pierce her innocent heart, but the little girl cried and begged him saying, “Ah dear huntsman, leave me my life! I will run away into the wild forest, and never come home again.”

And as she was so beautiful the huntsman had pity on her and said, “Run away, then, you poor child.” While to himself he thought, “The wild beasts will soon have devoured you,” and yet it seemed as if a stone had been rolled from his heart since he know longer had to to kill her.

Then as a young wild boar came rushing by, he killed it, took out its heart, and carried it home to the Queen. The cook was ordered to prepare this, and the wicked Queen ate it, and thought she had eaten the heart of Snow-white.

Poor little Snow-White was now all alone in the wild wood, and so frightened was she that she trembled at every leaf that rustled. Then she began to run, and ran over sharp stones and through thorns, and the wild beasts ran past her, but did her no harm. And she kept on runningn until she came to a little house, where she went in to rest.

Inside the cottage, everything she saw was tiny, but more dainty and clean than words can tell.

Upon a white-covered table stood seven little plates and upon each plate lay a little spoon, besides which there were seven knives and forks and seven little goblets. Against the wall, and side by side, stood seven little beds covered with perfectly white sheets.

Snow-White was so hungry and thirsty that she took a little food from each of the seven plates, and drank a few drops of wine from each goblet, for she did not wish to take everything away from one. Then, because she was so tired, she crept into one of the beds, but it did not suit her, and then she tried the others, but one was too long, another too short, and so on, until she came to the seventh, which suited her exactly; so she said her prayers and soon fell fast asleep.

When night fell the masters of the little house came home. They were seven dwarfs, who worked with a pick-axe and spade, searching for cooper and gold in the heart of the mountains.

They lit their seven candles and then saw that someone had been to visit them. The first said, “Who has been sitting on my chair?”

The second said, “Who has been eating from my plate?”

The third, “Who has taken a piece of my bread?”

The fourth, “Who has taken some of my vegetables?”

The fifth, “Who has been using my fork?”

The sixth, “Who has been cutting with my knife?”

The seventh, “Who has been drinking out of my goblet?”

The first looked round and saw that his bed was rumpled, so he said, “Who has been getting into my bed?”

Then the others looked round and each one cried, “Someone has been on my bed too?”

But the seventh, when he looked at his bed, saw little Snow-white, who was lying asleep there. And he called the others, who came running up, and they cried out with astonishment, and brought their seven little candles and let the light fall on little Snow-white. “Oh, heavens! oh, heavens!” cried they, “what a lovely child!” and they were so glad that they did not wake her up, but let her sleep on in the bed. And the seventh dwarf slept with his companions, one hour with each, and so got through the night.

When the sun rose, Snow-White awoke, and, oh! How frightened she was when she saw the seven little dwarfs. But they were very friendly, and asked what her name was. “My name is Snow-White,” she answered.

“And how did you come to get into our house?” asked the dwarfs.

Then she told them how her cruel step-mother had intended her to be killed, but how the huntsman had spared her life and she had run on until she reached the little house. And the dwarfs said, “If you will take care of our house, cook for us, and make the beds, wash, mend, and knit, and keep everything neat and clean, then you may stay with us and you shall lack for nothing.”

“Yes,” answered Snow-White; “With All my heart,” and so she stayed.

She kept the house neat and clean for the dwarfs, who went off early in the morning to search for copper and gold in the mountains, and who expected their meal to be standing ready for them when they returned at night.

All day long Snow-White was alone, and the good little dwarfs warned her to be careful to let no one into the house. “For,” said they, “your step-mother will soon discover that you are living here.”

The Queen, believing, of course, that Snow-White was dead, and that she had eaten her heart, and that therefore she was again the most beautiful lady in the land, went to her mirror, and said-

“Mirror, mirror upon the wall, Who is the fairest fair of all?”

Then the mirror answered-

“O Lady Queen, though fair ye be, Snow-White is fairer far to see. Over the hills and far away, She dwells with seven dwarfs to-day.”

How angry she was, for she knew that the mirror spoke the truth, and that the huntsman must have deceived her. She thought and thought how she might kill Snow-White, for she knew she would have neither rest nor peace until she really was the most beautiful land. At length she decided what to do. She painted her face and dressed herself like an old pedlar-woman, so that no one could recognize her, and in this disguise she climbed the seven mountains that lay between her and the dwarfs’ house, and knocked at their door and cried, “Pretty things to sell, very cheap, very cheap.”

