Hello my sweet listener.
Welcome to Storytime with Nana Jojo.
I'm so glad you're here.
I'm Nana Jojo and I have another very special story for you today.
It's a story that children have loved for many many years and it's one of my favorites.
I used to read it when I was a little girl.
The story is about a girl named Cinderella.
She was kind and brave and one day all her dreams came true.
Are you ready?
Let's begin.
Once upon a time in a land far far away there lived a sweet girl named Cinderella.
Cinderella had a kind heart and a big happy smile.
She lived in a big house with her stepmother and two stepsisters.
But Cinderella didn't have a pretty room like her stepsisters did.
She slept way up at the top of the house in the attic.
Her stepmother and stepsisters weren't very nice to her.
They gave her lots and lots of chores to do every single day.
Cinderella swept the floors,
Washed the dishes,
Dusted the furniture,
And even cleaned out the dirty old fireplace.
That left her hands all covered in cinders and ash.
And that's why they called her Cinderella.
Because she was covered in all those cinders.
But no matter how hard she worked,
Cinderella stayed kind and cheerful.
She sang songs while she swept and scrubbed.
And she was gentle with everyone she met,
Even the tiny little mice who lived inside the walls.
The mice loved Cinderella very much.
She shared bread crumbs with them and she always talked to them in the softest,
Sweetest voice.
She even made them tiny little clothes to wear.
Can you imagine?
Little mouse sized shirts and dresses.
How fun is that?
And birds came to visit her too.
Every morning they tapped on her window with their little beaks.
Tap,
Tap,
Tap.
Because they wanted to say good morning to her.
Cinderella always opened her window and said good morning right back to them.
Even the horse in the stable and the dog in the backyard knew that Cinderella was special.
Every day she petted them gently and whispered sweet words to them.
So you see,
All the animals loved Cinderella.
And do you know why?
Because she was kind and caring to every single one of them.
One sunny morning there was a knock at the door.
It was a messenger from the palace.
He was carrying a beautiful golden envelope with a royal seal on it.
Cinderella's stepmother snatched it up and opened it fast.
Her eyes grew wide.
The prince is having a grand party at the palace tomorrow night and every young lady in the kingdom is invited.
The two stepsisters jumped up and down with excitement.
A party!
A party!
We're going to meet the prince!
Cinderella felt a little flutter of hope in her heart.
May I come too?
She asked softly.
Her stepmother looked at her with cold,
Cold eyes.
You go to the ball?
She gave a little laugh.
Ha ha ha ha.
Only if you finish all your chores.
Every single one.
And only if you have something beautiful to wear.
Cinderella felt a little sad,
But she nodded.
She would try her very best.
All day long Cinderella worked as hard as she could.
She swept every floor,
Washed every dish,
And pressed every dress for her stepsisters.
She even styled their hair in fancy curls.
But her stepsisters were too busy thinking about themselves to notice how tired Cinderella was.
While they tried on dress after dress after dress,
Cinderella had a little thought.
She remembered an old dress,
One that had belonged to her mother,
Tucked away in a trunk up in the attic.
Maybe,
Just maybe,
She could fix it up and wear it to the ball.
That evening,
While her stepsisters primped and preened in front of their mirrors,
Cinderella's little friends had a secret plan.
The mice and the birds found ribbons and beads and pretty bits of fabric,
Things the stepsisters had thrown away,
And they got to work.
Snip snip went the scissors.
Stitch stitch went the thread.
The animals worked and worked,
Putting all their love into something special for their dear friend Cinderella.
When Cinderella finally climbed the stairs to her attic room that night,
Tired from all her work,
She couldn't believe her eyes.
There,
Hanging on a hook,
Was the most beautiful dress she had ever seen.
It was a soft pink with a lovely blue sash,
All decorated with ribbons and shimmery beads.
Oh,
Gasped Cinderella,
Thank you,
Thank you,
My dear little friends.
