Cinderella Ballet Gifts

The Story of Cinderella adapted from this article. Act I Cinderella, an orphan left to live with her evil stepmother and stepsisters, enjoys remembering the happy days when her mother and father were still alive. She is made to do all of the house work and is forbidden from any luxuries as they are all reserved for her stepsisters. One morning when she is making breakfast for her stepsisters, a homeless beggar woman comes to the window and asks for some food. Cinderella's stepmother forbids her to give the beggar any food. Later, Cinderella gifts the beggar woman her own breakfast and goes without any food herself. After breakfast Cinderella returns to her endless chores. A few moments later, Cinderella's stepsisters are shouting with excitement as they’ve received a letter from the palace. Cinderella is forced to read the letter aloud, because the stepsisters cannot read. The letter is an invitation to the Prince's Royal Ball. Cinderella's stepmother and sisters go to town to by new gowns and accessories for the royal ball. Cinderella is left alone. Cinderella is comforted by her mice friends. The mice cheer her up by making a lovely gown out of rags for her. After Cinderella puts on her gown, the old beggar woman appears. She magically transforms into a fairy and tells Cinderella she is her Fairy Godmother. She then Cinderella's rag gown into a beautiful dress fit for a princess. (In some versions of the ballet, the Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter fairies help the Fairy Godmother create Cinderella’s beautiful gown.) She turns a pumpkin into a royal carriage and turns the mice into horses. She tells Cinderella to go to the ball, but to be back before midnight. Before Cinderella departs, her Fairy Godmother gives Cinderella glass slippers.

Act II At the Prince’s Royal Ball, Cinderella's step-family arrives late. While the stepsisters try to get the Prince's attention, Cinderella enters the Ball Room. The Prince, like every other gentleman there, is captivated by her beauty and barely gives the stepsisters any notice. No one knows who the mysterious girl is, not even her step-family. Cinderella and the Prince dance the night away. Cinderella has such a wonderful time that she forgets about her midnight deadline. As the clock starts to chime, she realizes she must go right away before her clothes turn to rags! She runs out of the palace without any word of explanation. In her rush, she leaves a slipper behind on the stairs. The Prince chases after her, but only finds the single glass slipper. The next day, the Prince, unable to stop thinking about the mysterious girl, orders a kingdom-wide search to find her. He travels from house to house with the glass slipper and has each girl try it on. If the slipper fits her, then she must be the elusive girl he danced with the night before! When the Prince arrives at Cinderella's house he is greeted by the two obnoxious stepsisters. The stepsisters each try on the slipper, but it does not fit. During that time, Cinderella's stepmother locked Cinderella in her she could not try on the slipper. Since the slipper did not fit either of the stepsisters’ feet, Cinderella's stepmother insists on trying it on herself. She manages to force her foot to fit the slipper. True to his word, the Prince proposes to Cinderella's stepmother. Cinderella hears the news from her mice friends and starts to shout from her cell. The Prince finds out that there is still one more girl in the house and demands that she be allowed to try on the slipper. Cinderella is released and tries on the slipper. It is a perfect fit. The Prince takes Cinderella with him to his castle. A royal wedding takes place at the palace and Cinderella and the Prince live happily ever after.