Snow-White peeped from the window and said, “Good day, good-wife, and what are your wares?”

“All sorts of pretty things, my dear,” answered the woman. “Silken laces of every colour,” and she held up a bright-coloured one, made of plaited silks.

“Surely I might let this honest old woman come in?” thought Snow-White, and unbolted the door and bought the pretty lace.

“Dear, dear, what a sight for sore eyes you are, child,” said the old woman; “come, let me lace you properly for once.”

Snow-White had no suspicious thoughts, so she placed herself in front of the old woman that she might fasten her dress with the new silk lace. But immediately the wicked creature laced her bodice so tightly that she could not breathe, and fell down upon the ground as though she were dead. “Now,” said the Queen, “I am once more the most beautiful lady in the land,” and she went away.

When the dwarfs came home they were very grieved to find their dear little Snow-White lying upon the ground as though she were dead. They lifted her gently and, seeing that she was too tightly laced, they cut the silken cord, when she drew a long breath and then gradually came back to life.

When the dwarfs heard all that had happened they said, “The pedlar-woman was certainly the wicked Queen. Now, take care in future that you open the door to none when we are not with you.”

The wicked Queen had no sooner reached home than she went to her mirror, and said-

“Mirror, mirror upon the wall, Who is the fairest fair of all?”

And the mirror answered as before-

“O Lady Queen, though fair ye be, Snow-White is fairer far to see. Over the hills and far away, She dwells with seven dwarfs to-day.”

The blood rushed to her face as she heard these words, for she knew that Snow-White must have come to life again.

“But I will manage to put an end to her yet,” she said, and then, by using witchcraft, she made a poisonous comb.

Again she disguised herself, climbed the seven mountains, and knocked at the door of the seven dwarfs’ cottage, crying, “Pretty things to sell-very cheap today!”

Snow-White looked out of the window and said, “Go away, good woman, for I dare not let you in.”

Surely you can look at my goods,” answered the woman, and held up the poisonous comb, which pleased Snow-White so well that she opened the door and bought it.

“Come, let me comb your hair in the newest way,” said the woman, and the poor unsuspicious child let her have her way, but no sooner did the comb touch her hair than the poison began to work, and she fell fainting to the ground.

“There, you model of beauty,” said the wicked woman, as she went away, “you are done for at last!”

But fortunately it was almost time for the dwarfs to come home, and as soon as they came in and found Snow-White lying upon the ground they guessed that her wicked step-mother had been there again, and set to work to find out what was wrong.

They soon saw the poisonous comb, and drew it out of her hair, and almost immediately Snow-White began to recover, and told them what had happened.

Once more they warned her to be on her guard, and to open the door to no one.

When the Queen reached home, she went straight to the mirror and said–

“Mirror, mirror on the wall, Who is the fairest fair of all?”

And the mirror answered-

“O Lady Queen, though fair ye be, Snow-White is fairer far to see. Over the hills and far away, She dwells with seven dwarfs to-day.”

When the Queen heard these words she shook with rage. “Snow-White shall die,” she cried, “even if it costs me my own life!”

She went into a secret chamber, where no one else ever entered, and there she made a poisonous apple, and then she painted her face and disguised herself as a peasant woman, and climbed the seven mountains and went to the dwarfs’ house.

She knocked at the door. Snow-White put her head out of the window, and said, “I must not let anyone in; the seven dwarfs have forbidden me to do so.”

“It’s all the same to me,” answered the peasant woman; “I shall soon get rid of these fine apples. But before I go I’ll make you a present of one.”

“Oh! No,” said Snow-White, “for I must not take it.”

“Surely you are not afraid of poison?” said the woman. “See, I will cut one in two: the rosy cheek you shall take, and the white cheek I will eat myself.”

Now, the apple had been so cleverly made that only the rose-cheeked side contained the poison. Snow-White longed for the delicious-looking fruit, and when she saw that the woman ate half of it, she thought there could be no danger, and stretched out her hand and took the other part. But no sooner had she tasted it than she fell down dead.

The wicked Queen laughed aloud with joy as she gazed at her. “White as snow, red as blood, black as ebony,” she said, “this time the dwarfs cannot awaken you.”

And she went straight home and asked her mirror–

“Mirror, mirror upon the wall, Who is the fairest fair of all?”

And at length it answered–

“Thou, O Queen, art fairest of all!”

