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The True Story of Cinderella I first met Anastacia Battuta when I was on a trip to Europe, gazing up at the white, shining, castle of Lakeshire. It was my first stay there, and I was awed that this castle - the very same - was where Cinderella and the Prince, now the King, lived. "What a happy place the palace must be!" I thought, never thinking of anyone but Cinderella. "I wish I knew all about it." "You wish that, child?" I jumped. "Well, that's easy! I live there, so I know the whole story." I slowly turned around, not knowing who I would see. A maid? A cook? Even a duchess? It was a lady! She was about 30, a plain looking woman, with lots of freckles and a long, thin, nose. Even though she was fat, she was wearing the height of fashion - for a queen! A long, velvet, dress, laced up at the top, with the lace nearly bursting! The thing I noticed most, though, was that she had squeezed her feet into little, tiny, crocodile shoes. She must have noticed me looking at them, because she laughed and said, "Oh, these? These are my sister's shoes. Ever since she got married, I've been trying to make my feet smaller. It isn't really working, though." I smiled understandingly. Who wouldn't want to have small feet? After all, Cinderella had had small feet and look what happened to her! Then the lady spoke again. "You know who I am, right? I'm Anastacia Battuta." "Um," I said, "I don't think I know who that is." "Why, child," she laughed, "I'm Cinderella's sister! Step-sister, really." I gasped. Weren't the stepsisters supposed to be mean and ugly? Well, she fit one of those, at least! But... " I know what you're thinking." she smiled. "We're supposed to be mean and ugly, right?" I nodded, startled. "Well, I may have been mean and spoiled when I was young, but I'm sure not now! It's a shame that our reputation was spoiled. But I'm sure you want to know what the whole story was, don't you?" "Yes!" I cried, excited. "Wow!" I thought. "Maybe there's more to the story! I can't wait!" So I made myself comfortable under the maple tree I was sprawled at. Anastacia plopped down and began... "My father died when I was young, so I never knew him. All I remember was that he gave us candy and was very rich. But when he passed away, Mamma had many debts to pay and it cam, one day, that we had no money left. Well, Mamma couldn't sell the house, she was too attached to it. And she couldn't sell our jewels - they were for our betrothal. After she let the servants go, we still had no money! So she did what any woman of high standing had to in those days - remarry. And who did she marry? Cinderella's father, Sir Battuta. He was a knight, rich, had a daughter our age, and his wife had died 15 years before. It was a perfect match - at first. We were 10 when she married. It was a big, beautiful, wedding. Mamma looked younger for the first time in ages! We had met the little girl and she seemed nice. It was just like a fairy tale! But then, things - for everyone - went downhill. "For Sir Battuta, they went down to the grave. He was always a thin, pale, man, someone to be stepped upon. No doubt he had loved his first wife dearly. Poor Mamma - always a perfectionist. Cinderella was the only one who could suit her. "Anyway, after the marriage, we discovered he was allergic to cat hair. We had a Persian - a beautiful, white, shedding Persian, which Mamma wouldn't part with for the world. So he took to sleeping outdoors. He came down with pneumonia but no one knew it. After a week of frantic doctors, he passed away. "Poor Mamma - there was dreadful gossip. But in a year, people had found something else to talk about, and Mamma felt better. We all got used to being rich - very rich - in a snap. Although my sister Lucia and I were very plain, we were popular in a way. And we were always dressed nicely. So we were used to being whirled around to lots of social activities. "Meanwhile, Cinderella - Sir Battuta's child - had been living a hard life. After her father's death, she moved up to the attic and did housework. Housework! Mamma was pleased with her - why should she have to support Sir Battuta's child? So she felt it was fair to let Cinderella wear our old, out of fashion clothes and do work for her keep. I guess Cinderella must have gone a little crazy up in the attic - she told us silly stories about talking mice and even made clothes for them! And can you believe she took mice out of mousetraps? Personally, I think she was daft from the beginning. Mother became a clean freak, and Cinderella had to wash the floors 4 times a day! We couldn't be bothered with her, so just forgot about her. Until... "The Royal Ball. We received an invitation to it on a cool, sunny, day, when we were practicing our instruments. Cinderella ran in, very excited. " 'Stepmother! Anastacia! Lucia! You've just been sent an invitation to the royal ball! It says every eligible maiden can attend!' Both of us squealed. Mamma clapped her hands. She would be supported in her old age if one of us married the Prince. " 'Anastacia, let me help pick your dress. Lucia, go curl your hair. You, Cinderella, go sew more ruffles onto my magenta dress.' said Mamma, getting up. " ' Can I go too?' asked Cinderella shyly. 'It says all eligible maidens can attend.' " 'Darling, all eligible maidens. You're not eligible!' replied Mamma. We agreed. Cinderella, of all people, going to a ball? As if! Apparently, Cinderella didn't feel that way. When we had left for the ball - Mamma majestic in her trailing magenta dress, I sweet in a blue ball gown, and my sister scary with her hair pulled up high in unnatural curls, she ran off to the garden, crying. "When our coach turned the corner, an old, white-haired lady came out of the shadows. " 'Not going to the ball, my pretty? What a shame.' she cackled. It was our old, crazy, neighbor, Mrs. Goomalateyamoo! Somehow, she had gotten out of the loony bin. She thought she was a fairy. I don't know about that, but her grandmother was a kind witch. " 'My stepmother won't let me! Go to the ball!' Cinderella said in between sobs. " 'Oh, that's all right. You can take my coach right here. And wear this dress!' So Cinderella did. "At the ball, everyone was stunned. The 18 year old prince, the 17 year old beauty...The rest is history. "After the big, royal, marriage, all of us moved into the castle. Mother was happy, living in the lap of luxury. We loved it! Cinderella matched us up with a pair of dukes, and we lived happily. "Of course, the prince has his quirks - keeping the famous glass slippers on two cushions in the throne room, snoring, and crying 'Mommy!' in the night. And Mrs. Goomalateyamoo always pops in at the worst times, with a cackle. And, Cinderella banned the sale of mouse traps anywhere in the kingdom, which is a nuisance. But, in all, the castle is a very happy place." "Is that all?" I asked, stretching. "Yes, it's all," she said. "But I have to go. My sister needs me." And I could hear her! "Anastacia darling, be a dear and just lace--this--up--a--little--tight--er!" Anastacia said, "Just a minute!" and smiled. And she left me sitting on the bench, smiling to myself about the true story of Cinderella. |
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