Category: 3. Bedtime Stories

Once upon a time there was a very rich man who lived with his three daughters.  The two older daughters laughed at anyone who did not dress as well as they did.  If they were not going to a ball, they were shopping for as many fine dresses and hats as they could carry home.  

The youngest daughter, Beauty, liked to read most of all.  “No one will want you!” her two older sisters said, and they laughed.  “Look at your hair – you look like a servant girl!”  Beauty did not know why they talked to her in a mean way.  But she said nothing.

One day, the father got some very bad news.  He had spent all of his money on a ship that he sent out to sea for trade.  Now he learned that the ship was gone.  Everything on it was lost!  All at once, the rich father became as poor as poor could be.  

The family could no longer stay in their big house.  The house, its fine tables and chairs, and all of their fine things, had to be sold.  

All the father had left was a little hut deep in the woods.  So that is where he and his three daughters had to move.  Living in the hut in the woods was hard work.  Each day a fire had to be started, meals cooked, the place cleaned up, the garden tended, and things fixed when they broke.  Now that the family was poor, you might think the two older sisters would help out with the chores.  Think again.  

“She looks like such a mess,” they said, turning up their noses at Beauty.  “She might as well serve us.”  And so Beauty did all the hard work.  

And then – good news! – the father’s ship came to shore!  

“Daughters,” said the happy father, “I am going to town.  Tell me what fine gift I can bring back for you.”

“Bring me the finest dress from the finest shop,” said the eldest sister.

“I want one just like it,” said the middle sister.

“And you, Beauty?” said he.

“All I want, Father,” said she, “is a single rose.”

“Can you believe her?” said the eldest sister.

“What a fool!” said the middle sister.  They both laughed.

“Girls!” said the father.  “If that is what Beauty wants, that’s what I will bring back for her.”

The father was on his way home when he thought, “I forgot all about the rose for Beauty!”  All at once, the sky turned black.  “Oh, dear!” he said.  “A storm is coming!”

A moment later, heavy dark rains fell from the sky.  Soaking wet and tired, the father saw a blink of light from far away.  He went closer to the light, hoping it meant there was some place he could ask to stay the night.  When he got up close, he saw a large palace with candles in all its windows.  It was very odd, but the garden gate was open.  And so with care, the father stepped in.  

“Hello?” he said.  No answer.  

There, before him, was a great feast over a long table.  

“Hello?” he said again.  Still, no answer.  The father sat down in front of the fire to warm himself, and he waited.  But still, no one came.  

“I suppose it would be all right if I stay the night,” said the father.  He took a quick bite from the feast, found a bedroom, and fell fast asleep.

The next morning the table was laid again, but this time with breakfast.  Again – most odd! – no one was around.  “I suppose I should leave,” said the father after a while.  

On the way out he passed a rose garden.  “I will take just one,” said he.  And he picked a rose for Beauty.

Just then, a loud stomp came up from behind him.

Roared a voice – “You took my rose!”

The father spun around.  There before him was an awful, huge monster.  “I… I’m sorry!” he said.  “I didn’t know.”  

“You will pay for this!” the Beast yelled.  “You will die!”  

The father fell on his knees.  “Please!” he begged.  “Do not kill me! I only picked the rose for one of my daughters.”

Oh, so you have daughters?” said the Beast. “Hmm.. Well, if one of them will come and stay here in this palace, you will be free.  If not, you must return yourself in three months, and take your punishment.”  

When the father got home, Beauty could tell something was wrong.  “What is it, Father?” she said.  “Oh, nothing,” said he.  But she knew that was not true.

At last, the father told his girls what the Beast had said.  “This has all happened because I asked you to bring home a rose!” said Beauty.  “I will go there in your place.  Or else, you will die.”

“No, I cannot allow that!” said the father.  “I am old and don’t have much longer to live.  You are young – you must not do this for me!”

But Beauty would not change her mind.  And two days later, the father took Beauty to the palace where the Beast lived.

“So this is your daughter?” said the Beast, looking at Beauty.  

“Yes,” said she.  “I will stay here.  And that means my father is free to go.  That is what you said.”

“Yes,” said the Beast.