So her envious heart had peace-at least, as much as an envious heart can have peace.

When the little dwarfs came home at night they found Snow-White lying upon the ground. No breath came from her parted lips, for she was dead. They lifted her tenderly and sought for some poisonous object which might have caused the mischief, unlaced her frock, combed her hair, and washed her with wine and water, but all in vain-dead she was and dead she remained. They laid her upon a bier, and all seven of them sat round about it, and wept as though their hearts would break, for three whole days.

When the time came that she should be laid in the ground they could not bear to part from her. Her pretty cheeks were still rosy red, and she looked just as though she were still living.

“We cannot hide her away in the dark earth,” said the dwarfs, and so they made a transparent coffin of shining glass, and laid her in it, and wrote her name upon it in letters of gold; and that she was a King’s daughter. Then they put the coffin out upon the mountain-top, and one of them always stayed by it and watched it. And birds came too, and wept for Snow-white; first an owl, then a raven, and last a dove.

For a long, long time little Snow-White lay in the coffin, but she did not change; she only looked as though she slept, for she was still as white as snow, as red as blood, and as black as ebony.

It chanced that a King’s son came into the wood, and went to the dwarfs’ house, meaning to spend the night there. He saw the coffin upon the mountain-top, with little Snow-White lying within it, and he read the words that were written upon it in letters of gold.

And he said to the dwarfs, “If you will but let me have the coffin, you may ask of me what you will, and I will give it to you.”

But the dwarfs answered, “We would not sell it for all the gold in the world.”

Then said the Prince, “Let me have it as a gift, I pray you, for I cannot live without seeing little Snow-White, and I will prize your gift as the dearest of my possessions.”

The good little dwarfs pitied him when they heard these words, and so gave him the coffin. The King’s son then bade his servants place it upon their shoulders and carry it away, but as they went they stumbled over the stump of a tree, and the violent shaking shook the piece of poisonous apple which had lodged in Snow-White’s throat out again, so that she opened her eyes, raised the lid of the coffin, and sat up, alive once more.

“Where am I?” she cried, and the happy Prince answered, “Thou art with me, dearest.”

Then he told her all that had happened, and how he loved her better than the whole world, and begged her to go with him to his father’s palace and be his wife. Snow-White agreed, and went with him, and the wedding was celebrated with great splendour and magnificence.

Little Snow-White’s wicked step-mother was invited to the feast, and when she had dressed herself in her most beautiful clothes, she stood before her mirror, and said–

“Mirror, mirror upon the wall, Who is the fairest fair of all?”

And the mirror answered–

“O Lady Queen, though fair ye be, The young Queen is fairer to see.”

Oh! How angry the wicked woman was then, and so terrified, too, that she scarcely knew what to do. At first she thought she would not go to the wedding at all, but then she felt that she could not rest until she had seen the young Queen. No sooner did she enter the palace than she recognized little Snow-White, and could not move for terror.

Then a pair of red-hot iron shoes was brought into the room with tongs and set before her, and these she was forced to put on and to dance in them until she could dance no longer, but fell down dead, and that was the end of the wicked queen.

لطفا براي دانلود ، ابتدا راست كليك و سپس save target as را انتخاب فرمائيد.

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[zoha 53]

داستان tom-sawyer

 

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[zoha 53]

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Read by Natasha. Duration 19.30

 

There was once a fisherman who lived with his wife in a pigsty, close

by the seaside. The fisherman used to go out all day long a-fishing;

and one day, as he sat on the shore with his rod, looking at the

sparkling waves and watching his line, all on a sudden his float was

dragged away deep into the water: and when he reeled in his line, he pulled out a

golden fish. But the fish said, ‘Pray let me live! I am not a real

fish; I am an enchanted prince: put me in the water again, and let me

go!’ ‘Oh, ho!’ said the man, ‘you need not go on much more about

the matter; I will have nothing to do with a fish that can talk: so

swim away, sir, as soon as you please!’ Then he put him back into the

water, and the fish darted straight down to the bottom, and left a

long streak of blood behind him on the wave.

When the fisherman went home to his wife in the pigsty, he told her

how he had caught a golden fish, and how it had told him it was an

enchanted prince, and how, on hearing it speak, he had let it go

again. ‘Did not you ask it for anything?’ said the wife, ‘we live very

wretchedly here, in this nasty dirty pigsty; do go back and tell the

fish we want a snug little cottage.’

