Cinderella

Once upon a time there lived an unhappy young girl. Her mother was dead and her father had married a widow with two daughters. Her stepmother didn't like her one little bit. All her kind thoughts and loving touches were for her own daughters. Nothing was too good for them - dresses, shoes, delicious food, soft beds, and every home comfort.




But, for the poor unhappy girl, there was nothing at all. No dresses, only her stepsisters’ hand-me-downs. No lovely dishes, nothing but scraps. No rest and no comfort. She had to work hard all day. Only when evening came was she allowed to sit for a while by the fire, near the cinders. That’s why everybody called her Cinderella.




Cinderella used to spend long hours all alone talking to the cat. The cat said, . Miaow. , which really meant, . Cheer up! You have something neither of your stepsisters has and that is beauty.. It was quite true. Cinderella, even dressed in old rags, was a lovely girl. While her stepsisters, no matter how splendid and elegant their clothes, were still clumsy, lumpy and ugly and always would be. One day, beautiful new dresses arrived at the house. A ball was to be held at the palace and the stepsisters were getting ready to go. Cinderella didn't even dare ask if she could go too. She knew very well what the answer would be: .




You? You're staying at home to wash the dishes, scrub the floors and turn down the beds for your stepsisters. They will come home tired and very sleepy.. Cinderella sighed, . Oh dear, I'm so unhappy!. and the cat murmured . Miaow..




Suddenly something amazing happened. As Cinderella was sitting all alone, there was a burst of light and a fairy appeared. . Don't be alarmed, Cinderella,. said the fairy. . I know you would love to go to the ball. And so you shall!. . How can I, dressed in rags?. Cinderella replied. . The servants will turn me away!.




The fairy smiled. With a flick of her magic wand Cinderella found herself wearing the most beautiful dress she had ever seen. . Now for your coach,. said the fairy; "A real lady would never go to a ball on foot! Quick! Get me a pumpkin!. . Oh of course,. said Cinderella, rushing away. Then the fairy turned to the cat. . You, bring me seven mice, and, remember they must be alive!.




Cinderella soon returned with the pumpkin and the cat with seven mice he had caught in the cellar. With a flick of the magic wand the pumpkin turned into a sparkling coach and the mice became six white horses, while the seventh mouse turned into a coachman in a smart uniform and carrying a whip. Cinderella could hardly believe her eyes.




Cinderella had a wonderful time at the ball until she heard the first stroke of midnight! She remembered what the fairy had said, and without a word of goodbye she slipped from the Prince. s arms and ran down the steps. As she ran she lost one of her slippers, but not for a moment did she dream of stopping to pick it up! If the last stroke of midnight were to sound... oh... what a disaster that would be! Out she fled and vanished into the night.




The Prince, who was now madly in love with her, picked up the slipper and said to his ministers, “Go and search everywhere for the girl whose foot this slipper fits. I will never be content until I find her!”




So the ministers tried the slipper on the foot of every girl in the land until only Cinderella was left.




That awful untidy girl simply cannot have been at the ball,. snapped the stepmother. . Tell the Prince he ought to marry one of my two daughters! Can't you see how ugly Cinderella is?. But, to everyone. s amazement, the shoe fitted perfectly.




Suddenly the fairy appeared and waved her magic wand. In a flash, Cinderella appeared in a splendid dress, shining with youth and beauty. Her stepmother and stepsisters gaped at her in amazement, and the ministers said, "Come with us Cinderella! The Prince is waiting for you." So Cinderella married the Prince and lived happily ever. As for the cat, he just said "Miaow!"

The Two Lizards

On a warm winter morning, two Lizards sat on a high wall of an old mill. They were enjoying the bright sunshine. One Lizard kept dreaming all the time and was unhappy. The other was older and wiser.
“How miserable is our situation!” cried the Unhappy Lizard. “No one notices us. We are small and have such dull lives. Look at the other bigger animals. They are so royal and majestic!”
The Unhappy Lizard sighed, “I wish I was born a deer. To be quick and have great, big horns! And live proudly in the royal forest.”
At that very moment, a pack of dogs ran past, chasing a deer. The deer was tired and the hungry dogs pounced on it.
The Lizards watched in horror.
The Wise Lizard said to his complaining friend, “You wanted to be in place of this poor deer!”
“You should learn from what you just saw. You are not beautifully coloured or quick on your feet. But, you are alive! Destiny is kind to you. You are small and safe from danger, unlike the bigger animals!”