Cinderella quickly put on the dress and hurried downstairs.
Stepmother,
I finished all my chores,
And look,
I have something to wear.
But when her stepsisters saw how pretty Cinderella looked,
Their faces twisted up with jealousy.
That's my ribbon,
Shrieked the first stepsister,
And she yanked the ribbon right off the dress.
And those are my beads,
Cried the other,
And she tore them off too.
Rip rip,
Tear tear.
They pulled and pulled at the dress until it was ruined,
And hanging all to pieces around poor Cinderella.
Come along,
Girls,
Said the stepmother,
Cold as ice.
It's time to go to the ball.
And with that,
They swept out the door and into their fancy carriage,
And they didn't even look back.
Cinderella was left all alone.
Slowly she walked out to the garden and sat down by the old fountain,
And then the tears came.
She had tried so hard and had worked so hard,
And now her dream of going to the ball was gone.
But as Cinderella was crying,
Something magical began to happen.
A soft,
Sparkly light filled the garden,
Like thousands of tiny twinkling stars.
And then,
Right there in front of Cinderella,
Appeared a kind old woman with the warmest,
Most wonderful smile.
She wore a flowing silver gown that shimmered like moonlight.
Who are you,
Whispered Cinderella.
I am your fairy godmother,
Dear child,
She said in the sweetest voice,
And I'm here to help you go to the ball.
But how,
Asked Cinderella,
Wiping her tears.
The fairy godmother gave Cinderella a little wink and said,
With a little bit of magic,
Now then,
I'll need a pumpkin,
Some mice,
A horse,
And a dog.
Can you help me find them?
Cinderella nodded and brought everything her fairy godmother asked for.
The fairy godmother raised her sparkling wand,
And she waved it over the pumpkin and said,
Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo!
And poof,
The pumpkin turned into a grand golden carriage.
Then she waved her wand at the mice and said,
Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo!
And poof,
The little mice became four beautiful white horses.
Then she waved her wand at the horse and the dog and said,
Bibbidi- Bobbidi-Boo!
And poof,
They became a coachman and a footman,
Both dressed in fine uniforms.
Cinderella could hardly believe her eyes.
It's so wonderful.
And now,
Said the fairy godmother with a warm smile,
It's your turn,
My dear.
She waved her wand one last time,
And said,
Bibbidi-Bobbidi-Boo!
And poof,
Cinderella's torn dress was gone,
And in its place was the most beautiful ballgown she had ever seen.
It sparkled and shimmered like starlight.
And on her feet appeared two perfect glass slippers.
Oh,
Fairy godmother,
Cinderella gasped.
Thank you.
Thank you.
You are very welcome,
Sweet child,
Said the fairy godmother.
But there is one thing you must remember.
This magic will only last until midnight.
When the clock strikes 12,
Everything will go back to the way it was.
So you must leave the ball before then.
Do you understand?
Yes,
Fairy godmother,
Said Cinderella.
I promise I will.
When Cinderella arrived at the palace,
Everyone turned to look at her.
Who was this beautiful young woman in the beautiful sparkling gown?
Even her stepmother and stepsisters didn't recognize her.
Not even a little bit.
The prince was standing at the top of the grand staircase,
And when he saw Cinderella,
His heart skipped a beat.
He had never seen anyone so lovely.
But it wasn't just her dress that was beautiful.
It was the kindness in her eyes and the warmth of her smile.
The prince walked down the stairs and bowed.
May I have this dance?
Cinderella curtsied.
Yes,
Thank you,
She said with a smile.
The prince took her hand,
And they danced and danced and danced.
They twirled across the great ballroom floor while everyone watched in wonder.
The music was beautiful,
And Cinderella felt like she was floating on a cloud.
The prince didn't want to dance with anyone else,
Only Cinderella.
They talked and laughed and danced some more.
Cinderella had never been so happy in all her life.
They danced for so long that Cinderella forgot all about her fairy godmother's warning,
Until suddenly the great clock in the palace tower began to chime.