The fisherman did not much like the business: however, he went to the

seashore; and when he came back there the water looked all yellow and

green. And he stood at the water’s edge, and said:

‘O man of the sea!

Hearken to me!

My wife Ilsabill

Will have her own will,

And hath sent me to beg a gift of thee!’

Then the fish came swimming to him, and said, ‘Well, what is her will?

What does your wife want?’ ‘Ah!’ said the fisherman, ’she says that

when I had caught you, I ought to have asked you for something before

I let you go; she does not like living any longer in the pigsty, and

wants a snug little cottage.’ ‘Go home, then,’ said the fish; ’she is

in the cottage already!’ So the man went home, and saw his wife

standing at the door of a nice trim little cottage. ‘Come in, come

in!’ said she; ‘is not this much better than the filthy pigsty we

had?’ And there was a parlour, and a bedroom, and a kitchen; and

behind the cottage there was a little garden, planted with all sorts

of flowers and fruits; and there was a courtyard behind, full of ducks

and chickens. ‘Ah!’ said the fisherman, ‘how happily we shall live

now!’ ‘We will try to do so, at least,’ said his wife.

Everything went right for a week or two, and then Dame Ilsabill said,

‘Husband, there is not nearly room enough for us in this cottage; the

courtyard and the garden are a great deal too small; I should like to

have a large stone castle to live in: go to the fish again and tell

him to give us a castle.’ ‘Wife,’ said the fisherman, ‘I don’t like to

go to him again, for perhaps he will be angry; we ought to be easy

with this pretty cottage to live in.’ ‘Nonsense!’ said the wife; ‘he

will do it very willingly, I know; go along and try!’

The fisherman went, but his heart was very heavy: and when he came to

the sea, it looked blue and gloomy, though it was very calm; and he

went close to the edge of the waves, and said:

‘O man of the sea!

Hearken to me!

My wife Ilsabill

Will have her own will,

And hath sent me to beg a gift of thee!’

‘Well, what does she want now?’ said the fish. ‘Ah!’ said the man,

dolefully, ‘my wife wants to live in a stone castle.’ ‘Go home, then,’

said the fish; ’she is standing at the gate of it already.’ So away

went the fisherman, and found his wife standing before the gate of a

great castle. ‘See,’ said she, ‘is not this grand?’ With that they

went into the castle together, and found a great many servants there,

and the rooms all richly furnished, and full of golden chairs and

tables; and behind the castle was a garden, and around it was a park

half a mile long, full of sheep, and goats, and hares, and deer; and

in the courtyard were stables and cow-houses. ‘Well,’ said the man,

‘now we will live cheerful and happy in this beautiful castle for the

rest of our lives.’ ‘Perhaps we may,’ said the wife; ‘but let us sleep

upon it, before we make up our minds to that.’ So they went to bed.

The next morning when Dame Ilsabill awoke it was broad daylight, and

she jogged the fisherman with her elbow, and said, ‘Get up, husband,

and bestir yourself, for we must be king of all the land.’ ‘Wife,

wife,’ said the man, ‘why should we wish to be the king? I will not be

king.’ ‘Then I will,’ said she. ‘But, wife,’ said the fisherman, ‘how

can you be king–the fish cannot make you a king?’ ‘Husband,’ said

she, ’say no more about it, but go and try! I will be king.’ So the

man went away quite sorrowful to think that his wife should want to be

king. This time the sea looked a dark grey colour, and was overspread

with curling waves and the ridges of foam as he cried out:

‘O man of the sea!

Hearken to me!

My wife Ilsabill

Will have her own will,

And hath sent me to beg a gift of thee!’

‘Well, what would she have now?’ said the fish. ‘Alas!’ said the poor

man, ‘my wife wants to be king.’ ‘Go home,’ said the fish; ’she is

king already.’

Then the fisherman went home; and as he came close to the palace he

saw a troop of soldiers, and heard the sound of drums and trumpets.

And when he went in he saw his wife sitting on a throne of gold and

diamonds, with a golden crown upon her head; and on each side of her

stood six fair maidens, each a head taller than the other. ‘Well,

wife,’ said the fisherman, ‘are you king?’ ‘Yes,’ said she, ‘I am

king.’ And when he had looked at her for a long time, he said, ‘Ah,

wife! what a fine thing it is to be king! Now we shall never have

anything more to wish for as long as we live.’ ‘I don’t know how that

may be,’ said she; ‘never is a long time. I am king, it is true; but I

begin to be tired of that, and I think I should like to be emperor.’

