轩尼诗英语第 11 课: Cinderella-The Real Story-1

I'm sure you have all heard the story of Cinderella. You know the beautiful girl with the two mean step-sisters, and wicked step-mother. Well you already know the ending, the beautiful girl marries the handsome prince, and they live happily ever after. Well that was the fairy tale, this is the real story.

My name is Oscar and I am a mouse.
I am not related to Mickey, Minnie, or Mighty, (even though there is a small resemblance to that super-hero Mighty mouse). I live in the attic in Cinderella's house. You might say Cindy and I were roommates.
When she was small, and her father was alive, we shared a beautiful room downstairs. But after her father died, she was put in the attic.

I naturally followed, because I knew she would need my company. And need me she did. At first, she thought of me only as a common ordinary mouse. Night after night she would throw me crumbs. (I thought she was very kind). Then one night, after her step-mother locked the door, she began to cry. I climbed up on Cindy's lap. She talked to me and gave me my name. I thought at the time it was a nerdy name, "Oscar", but I am used to it now. I even kind-of like it.

Everyday I watched Cindy work sooo hard. Finally one day, quite by accident, I found a way to help her. You see, her step-sisters were ordering her around, and they made her cry. Cindy cried a lot. ( I never knew a girl could hold so much water!.) Anyway, I ran to Cindy and they saw me.

Boy, you should have seen them clear the room!. Faster than a speeding bullet-- they almost broke their necks as they ran screaming from the room. You should have heard them! "Eeeek... a Mouse!","Mother!!", "Help!!!". Cindy and I laughed so hard. It was a really good moment.

Then there was the time when I hid on a plate of food that was meant for Cindy's step-mother. When she saw me, first she fainted, then she had hysterics for three days!. Three days of peace!, that was really nice!.

The only other person who was not afraid of me was Esmerelda. She was Cindy's fairy God-Mother. We called her Essie for short. She just popped up on the day of the big ball. Poor Cindy had run herself ragged waiting on those step-sisters, trying to do the impossible, and make them.. not beautiful..but just presentable. I mean they were sooo ugly... it wasn't skin deep, it was all the way to the bone!.

Anyway, Cindy was talking to me in the garden, when this strange looking woman walked through the gate. Most people think she magically appeared in a beautiful white light, but she didn't.

She just walked in the yard with a brown Foodtown shopping bag in her hand. I really thought she was here for a hand-out. Cindy must have thought the same thing, because she offered her a glass of milk and some cookies. She didn't look much like a fairy God-mother, either. Her dress was torn, her shoes had holes, and her hair... well, let's just say I've seen a better hair-do on a horse I used to know.
I mean, this fairy God-mother looked like she needed a fairy God-mother.

I was about to say something like "Hit the road", when Essie asked Cindy why she was not preparing to go to the ball. Cindy told her she had no clothes or transportation. Well!, faster than you could say " the rat ate the cheese", the old woman reaches into her bag and pulls out the most beautiful blue ball gown you have ever seen!. It was royal blue, with little white stars, and it was just Cindy's size!.

Then, she reached in her bag again and pulled out a white evening bag, a silver crown, and the famous glass slippers. ( I had to turn my head while she provided the unmentionables.) Then she told Cindy to hop to it, and go change her clothes, while she sees what can be done about the transportation. I told her to call a cab, but she said "One does not arrive at a Kings palace in a cab or a rent-a car!".

Anyway, while I'm looking around for something to use, the old girl goes in the bag again, and pulls out a small coach. It was just about my size. She put it on the ground, and darned if the thing didn't begin to grow!. I ran for cover. When the coach finally stopped growing, it was just right for Cindy. The wonders of modern science!