Золушка. Спящая красавица. Рапунцель / Cinderella. The Sleeping Beauty. Rapunzel

To top it off[13], fairy godmother gave Cinderella a pair of glass slippers[14], the prettiest in the whole world.

“The spell only lasts until midnight, so promise you will leave the ball before then,” said the Godmother.

Cinderella promised to return before midnight, thanked her again and drove off to the ball.

When Cinderella entered, the dancing and music stopped as everyone turned to gaze at her beauty.

No one recognized her, she was a complete mystery.

The Prince rushed up to greet her, led her to the most honorable seat and later took her out for a dance[15].

Cinderella even made time to approach her step-sisters, who still did not recognize her, and shared some of the oranges the prince had presented to her as a gift.

The Prince never left her side[16], and Cinderella was enjoying herself so much that she completely forgot the time!

When the clock struck midnight, Cinderella was shocked and ran away immediately, leaving one of her glass slippers behind in haste.

The Prince ran to follow her, but only managed to pick up the glass slipper she left behind.

Cinderella managed to get home[17], but was quite out of breath[18] and in her dirty old clothes.

She was resting in bed when her two step-sisters suddenly entered her room.

“You stayed really late![19]“ cried Cinderella, rubbing her eyes and stretching as if she had been sleeping.

“If you had been there you would have seen the most beautiful princess[20],” exclaimed the eldest sister, “she was so nice to us and had the undivided attention of the Prince.”

“Her background is a mystery and the Prince would give anything to know who she was[21],” said the youngest.

A few days later the Prince declared that he would marry the woman whose foot fit in the slipper.

His soldiers began to try the slipper on all the princesses and duchesses in the Court, but it was all in vain.

A little later, the slipper was brought to the two sisters who tried with all their might to make the slipper fit[22].

Cinderella, who saw this, politely asked to try it.

Her sisters burst out laughing[23] at the idea, but the Prince ordered that everyone in the kingdom should have a try.

When Cinderella’s foot slid perfectly into the slipper[24], her sisters were astonished.

Cinderella’s fairy godmother appeared and with the flick of her wand turned Cinderella into the beautiful girl from the ball.

The step-sisters dropped to their knees and begged for forgiveness for the awful way they treated her over the years[25].

Cinderella lifted them up and embraced them, saying she forgave them with all her heart.

Cinderella was then escorted to the Prince, dressed as beautiful as she was at the ball.

A few days later they were married.

Cinderella, who was very kind, gave her two sisters rooms in the palace, and everyone lived happily ever after.

Exercises

1. Answer the questions.

1. Was Cinderella the sweetest or the naughtiest girl in the kingdom?

2. How did Cinderella’s stepmother treat her?

3. Did Cinderella have a suitable dress for the ball?

4. What did Cinderella’s fairy godmother asked her to do?

5. What did Cinderella’s godmother give her?

6. Did anyone recognize Cinderella at the ball?

7. Did Cinderella dance with the Prince at the ball?

8. What happened when the clock struck midnight?

9. What happened when Cinderella turned into the beautiful girl from the ball?

10. Did Cinderella marry the Prince?

2. True or False?

1. Cinderella’s father married the proudest and meanest woman in all the land.

2. Cinderella’s stepmother loved her very much.

3. Cinderella’s stepmother made her do the hardest and most dreadful work in the house.

4. Cinderella was going to attend the ball.

5. Cinderella’s fairy godmother gave her a pair of glass slippers.

6. Everybody recognized Cinderella at the ball.

7. Cinderella even made time to approach her step-sisters, and shared some of the oranges the prince had presented to her as a gift.

8. The Prince declared that he would marry the woman whose foot fit in the slipper.

9. Cinderella’s sisters didn’t try to make the slipper fit.

10. Cinderella didn’t forgive her sisters.

3. Put these sentences in the right order.

1. Cinderella, who was very kind, gave her two sisters rooms in the palace, and everyone lived happily ever after.

2. When Cinderella’s foot slid perfectly into the slipper, her sisters were astonished.

3 Cinderella promised to return before midnight, thanked her fairy god-mother again and drove off to the ball.

4. No one recognized Cinderella at the ball, she was a complete mystery.