‘Alas, wife! why should you wish to be emperor?’ said the fisherman.

‘Husband,’ said she, ‘go to the fish! I say I will be emperor.’ ‘Ah,

wife!’ replied the fisherman, ‘the fish cannot make an emperor, I am

sure, and I should not like to ask him for such a thing.’ ‘I am king,’

said Ilsabill, ‘and you are my slave; so go at once!’

So the fisherman was forced to go; and he muttered as he went along,

‘This will come to no good, it is too much to ask; the fish will be

tired at last, and then we shall be sorry for what we have done.’ He

soon came to the seashore; and the water was quite black and muddy,

and a mighty whirlwind blew over the waves and rolled them about, but

he went as near as he could to the water’s brink, and said:

‘O man of the sea!

Hearken to me!

My wife Ilsabill

Will have her own will,

And hath sent me to beg a gift of thee!’

‘What would she have now?’ said the fish. ‘Ah!’ said the fisherman,

’she wants to be emperor.’ ‘Go home,’ said the fish; ’she is emperor

already.’

So he went home again; and as he came near he saw his wife Ilsabill

sitting on a very lofty throne made of solid gold, with a great crown

on her head full two yards high; and on each side of her stood her

guards and attendants in a row, each one smaller than the other, from

the tallest giant down to a little dwarf no bigger than my finger. And

before her stood princes, and dukes, and earls: and the fisherman went

up to her and said, ‘Wife, are you emperor?’ ‘Yes,’ said she, ‘I am

emperor.’ ‘Ah!’ said the man, as he gazed upon her, ‘what a fine thing

it is to be emperor!’ ‘Husband,’ said she, ‘why should we stop at

being emperor? I will be pope next.’ ‘O wife, wife!’ said he, ‘how can

you be pope? there is but one pope at a time in Christendom.’

‘Husband,’ said she, ‘I will be pope this very day.’ ‘But,’ replied

the husband, ‘the fish cannot make you pope.’ ‘What nonsense!’ said

she; ‘if he can make an emperor, he can make a pope: go and try him.’

So the fisherman went. But when he came to the shore the wind was

raging and the sea was tossed up and down in boiling waves, and the

ships were in trouble, and rolled fearfully upon the tops of the

billows. In the middle of the heavens there was a little piece of blue

sky, but towards the south all was red, as if a dreadful storm was

rising. At this sight the fisherman was dreadfully frightened, and he

trembled so that his knees knocked together: but still he went down

near to the shore, and said:

‘O man of the sea!

Hearken to me!

My wife Ilsabill

Will have her own will,

And hath sent me to beg a gift of thee!’

‘What does she want now?’ said the fish. ‘Ah!’ said the fisherman, ‘my

wife wants to be pope.’ ‘Go home,’ said the fish; ’she is pope

already.’

Then the fisherman went home, and found Ilsabill sitting on a throne

that was two miles high. And she had three great crowns on her head,

and around her stood all the pomp and power of the Church. And on each

side of her were two rows of burning lights, of all sizes, the

greatest as large as the highest and biggest tower in the world, and

the least no larger than a small rush light. ‘Wife,’ said the

fisherman, as he looked at all this greatness, ‘are you pope?’ ‘Yes,’

said she, ‘I am pope.’ ‘Well, wife,’ replied he, ‘it is a grand thing

to be pope; and now you must be easy, for you can be nothing greater.’

‘I will think about that,’ said the wife. Then they went to bed: but

Dame Ilsabill could not sleep all night for thinking what she should

be next. At last, as she was dropping asleep, morning broke, and the

sun rose. ‘Ha!’ thought she, as she woke up and looked at it through

the window, ‘after all I cannot prevent the sun rising.’ At this

thought she was very angry, and wakened her husband, and said,

‘Husband, go to the fish and tell him I must be lord of the sun and

moon.’ The fisherman was half asleep, but the thought frightened him

so much that he started and fell out of bed. ‘Alas, wife!’ said he,

‘cannot you be easy with being pope?’ ‘No,’ said she, ‘I am very

uneasy as long as the sun and moon rise without my permission. Go to the

fish at once!’