The Lion

King Leopard happily ruled over his Kingdom.

However, one day, a Lion Cub was born in a distant part of the Kingdom. The Leopard felt sorry because the poor cub had no father. But the Prime Minister, the Fox, knew that when the Lion Cub grew up, there would be trouble. Lions always respect friendship and never fight needlessly with other animals. So, he advised the Leopard, “It is wise to be friendly with the Lion Cub to control his power.”

King Leopard did not listen. Many years passed. The Cub grew into a big Lion! He was brave, watchful and clever. He began to show his power. The Fox begged the Leopard again, “Before he destroys us fully, please give the Lion a part of the Kingdom, some oxen and other animals to feed on. We can live safely in the other part of the Kingdom.”

“No, I will not give him any part of my Kingdom!” the Leopard again refused the Fox’s advice.

Very soon, the Lion became so powerful that he slowly won the Leopard’s Kingdom and became King, instead!

Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs

Once upon a time there lived a lovely princess with fair skin and blue eyes. She was so fair that she was named Snow White. Her mother died when Snow White was a baby and her father married again. This queen was very pretty but she was also very cruel. The wicked stepmother wanted to be the most beautiful lady in the kingdom and she would often ask her magic mirror, “Mirror! Mirror on the wall! Who is the fairest of them all?” And the magic mirror would say, “You are, Your Majesty!” But one day, the mirror replied, “Snow White is the fairest of them all!” The wicked queen was very angry and jealous of Snow White. She ordered her huntsman to take Snow White to the forest and kill her. “I want you to bring back her heart,” she ordered. But when the huntsman reached the forest with Snow White, he took pity on her and set her free. He killed a deer and took its heart to the wicked queen and told her that he had killed Snow White. Snow White wandered in the forest all night, crying.




When it was daylight, she came to a tiny cottage and went inside. There was nobody there, but she found seven plates on the table and seven tiny beds in the bedroom. She cooked a wonderful meal and cleaned the house and tired, finally slept on one of the tiny beds. At night, the seven dwarfs who lived in the cottage came home and found Snow White sleeping. When she woke up and told them her story, the seven dwarfs asked her to stay with them. When the dwarfs were away, Snow White would make delicious meals for them. The dwarfs loved her and cared for her. Every morning, when they left the house, they instructed her never to open the door to strangers.

Meanwhile, in the palace, the wicked queen asked, “Mirror! Mirror on the Who is the fairest of them

The mirror replied, White is the fairest of them all! She lives with the seven dwarfs in the woods!” The wicked stepmother was furious. She was actually a witch knew how to make magic potions. She now made a poisonous potion and dipped a shiny red apple into it. Then she disguised herself as an old peasant woman and went to the woods with the apple. She knocked on the cottage door and said “Pretty little child! Let me in! Look what I have for you!” White said, “I am so sorry, old lady, I cannot let you in! The seven dwarfs have told me not to talk to strangers!” But then, Snow White saw the shiny red apple, and opened the door. The wicked witch offered her the apple and when she took a bite poor Snow White fell into a deep sleep. The wicked stepmother went back to the palace and asked the mirror, “Mirror! Mirror on the wall! Who is the fairest of them all?” The mirror replied, “You are, Your Majesty!” and she was very happy.

When the seven dwarfs came home to find Snow White lying on the floor, they were very upset. They cried all night and then built a glass coffin for Snow White. They kept the coffin in front of the cottage. One day, Prince Charming was going past the cottage and he saw Snow White lying in the coffin. He said to the dwarfs, “My! My! She is so beautiful! I would like to kiss her!” And he did. Immediately, Snow White opened her eyes. She was alive again! The Prince and the seven dwarfs were very happy. Prince Charming married Snow White and took her to his palace and lived happily ever after.