Cinderella
Description
Everyone knows the story. Cinderella gets saddled with an awful stepmother and stepsisters who work her to the bone. Eventually, however, she meets her Prince Charming and happily ever after follows.
What if you heard it all wrong?
Has it ever occurred to you that parents may have lightened the story to make it suitable for children?
The real Cinderella did do housework against her will, but her stepfamily was much more brutal, especially her stepmother. Come peek into the life of Cinderella as she lived, and strip yourself of your fairytale senses.
This is Cinderella.
I wrote this for a fairytale rewriting contest hosted by Annyong.
Foreword
On a particular blustery fall morning, Ailee arose from her bed and changed into her clothes for the day, which would usually be ragged to suit her hard working days. Before going straight to her duties, however, Ailee quickly knelt by her bedside made of nothing more than a cloth blanket sprawled on the floor, and said a short prayer. Despite all of the grievances she had in her heart, she always made sure to begin the day in gratitude. Every time, Ailee would imagine her dear father kneeling beside her, reciting the same prayer.
Each morning, Ailee arose about three hours before Jessica and her daughters, Suzy and Eunji, in order to have time to dust the entire house, except for the others' rooms. Almost everything she did since her father died had been to satisfy the Jungs' twisted and near-impossible expectations. The worst expectation happened every day,and it was one Ailee almost never met: Jessica wanted a kettle of boiling water on the table at the same time she arose. Since one could never predict when another would arise from bed, Ailee was always either early or late with the kettle and received either a lashing or a series of strikes. It had come to the point where Ailee didn't know when she last had beautiful unbruised skin. Jessica's bruises were made only where clothing could hide it, however, in order to keep her precious name unblemished. Ailee was forbidden to disclose the abuse to anyone.
Ailee filled the black kettle and set it atop the fire for Jessica and her minions. She left it and proceeded to make breakfast. Although there was no man in the house, Jessica managed to keep an income by working at the school. She was highly praised for being sweet and caring toward the children. It was infuriating for Ailee when she heard such comments at social tea times as she softly caressed the bruises on her sides or back. Scoffing at the particulary irksome memories, Ailee removed the bacon from the pan and cracked eight eggs to fry in the fat. She then sliced some bread that she had made several days before.
"I only ask for this one simple thing in the morning, Ailee," the familiar icy voice came from behind the maiden.
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