Oh no,
Cried Cinderella,
It's midnight.
I have to go.
But wait,
Please,
Called the prince.
I don't even know your name.
But Cinderella was already running.
She ran through the ballroom,
Down the grand staircase,
And out through the palace doors.
She ran so fast that one of her glass slippers slipped right off on the palace steps.
But she couldn't stop,
Not even for a second.
The clock struck 12,
Just as Cinderella reached the edge of the palace grounds.
And then poof,
Her beautiful gown turned back into her old dress.
And poof,
The golden carriage turned back into a pumpkin.
And poof,
The white horses turned back into mice.
Cinderella stood in the dark,
Catching her breath.
But then she felt something in her pocket.
She reached in,
And there it was.
One small glass slipper,
The mate to the one she had left behind on the palace steps.
The magic was gone.
But this one little piece of the beautiful night was still hers.
The next morning,
The prince was heartbroken.
The mysterious young woman he had danced with all night was gone,
And he didn't know how to find her.
But then he found it.
One small glass slipper still sitting on the palace steps.
I will find her,
Declared the prince.
I will search the whole kingdom until I find the one whose foot fits this slipper.
And when I do,
I will ask her to marry me.
The prince called for his messenger,
And the messenger placed the glass slipper on a soft velvet cushion.
And off they went,
From house to house,
Searching every corner of the kingdom.
Every young woman tried on the slipper,
But it was too small for some and too big for others.
It didn't fit anyone.
Finally,
They arrived at Cinderella's house.
The stepsisters pushed and shoved each other,
Each one trying to squeeze her foot into the tiny little slipper.
But no matter how hard they tried,
It just would not fit.
Are there any other young ladies in this house?
Asked the prince.
No,
Said the stepmother very quickly.
But just then,
Cinderella appeared at the top of the stairs.
Please,
Sir,
She said softly,
May I try?
The stepmother stepped forward to stop her.
But the prince held up his hand.
Every young lady must have a chance.
Every single one.
Cinderella sat down,
And the messenger gently slid the glass slipper onto her foot.
And it fit perfectly.
The stepmother and stepsisters gasped.
Then Cinderella smiled,
And she reached into her pocket and pulled out the other glass slipper and slipped it onto her other foot.
Both slippers fit perfectly,
Because they were hers.
The room went very quiet.
It's you,
Cried the prince,
His eyes wide.
You're the one I've been searching for.
The prince didn't care one bit about the old dress or the cinders on Cinderella's face.
When he saw her,
When he realized it was Cinderella,
His heart filled with joy.
I knew I would find you,
He said,
Taking her hand gently.
Will you marry me?
Cinderella's eyes filled with happy tears.
Yes,
Of course I will,
She said.
And so,
Very soon after,
Cinderella and the prince were married.
They had the most beautiful wedding the kingdom had ever seen.
All the people in the kingdom celebrated and cheered.
And after the wedding,
Do you know who came to live at the palace?
Cinderella's little mouse friends and her bird friends.
Every single one of them.
Cinderella became a princess,
And then one day she became a queen.
But do you know what?
Cinderella never ever forgot where she came from.
She was kind to absolutely everyone she met,
From the grandest duke all the way down to the smallest little mouse.
And because she had such a kind and loving heart,
Cinderella and her prince lived happily ever after.
The End And that,
My dear little one,
Is the story of Cinderella.
It was a beautiful story,
Wasn't it?
The most important thing to remember is this.
Be kind.
Be kind to everyone you meet,
Just like Cinderella was.
And never,
Ever give up on your dreams.
Good things come to kind hearts,
Just like they did for Cinderella.
And now,
If it's time for you to close your eyes and go to sleep,
I'm wishing you the sweetest,
Most wonderful dreams.
Always remember,
Nana Jojo loves you so,
So much.
And I will see you again very soon.
Good night and sleep tight,
My sweet little one.