The days were long and there was no one for Beauty to talk to at the palace.  Every night at nine, the Beast would come for dinner.  At first he would only grunt and she said nothing.  After all it was not easy to be a prisoner, even if it is at a palace.  Then one time at dinner, he made a little joke and she smiled.  Another time, he made a comment, and she looked him in the eye.  After that, he would ask her about her day, and she would tell him.  

Not long after that, Beauty came to a part of the palace she had not seen before.  Over a door was a sign, “Beauty’s Room.”  The door was open.  Inside the room were shelves of books to the ceiling, a piano, and a cabinet of fine dresses, just her size.

Now there was much to talk about at dinner!  One night, at the end of dinner, Beast said, “Beauty, I love you.  Will you marry me?”

Beauty was shocked.  “Beast, you are my best friend,” she said.  “But please understand, I do not want you to marry you.”

Still, the Beast asked her the same question after dinner, time after time.  And each time Beauty said the same thing.  One night, the Beast said, “Beauty, if you will not marry me, what can I do to make you happy?”

“If you must know,” she said, “it would be to see my father.  I miss him so much.”

The next night, the Beast gave Beauty two magical items – a magic mirror and a magic ring.  “If you want to see your father,” said he, “just ask the magic mirror to show him to you.  If you are ready to go back home, turn the magic ring on your finger three times and ask the mirror to take you there.  When it’s time to come back here to the palace, turn the ring three more times and ask the mirror to come back.  But do not be gone for more than one week.  Or I will die of grief!”

Beauty agreed.  When she got back to her room, she looked in the magic mirror and asked to see her father.  And there he was, in bed and looking so sick he could die!  

In fear, Beauty turned the ring on her finger three times.  “Please, Magic Mirror,” she said.  “Take me home right now!”

And she was back!  Ah, such joy when her father looked up and saw Beauty!  For much of why he was ill was in knowing that Beauty was stuck in the palace, all because of him. Beauty stayed by her father’s bed for hours.  She told him that she had all the books she could read, music to play, and fine dresses to wear. “The Beast is not so bad,” she said, “once you get to know him.  He’s good to talk to.  He’s my friend.”

Beauty looked around.  “Where are my sisters?”  

“They are both married,” said the father.

“Did they marry good men?” said she.

“They had a lot of money,” said the father.  “But I do not know if your sisters are happy.”  For the eldest sister had married a handsome man so vain that he gave no thought to anything else, including his wife.  And the middle sister had married a man with a sharp wit but who used it to hurt everyone around him, and most of all his wife.

When the sisters came to the house and saw Beauty, dressed so well and talking about how kind and good the Beast was to her, they burned with rage.  Beauty told them she must stay no more than one week.  And the sisters came up with a plan.  

They petted Beauty and said such nice things they had never said before.  When she told them she must go soon, they wept.  They said she must not leave.  There was still so much left they wanted to do with her!  And why does just a few days matter, after all? So Beauty stayed.

One night she had a dream about the Beast.  In her dream, the Beast lay sick and dying.  When Beauty woke up, she asked the magic mirror to show her the Beast.  There he was in the mirror, lying in the rose garden, looking so sick he would die.  At once, she turned the magic ring three times.  “Take me back to the Beast!” she said.  In a moment she was sitting next to the poor, sick Beast, who could only gasp for air.

“You have come back!” said the Beast in a thick voice.

“I’m so sorry that I am late!” said Beauty.  

“I could not bear the idea that you may not come back to me.  I am afraid it is too late for me now.”  His eyes closed.

“No!” cried Beauty.  “Do not leave me!”  Just then, she knew in her heart what was true.  “I love you!” she cried out.  “Please come back!  If you only come back, I will be your wife.”  Tears rolled down her cheeks.

Just then, the Beast opened his eyes.  “Beauty!” he said.  “You did it!”

In a flash, the Beast was changed to a handsome prince!  Beauty did not know what to think of this change.

“Ah, Beauty!” said the Beast, and he told her his story.  Years ago when he was a prince, an evil fairy had put a spell on him.  He must stay a beast forever, until a maiden loved him for who he really was.  Now she had broken the spell!