Then the man went shivering with fear; and as he was going down to the

shore a dreadful storm arose, so that the trees and the very rocks

shook. And all the heavens became black with stormy clouds, and the

lightnings played, and the thunders rolled; and you might have seen in

the sea great black waves, swelling up like mountains with crowns of

white foam upon their heads. And the fisherman crept towards the sea,

and cried out, as well as he could:

‘O man of the sea!

Hearken to me!

My wife Ilsabill

Will have her own will,

And hath sent me to beg a gift of thee!’

‘What does she want now?’ said the fish. ‘Ah!’ said he, ’she wants to

be lord of the sun and moon.’ ‘Go home,’ said the fish, ‘to your

pigsty again.’

And there they live to this very day.

[zoha 53]

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Read by Natasha. Duration 19 Minutes.

 

 

Cinderella - Hello everybody, my name is Natasha, and his Royal Highness, Prince Bertie the Frog, has commanded me to tell you the Storynory of Cinderella. As you probably know, Bertie used to be a Royal prince, but now he’s a frog and lives on a pond. This morning, I heard Sadie the Swan sigh and say, “You know Bertie, in her heart, every girl dreams that one day she shall meet her handsome prince.”

“Well they’re are just silly,” interupted Colin the Carp, who is a very grumpy fish. “Why can’t they ever wish to meet a handsome carp, that’s what i want to know.”

“Because Prince’s are bave and fearless,” said Bertie. “And some of us can even do double back-flips on our skateboards.”

Now, there is a very famous fairy tale about a girl’s wish that did come true, and I expect you know already that the story is called Cinderella, and it’s time for me to tell it to you.

ONCE there was a gentleman who married, for his second wife, the proudest and most haughty woman that was ever seen. She had been married before, and already had two daughters who were exactly like her in all things. He had likewise, by his first wife, a young daughter, but of unequalled goodness and sweetness of temper, which she took from her mother, who was the best creature in the world. This sweet little girl missed her mother, who had died, terribly much.

No sooner was the wedding ceremony over, than the new wife began to show herself in her true colors. She could not bear the goodness of the gentleman’s pretty girl, and especially as she made her own daughters appear the more horrid. She made her do the meanest jobs in the house: the girl scoured the dishes and tables, and scrubbed the stepmother’s bathroom, and those of her daughters; she slept in a little attic, upon a wretched straw bed, while her sisters lay upon beds with the softest pillows, in fine rooms, with floors covered with beautiful carpets, and walls on which hung looking-glasses so large that they might see themselves at their full length from head to foot.

The poor girl bore all patiently, and dared not tell her father, who would have been angry with her; for his new wife ruled him entirely. When the little girl had done her work, she used to go into the chimney-corner, and sit down among cinders and ashes, which led her to be called Cinderwench; but the youngest step-daughter, who was not quite so rude and unkind as the eldest, called her Cinderella. However, Cinderella, even though she was dressed in rags, was a hundred times prettier than her sisters, though they were always dressed very richly.

It happened that the King’s son gave a ball, and invited all finest gentlemen and ladies of the city. Our young misses were also invited, for they were always to be seen at fashionable parties. They were truly delighted at this invitation, and wonderfully busy in choosing such gowns, petticoats, and head-clothes as might suit them. This was a new trouble to Cinderella; for it was she who washed and ironed her sisters’ clothes and got all their things ready. Meanwhile, the sisters talked all day long of nothing but what they should wear to the ball.

“For my part,” said the eldest, “I will wear my red velvet suit with French trimming.”

“And I,” said the youngest, “shall have my usual petticoat; but then, to make amends for that, I will put on my gold-flowered gown, and my diamond belt, which is far from being the most ordinary one in the world.”

But in truth, they were still not absolutely sure what would be best to wear to the ball, so they sent for the best fashion designer they could find to advise on their evening dresses, and they had their nails maniqured at Mademoiselle de la Poche.

Cinderella was likewise called up to them for advice, for she had excellent judgement, and advised them always for the best, indeed, and offered her services to make up their hair, which they were very willing she should do. As she was doing this, they said to her:

“Cinderella, would you not be glad to go to the ball?”

“Alas!” said she, “you only jeer me; it is not for a poor girl like me to go there.”

“You’re quite right,” replied they; “it would make the people laugh to see a Cinderwench at a ball.”

Anyone but Cinderella would have dressed their heads all wrong, but she was very good, and dressed them perfectly well.

