‘Twas in a land, far, far away,
A girl with hair of gold,
Lived happily with mum and dad
A fairy tale, I’m told.
She played with friends and cats and dogs
Had picnics every week
Her seventh birthday was a smash
Her life was quite unique.
But then a dreadful accident
Her mum and dad both killed
Our golden girl, an orphan now
With fear her future filled.
Her widowed aunt adopted her
Two cousins also there
They took the best clothes for themselves
And never thought to share.
That’s how when only eight years old
This girl with golden hair
Was made to sweep the ashes out
A treatment so unfair.
They called her Cinderella then
And even made her sleep
Among the cinders and the dirt
Her quiet tears she’d weep.
As time went on and Cinders grew
Her beauty beat them all
And when she reached age seventeen
She’d filled out and was tall.
The king announced he’d give a ball
Asked every girl to dance
With all the princes in the land
And leave nothing to chance.
Now Cinderella asked her aunt
And asked her cousins too
If she could lend a dress from them
But they said: Not for you!
A servant girl like you can’t go
The king will want the best
So they dressed up in fancy wigs
Left Cinders quite depressed.
As Cinderella softly sobbed
And watched the others leave
She wished that somehow, she might go
Then someone said: Don’t grieve.
I am your Fairy Godmother
I’ll make your dreams come true
I’ll wave my wand and change your rags
Into a gown of blue.
Your shoes I’ll swap for something new
Glass slippers just your style
That pumpkin can become your coach
These mice will make you smile.
White horses are what they’ll become
They’ll pull your coach of gold
And those two rats will drive for you
As coachmen brave and bold.
Now off you go; enjoy yourself.
And dance the night away
Your aunt and cousins will not know
The beauty you display.
Remember though, be home by twelve
My magic will not last
But until then the night is yours
Don’t let this moment pass.
So Cinders made it to the ball
And everybody there
Was wond’ring who this beauty was
With stunning golden hair.
The whole night long she danced and played
The princes all were charmed
But oh the Crown Prince liked her best
His heart could not be calmed.
They danced so close, they fell in love
Our girl lost track of time
Then suddenly she raced outside
When midnight she heard chime.
She stumbled down the palace steps
Into the coach she hopped
But one of her glass slippers fell
There was no time to stop.
And so she got home just in time
The magic all undone.
When cousins all excited spoke,
She told not of her fun.
The Crown Prince missed his golden girl
He searched throughout the land
To every house and home he went
Glass slipper in his hand.
I’ll find the girl whose foot will fit
Inside this shoe of glass
And when I do, I’ll marry her
She’ll come into my class.
When Cinderella heard of this
She begged her aunt to let
Her try to fit that shoe of glass
But aunt her grim face set.
You know it could not fit your foot
You were not even there
But then the Crown Prince saw her face
And led her to a chair.
As Cinderella waited then
The slipper was produced
And as he slipped it into place
Their love received a boost.
The Fairy Godmother appeared
Made magic all around
And Cinderella married prince
The day that he was crowned.
Now Cinder’s aunt and cousins too
Have moved to her new place
They clean the palace night and day
And live there in disgrace.
© Marty Langenberg 2016