And so Beauty and the Beast were married.  They lived happily ever after.

Once upon a time, a princess named Snow White lived in a castle with her father, the King, and her stepmother, the Queen. Her father had always said to his daughter that she must be fair to everyone at court. Said he, “People come here to the castle when they have a problem. They need the ruler to make a fair decision. Nothing is more important than to be fair.”

The Queen, Snow White’s stepmother, knew how much this meant to her husband. At the first chance, she went to her magic mirror.  “Mirror, mirror, on the wall,” said the Queen.  “Who is the fairest of them all?”

“Snow White is the fairest of them all!” said the Magic Mirror.

 “What?!” yelled the Queen.  “No one is more fair than I!  The Queen must have the best of everything – everyone knows that.  What could be more fair than that?”

“Snow White is the fairest of them all!” repeated the Magic Mirror.

 “What do you know – you’re a mirror!” roared the Queen.  And she stormed off. 

Still, the Queen was bothered.  So bothered was she that the Queen decided to be rid of the girl, once and for all. 

“I cannot wait another day!” she declared.  The Queen called for her servant, a huntsman.  “Find a reason to take Snow White deep into the woods,” she said, pointing her long finger at the servant. “Then kill her.”

The huntsman was shocked!  But she was the Queen and what could he do?  The next day he took Snow White into the woods.  As he drew his knife to slay her, Snow White turned around.

“Look,” she said, taking something out of her pocket.  “You have always been good to me.”  She held in front of him six perfect arrowheads that she had carefully shaped. “Do you like them?” she said.  “They are for you.”

“Snow White,” said the huntsman.  “I cannot do this!”

“You can take these,” said Snow White.

“That’s not what I mean,” said the servant.  He dropped to his knees.  “How can I say this to you?  The Queen, your step-mother, ordered me to kill you,” he said.  “But I cannot!”

“She did what?” Snow White called out with alarm.

“You must run away!” said the huntsman.  “Far into the woods.  Now!  And never come back to the castle!”

Snow White turned and ran into the woods as fast as she could.  Deeper and deeper she ran.  It was getting dark, and the wolves were starting to howl.  She tripped and her skirt was torn.  Tall tree branches seemed to reach down to the very ground to grab her.  She was scratched, bleeding and scared.  Yet she ran on and on.

Then all of a sudden, far away, there was a light.  Who was living so deep in the woods?  She stepped up closer.  It was a cottage!  Yet no sound came from the cottage, only light from the windows.

“Hello?” she said, knocking softly on the door.  “Hello?” No answer.  The door was a little bit open.  She opened it some more and stepped in.  “Hello, is anyone home?” 

She looked around.  What a mess!  She had never seen a messier living room.

“This cottage may be the biggest mess I ever saw,” she thought.  “But it’s a roof over my head for tonight. Maybe if I clean up around here, I can earn my sleep.”

As she cleaned, she thought of someone she already missed.  Before her father had re-married, she and a Prince who lived in the next kingdom were getting to know each other.  They would take long walks in the royal garden and tell each other stories, and laugh.

After the Queen had moved into the castle, her stepmother had made a new rule – no more visitors.  Now the Prince had to slip over the palace gate in secret. He would call out to her from under her window and they could talk a bit that way. It wasn’t as good as the long walks but it was the best they could manage.  

Now that she had to run away from home, would she ever see him again?

After Snow White cleaned up the living room, she went upstairs.  On the second floor, there were seven little beds lined up in a row, as if for children.  Tired from cleaning, Snow White yawned and lay across all seven of the beds.  Soon she fell fast asleep.

In the meantime, the Seven Dwarfs were heading home from a long day of working in the jewel mines.  When they opened the door, you can imagine their surprise when they saw their cottage all cleaned up!

“What kind of magic is this?” said one of the Dwarfs, whose name was Doc.

“I wouldn’t mind more magic like this!” said another of the Dwarfs with a smile.  His name was Dopey.

“We’d better check upstairs,” said another Dwarf, whose name was Grumpy.  “Something is fishy around here, that’s for sure.”

There – lying across all their beds, was a young lady, fast asleep. 

“Who are you?” said all the Dwarfs at once. 