The step-sisters were almost two days without eating, so much were they thrilled and excited. They broke above a dozen corsettes in trying to be laced up tightly, so that they might have a fine slender shape, and they were continually at their looking-glass. At last the happy day came; they went to Court, and Cinderella followed them with her eyes as long as she could, and when she had lost sight of them, she fell a-crying.

Just then, her fairy-godmother, who used to watch-over her secretly, saw her all in tears, and appeared at her side and asked her what was the matter.

“I wish I could–I wish I could–”; she was not able to speak the rest, being interrupted by her tears and sobbing.

This fairy godmother of hers said to her, “You wish you could go to the ball; is it not so?”

“Y–es,” cried Cinderella, with a great sigh.

“Well,” said her godmother, “be but a good girl, and I will see that you shall go to the ball.” Then she took her into her secret room, and said to her, “Run into the garden, and bring me a pumpkin.”

Cinderella went immediately to gather the finest she could get, and brought it to her godmother, not being able to imagine how this pumpkin could make her go to the ball. Her godmother scooped out all the inside of the big vegitable, leaving nothing but the rind; which done, she struck it with her wand, and the pumpkin was instantly turned into a fine coach, gilded all over with gold.

She then went to look into her mouse-trap, where she found six mice, all alive, and ordered Cinderella to lift up a little the trapdoor. As each mouse went out, she gave it a little tap with her wand, and the mouse was that moment turned into a fine horse, which altogether made a very fine set of six horses of a beautiful mouse-colored dapple-gray. But they still needed a coachman,

“I will go and see,” says Cinderella, “if there is a rat in the rat-trap–we may make a coachman of him.”

“You’re a smart one,” replied her godmother; “go and look.”

Cinderella brought the trap to her, and in it there were three huge rats. The fairy made choice of one of the three which had the largest beard, and, having touched him with her wand, he was turned into a fat, jolly coach- man, who had the smartest whiskers eyes ever beheld. After that, she said to her:

“Go again into the garden, and you will find six lizards behind the watering-pot, bring them to me.”

She had no sooner done so but her godmother turned them into six footmen, who skipped up immediately behind the coach, with their uniforms all bedaubed with gold and silver, and clung as close behind each other as if they had done nothing else their whole lives. The Fairy then said to Cinderella:

“Well, you have here transport fit to take you to the ball; are you not pleased with it?”

“Oh! yes,” cried she; “but must I go there as I am, in these nasty rags?”

Her godmother only just touched her with her wand, and, at the same instant, her clothes were turned into cloth of gold and silver, all beset with jewels. This done, she gave her a pair of glass slippers, the prettiest in the whole world. Being thus decked out, she got up into her coach; but her godmother, above all things, commanded her not to stay till after midnight, telling her, at the same time, that if she stayed one moment longer, the coach would be a pumpkin again, her horses mice, her coachman a rat, her footmen lizards, and her clothes become just as they were before.

She promised her godmother she would not fail of leaving the ball before midnight; and then away she drives, scarce able to contain herself for joy. The King’s son who was told that a great princess, whom nobody knew, was come, ran out to receive her; he gave her his hand as she alighted out of the coach, and led her into the ball, among all the company. There was immediately a profound silence, they left off dancing, and the violins ceased to play, so attentive was everyone to contemplate the singular beauties of the unknown new-comer. Nothing was then heard but a confused noise of:

“Ha! how lovey she is! Ha! how lovely she is!”

The King himself, old as he was, could not help watching her, and telling the Queen softly that it was a long time since he had seen so beautiful and lovely a creature.

All the ladies were busied in considering her clothes and headdress, that they might have some made next day after the same pattern, provided they could meet with such fine material and as able hands to make them.

The King’s son led her to the most honorable seat, and afterward took her out to dance with him; she danced so very gracefully that they all more and more admired her. A fine banquet was served up, of which the young prince ate not a morsel, so intently was he busied in gazing on her.

She went and sat down by her sisters, showing them a thousand polite gestures, giving them part of the oranges and lemon blosoms which the Prince had presented her with, which very much surprised them, for they did not recognise her. While Cinderella was thus amusing her sisters, she heard the clock strike eleven and three-quarters, whereupon she immediately made a courtesy to the company and hasted away as fast as she could.

When she got home she ran to seek out her godmother, and, after having thanked her, she said she could not but heartily wish she might go next day to the ball, because the King’s son had desired her.

As she was eagerly telling her godmother whatever had passed at the ball, her two sisters knocked at the door, which Cinderella ran and opened.

