Cinderella
신데렐라
Jacob & Wilhelm Grimm (1785–1863, 1786–1859)
The Story
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A kind girl lived with her stepmother and two stepsisters.They made her do all the hard work and sleep beside the warm ashes of the fire.Because she was often grey with ash, they called her Cinderella.
One day the king held a festival so the prince could choose a wife.The two stepsisters put on their best dresses and went.Cinderella wanted to go too, but they only laughed at her.
She went to a little tree by her mother's grave and began to cry.A white bird lived in the tree, and it dropped down a golden dress and shoes for her.In the beautiful clothes, Cinderella looked so lovely that no one knew her.
At the festival, the prince danced with her all evening and with no one else.But each night she hurried home before he could ask her name.On the last night she ran so fast that she lost one golden shoe on the stairs.
The prince said he would marry the girl whose foot fit the little shoe.He went from house to house, but no one's foot would fit.The stepsisters tried hard, yet the shoe was far too small for them.
Then Cinderella tried it on, and it fit her foot perfectly.The prince knew her at once, and took her home to be his bride.
Comprehension Check
1. Why was the girl called Cinderella?
2. Who gave Cinderella the golden dress and shoes?
3. How did the prince find Cinderella again?
Vocabulary
noun
stepmother
새어머니, 계모
She lived with her stepmother and stepsisters.
그녀는 새어머니, 의붓언니들과 함께 살았어요.
Your Summary
In 1–2 sentences, say who helped Cinderella get to the festival, and how the prince found her again afterwards.
Source: Adapted from the Brothers Grimm tale "Cinderella" ("Aschenputtel," collected 1812; long in the public domain, Project Gutenberg #2591). This simplified retelling and its Korean translation are original text written for SeoJae Story; some of the original's harsher details have been softened for new readers.