Snow White bolted awake.  The Seven Dwarfs could tell she was as surprised as they were.  Soon they all relaxed and shared their stories. 

Snow White learned their names – Bashful, Doc, Dopey, Grumpy, Happy, Sleepy, and Sneezy. She told them all about her step-mother.  That her stepmother had tried to get the huntsman to kill her, that the huntsman had set her free in the woods, and that she could never go back home again.

“Stay here, with us,” said Bashful. 

“That’s sweet,” said Snow White.  “But if I were to stay here at your home, I would have to do something for all of you.”

“You already cleaned up our place,” said Sneezy. 

“Keeping the house clean will be easy,” said Snow White, “as long as we all pitch in.  I will let everyone know what part they can do, and I will do my share too, of course.”

“That’s fair,” said Happy.

“But there must be something else I can do for you,” said Snow White.

The Seven Dwarfs shrugged.

“Do you know how to read?” said Doc.  “We have these books filled with wonderful tales and would love to be able to read them.” And so it was agreed that Snow White would give them reading lessons.   

To celebrate their new friendship, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs sang and danced the night away. 

The next morning before they left for work, the Seven Dwarfs warned Snow White she must not open the door to anyone.  After all, who knows what evil her stepmother might do?  The princess nodded in agreement, and the Dwarfs left the house.  The princess prepared her first reading lesson. She also prepared a good hot meal for the Seven Dwarfs when they returned home that night.  And so the days passed.

Back at the castle, the Queen marched up to her mirror.  “Mirror, mirror on the wall,” she demanded.  “Who is the fairest of them all?”

“Snow White is the fairest of them all!” said the Magic Mirror.

“That’s impossible!” screamed the Queen.  “The girl is no longer alive!”

“Snow White lives!” said the Magic Mirror.  And an image was shown on the mirror of Snow White living in the cottage of the Seven Dwarfs.

The Queen turned red with rage.  She screamed, “She will not get away with this!”

At the cottage of the Dwarfs the next afternoon, when the Seven Dwarfs were away at work, there was a knock on the door.

“Who is it?” said Snow White.  She remembered the warning of the Seven Dwarfs not to open the door to anyone.

“It’s only a poor old woman,” came a squeaky voice, “selling apples.” Yet it was the evil Queen, disguised as an old woman.  “It’s raining out here, my dear,” said her voice through the door.  “Please let me in.”

“Poor thing,” thought Snow White, “having to go door to door selling apples in the rain.”  And so she opened the door.

“Take a look at this big red apple,” said the old woman, who as you know by now was really the Queen in disguise. She held the red apple close to Snow White’s face.  “Lovely, my dear, isn’t it?”

“I would like very much to buy your apple,” said Snow White. “But I have no money.”

“That fine comb in your hair will make a good trade,” said the old woman.

“Well, all right then!” said Snow White.  She took the comb out of her hair and gave it to the old woman, who then gave her the apple.  Snow White took a big bite.  Alas, the fruit was poisoned!  At once, Snow White fell to the ground in a deep sleep. 

“YES!” shouted the Queen, pumping the air with her fists. 

Just then the door flew open.  In marched the Seven Dwarfs, home from the day’s work.  Shocked indeed they were to find Snow White lying on the floor and what must be her stepmother beside her, laughing!

They chased that evil Queen out the door, and into the storm.  Up to the very top of a mountain they chased her.  All of a sudden, lightning hit the mountain!  The Queen fell, and she was never seen again.

But there was nothing to help poor Snow White.  She stayed absolutely still in her deep sleep.  The Seven Dwarfs gently lifted her into a glass coffin.  Day and night they kept watch over her.

One day, the Prince happened to pass through.  Ever since he had learned that Snow White was missing at the castle, he was searching for her, far and wide.  Now he had finally found her, but in such a state! The Prince pulled open the glass coffin.  Her face seemed so fresh, even in that deep sleep. 

He gently took one of Snow White’s hands in his own and kissed it.  At once, Snow White’s eyes opened!  With Love’s First Kiss, the evil Queen’s spell was forever gone. Now nothing stood in the way for Snow White and the Prince to be together forever.  They returned to the kingdom and lived happily ever after.