“How long you have stayed!” cried she, gaping, rubbing her eyes and stretching herself as if she had been just waked out of her sleep; she had not, however, any manner of inclination to sleep since they went from home.

“If you had been at the ball,” said one of her sisters, “you would not have been tired with it. There came there the finest princess, the most beautiful ever was seen with mortal eyes; she was a thousand times nice to us, and gave us orange and lemon blossoms.”

Cinderella seemed very indifferent in the matter; indeed, she asked them the name of that princess; but they told her they did not know it, and that the King’s son was very uneasy on her account and would give all the world to know who she was. At this Cinderella, smiling, replied:

“She must, then, be very beautiful indeed; how happy you have been! Could not I see her? Ah! dear Miss Charlotte, do lend me your yellow suit of clothes which you wear every day.”

“Ay, to be sure!” cried Miss Charlotte; “lend my clothes to such a dirty Cinderwench as you! I should be a fool.”

Cinderella, indeed, expected well such answer, and was very glad of the refusal; for she would have been sadly put to it if her sister had lent her what she asked for jokingly.

The next day the two sisters were at the ball, and so was Cinderella, but dressed more magnificently than before. The King’s son was always by her, and never ceased his compliments and kind speeches to her; to whom all this was so far from being tiresome that she quite forgot what her godmother had recommended to her; so that she, at last, counted the clock striking twelve when she took it to be no more than eleven; she then rose up and fled, as nimble as a deer. The Prince followed, but could not overtake her. She left behind one of her glass slippers, which the Prince took up most carefully. She got home but quite out of breath, and in her nasty old clothes, having nothing left her of all her finery but one of the little slippers, fellow to that she dropped. The guards at the palace gate were asked: If they had not seen a princess go out. They replied that had seen nobody go out but a young girl, very meanly dressed, and who had more the air of a poor country wench than a gentlewoman.

When the two sisters returned from the ball Cinderella asked them: If they had been well diverted, and if the fine lady had been there.

They told her: Yes, but that she hurried away immediately when it struck twelve, and with so much haste that she dropped one of her little glass slippers, the prettiest in the world, which the King’s son had taken up; that he had done nothing but look at her all the time at the ball, and that most certainly he was very much in love with the beautiful person who owned the glass slipper.

What they said was very true; for a few days after the King’s son commanded it to be proclaimed, by sound of trumpet, that he would marry the young woman whose foot would perfectly fit the slipper. He sent out his most trusted advsiers from the palace, who began to try it upon the princesses, then the duchesses and all the Court, but in vain; it was brought to the two sisters, who each did all that she possibly could to thrust her foot into the slipper, but neither sister could manage to do so. Cinderella, who saw all this, and knew her slipper, said to them, laughing:

“Let me see if it will not fit me.”

Her sisters burst out a-laughing, and began to tease her. The gentleman who was sent to try the slipper looked earnestly at Cinderella, and, finding her very handsome, said: it was only right that that she should try, and that he had orders to let every girl try.

He asked Cinderella to sit down, and, putting the slipper to her foot, he found it went on very easily, and fitted her as if it had been made of wax. The astonishment her two sisters were in was excessively great, but still abundantly greater when Cinderella pulled out of her pocket the other slipper, and put it on her foot. Thereupon, in came her godmother, who, having touched with her wand Cinderella’s clothes, made them richer and more magnificent than any of those she had before.

And now her two sisters found her to be that fine, beautiful lady whom they had seen at the ball. They threw themselves at her feet to beg pardon for all the ill- treatment they had dished out to her. Cinderella took them up, and, as she embraced them, cried:

That she forgave them with all her heart, and desired them always to love her.

She was brought by carriage to the young prince, dressed as she was; he thought her more charming than ever, and, a few days after, married her. Cinderella, who was no less good than beautiful, gave her two sisters rooms in the palace, and that very same day matched them with two great lords of the Court.

And that’s Storyory of Cinderala. And Saidie the swan has just whispered that she believes that every girl will meet her prince one day, and hopefully, adds colin the carp, “one that hasn’t been turned into a frog.

You can find out about more Prince Bertie the frog’s Sories at Storynory.com, where all Prince Bertie the Frog’s stories are free, and if you like you can buy a personalised story for a very special persion in your life. So tell all your friends to visit Storynory.com. For now, from me, Natasha, Bye Bye!

[RaMiN 26]

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