Cinderella : Retold

Prologue

You think you know Cinderella? That she was a poor innocent girl who suffered for years under her cruel stepmother and eventually married the prince, and lived a happily ever after since then?

Well think again.

In ‘Cinderella Retold’ I bring you the hidden truth of Cinderella.

Far away in the kingdom of Avalon somewhere in a maternity home sat a couple waiting for the nurse to bring news. And I say ‘news’ because it could be both extraordinary and terrible news.

“It’s a girl!” was the news from a nurse who came rushing in.

“What?!” the new mother exclaimed. “This is terrible!”

“What’s wrong Martha?” came the reply from the husband. “Don’t you just love her? Isn’t she adorable?”

“No! Absolutely not! James you know how much I had wanted to have a handsome boy who would one day bring a beautiful princess to our house! But a girl? A girl? A girl is all a burden upon us. Just another stomach to fill. You do know girls don’t earn or support their parents. They get married and leave their parents to fend for themselves in their old age. A girl cannot possibly reduce our misery!”

“Come on Martha! Girls grow up to be lovely and help in chores around the house. I am pretty sure our daughter will also grow up to marry a handsome prince and we will live alongside her without any fear of poverty” James tried to convince her.

“Hmm… I am not so sure” Martha looked over to the corner as she thought in prospect about what may actually strike them.