ONCE UPON A TIME a girl named Cinderella lived with her stepmother and two stepsisters.  Poor Cinderella had to work hard all day long so the others could rest. It was she who had to wake up each morning when it was still dark and cold to start the fire.  It was she who cooked the meals. It was she who kept the fire going. The poor girl could not stay clean, from all the ashes and cinders by the fire.

“What a mess!” her two stepsisters laughed.  And that is why they called her “Cinderella.”

One day, big news came to town.  The King and Queen were going to have a ball!  It was time for the Prince to find a bride. All of the young ladies in the land were invited to come.  They were wild with joy! They would wear their most beautiful gown and fix their hair extra nice. Maybe the prince would like them!

At Cinderella’s house, she now had extra work to do.  She had to make two brand-new gowns for her step-sisters.  

“Faster!” shouted one step-sister.

“You call that a dress?” screamed the other.  

“Oh, dear!” said Cinderella.  “When can I–“

The stepmother marched into the room.  “When can you WHAT?”

“Well,” said the girl, “when will I have time to make my own dress for the ball?”

“You?” yelled the stepmother.  “Who said YOU were going to the ball?”

“What a laugh!” said one step-sister.

“Such a mess!” They pointed at Cinderella.  All of them laughed.

Cinderella said to herself, “When they look at me, maybe they see a mess.  But I am not that way.  And if I could, I WOULD go to the ball.”

Soon the time came for the stepmother and step-sisters to leave for the big party.

Their fine carriage came to the door. The stepmother and step-sisters hopped inside.  And they were off.

“Good-bye!” called Cinderella.  “Have a good time!” But her stepmother and step-sisters did not turn around to see her.

“Ah, me!” said Cinderella sadly.  The carriage rode down the street.  She said aloud, “I wish I could go to the ball, too!”

Then – Poof!

All of a sudden, in front of her was a fairy.

“You called?” said the fairy.

“Did I?” said Cinderella.  “Who are you?”

“Why, your Fairy Godmother, of course!  I know your wish.  And I have come to grant it.”

“But…” said Cinderella, “my wish is impossible.”

“Excuse me!” said the Fairy Godmother in a huff.  “Did I not just show up out of thin air?”

“Yes, you did,” said Cinderella.

“Then let me be the one to say what is possible or not!”

“Well, I think you know I want to go to the ball, too.” She looked down at her dirty clothes.

 “But look at me.”

“You do look a bit of a mess, child,” said the Fairy Godmother.

“Even if I had something nice to wear,” said the girl, “I would have no way to get there.”

“Dear me, all of that is possible,” said the Fairy. With that, she tapped her wand on Cinderella’s head.

At once, Cinderella was all clean.  She was dressed in a beautiful blue gown.  Her hair was set up high on her head inside a golden band.

“This is wonderful!” said Cinderella.

“Who said I was done?” said the Fairy Godmother.  She tapped her wand again. At once, a beautiful carriage came to be, with a driver and four white horses.

“Am I dreaming?” said Cinderella, looking around her.

“It is as real, as real can be,” said the Fairy Godmother.  “But there is one thing you must know.”

“What is that?”

“All of this lasts only to midnight.  Tonight, at the stroke of midnight, it will all be over.  Everything will go back to how it was before.”

“Then I must be sure to leave the ball before midnight!” said Cinderella.

“Good idea,” said the Fairy Godmother.  She stepped back. “My work is done.” And with that, the Fairy Godmother was gone.

Cinderella looked around her.  “Did that even happen?”  But there she stood in a fine gown, and with a golden band in her hair.  And there were her driver and four horses before her, waiting.

“Coming?” called the driver.

She stepped into the carriage.  And they were off.

Over at the ball, the Prince did not know what to think.  “Why do you have that sad look on your face?” the Queen said to her son.  “Look around you! You could not ask for finer maidens than these.”

“I know, Mother,” said the Prince.  Yet he knew something was wrong. He had met many of the young women.  Yet after he said “hello,” one by one, he could find nothing more to say.

“Look!”  Someone pointed to the front door.  “Who is that?”

All heads turned.  Who was that lovely maiden stepping down the stairs?  She held her head tall and looked as if she belonged. But no one knew her.

“There is something about her,” said the Prince to himself.  “I will ask her to dance.” And he walked over to Cinderella.

“Have we met?” said the Prince.

“I am pleased to meet you now,” said Cinderella with a bow.

“I feel as if I know you,” said the Prince.  “But of course, that is impossible.”

“Many things are possible,” said Cinderella, “if you wish them to be true.”

The Prince felt a leap in his heart.  He and Cinderella danced. When the song was over, they danced again.  And then they danced again, and yet again. Soon the other maidens at the ball grew jealous.  “Why is he dancing all the time with her?” they said. “How rude!”

But all the Prince could see was Cinderella.  They laughed and talked, and they danced some more.  In fact, they danced for so long that Cinderella did not see the clock.

“Dong!” said the clock.

Cinderella looked up.

 

Thank you, Artist Carla Oly

“Dong!” went the clock again.  

She looked up again.  “Oh, my!” she cried out.  “It is almost midnight!”

“Dong!” rung the clock.  

“Why does that matter?” said the Prince.

“Dong!” called the clock.

“I must go!” said Cinderella.  

“Dong!” went the clock.

“But we just met!” said the Prince.  “Why leave now?”

“Dong!” rung the clock.

“I must GO!” said Cinderella.  She ran to the steps.

Thank you, Artist Carla Oly

“Dong!” said the clock.

“I cannot hear you,” said the Prince.  “The clock is too loud!”

“Dong!” rung the clock.

“Goodbye!” said Cinderella. Up, up the stairs she ran.

“Dong!” went the clock.

“Please, stop for a moment!” said the Prince.

“Oh, dear!” she said as one glass slipper fell off her foot on the stair.  But Cinderella kept running up.

“Dong!” said the clock.

“Please wait a moment!” said the Prince.  

“Dong!” rung the clock.

“Goodbye!” Cinderella turned one last time.  Then she rushed out the door.

“Dong!”  The clock was quiet. It was midnight.  

“Wait!” called the Prince.  He picked up her glass slipper and rushed out the door.  He looked around but could not see her blue dress anywhere.  “This is all I have left from her,” he said, looking down at the glass slipper.  He saw that it was made in a special way, to fit a foot like none other. “Somewhere there is the other glass slipper,” he said.  “And when I find it, I will find her, too.  Then I will ask her to be my bride!”

From hut to hut, from house to house, went the Prince.  One young woman after another tried to fit her foot inside the glass slipper.  But none could fit. And so the Prince moved on.

At last the Prince came to Cinderella’s house.  

“He is coming!” called one step-sister as she looked out the window.

“At the door!” screamed the other step-sister.  

“Quick!” yelled the stepmother.  “Get ready! One of you must be the one to fit your foot in that slipper.  No matter what!”

The Prince knocked.  The stepmother flew open the door.  “Come in!” she said. “I have two lovely daughters for you to see.”

The first step-sister tried to place her foot in the glass slipper.  She tried hard, but it just would not fit. Then the second step-sister tried to fit her foot inside.  She tried and tried with all her might, too. But no dice.

“Are there no other young women in the house?” said the Prince.

“None,” said the stepmother.

“Then I must go,” said the Prince.

“Maybe there is one more,” said Cinderella, stepping into the room.

“I thought you said there were no other young women here,” said the Prince.

“None who matter!” said the stepmother in a hiss.

“Come here,” said the Prince.

Cinderella stepped up to him.  The Prince got down on one knee and tried the glass slipper on her foot.  It fit perfectly! Then, from her pocket Cinderella took out something. It was the other glass slipper!

“I knew it!” he cried.  “You are the one!”

“WHAT?” shouted a step-sister.  

“Not HER!” screamed the other step-sister.

“This cannot BE!” yelled the stepmother.  

But it was too late.  The prince knew that Cinderella was the one.  He looked into her eyes. He did not see the cinders in her hair or the ashes on her face.

“I have found you!” he said.

“And I have found you,” said Cinderella.

And so Cinderella and the Prince were married, and they lived happily ever after.