Cinderella - A Softly Told Fairytale for Adults - Rest: Sleepy Bedtime Stories

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:01):
Good evening and welcome to Rest, your sanctuary for peaceful
sleep and relaxation. Whether you're escaping daily stresses or seeking
a nightly companion, you're in the right place. My name
is Jessica, and I'll be your host this evening. Before

(00:27):
we begin, why don't you turn off your screens and
turn down your volume. Now that's done, let's unwind and
help you ease into a blessed rest. Tonight's bedtime story

(00:57):
is the magical fairy tale of Sinna. It's a tale
that's cherished across generations, a story of kindness, transformation, and
dreams that shimmer softly like starlight. Picture the crackle of
the hearth, the sweep of a worn dress, and the

(01:22):
glow of a pumpkin carriage waiting under the moon. Each
scene unfolds slowly, like a dream. You don't need to chase.
You don't have to remember every detail or follow each moment.
Simply let the gentle rhythm of the words carry you.

(01:46):
So settle in all comfy, let your breath fall into
an easy rhythm, and allow this fairy tale to guide you,
step by step toward rest. There was once a girl

(02:08):
named Ella who was so gentle and beautiful, that every
one who knew her loved her, except those who should
have loved her best, and those were her stepmother and
her step sisters. Her own mother had died while she
was quite young, and then her father had married again.

(02:33):
This new wife had two daughters of her own, and
she wished them to have everything, and Ella to have nothing.
The stepmother dressed her own children in fine clothes, and
they sat about and did nothing all day. But Cinderella

(02:55):
worked in the kitchen and had nothing but rags to wear.
And because she often sat close to the ashes to
warm herself, her sisters called her Cinderella. Now, the king
and Queen of that country had only one son, and

(03:16):
they were very anxious for him to marry, but he
had never seen anyone whom he wished to have for
a bride. At last, they determined to give a great ball,
and to ask to it all the fairest ladies in
the land. They hoped that among them all the prince

(03:41):
might see someone whom he would choose. All the grand
people of the city were invited, and Cinderella's stepmother and
her step sisters were asked, with all the rest. The
step sisters were very much excited over it. They were

(04:02):
both so handsome that they hoped one of them might
be chosen by the prince. They had often watched from
the windows to see him riding by, and he was
so gay and gallant that anyone might have been glad
to marry him. All sorts of fine things were bought

(04:27):
for the sisters to wear, satins and velvets, and laces
and jewels, feathers for their hair, and glittering fans for
them to carry. And the step mother's dress was no
less fine than theirs. Cinderella's side and side. I wish

(04:52):
I might go to the ball too, and see that
handsome prince and all the love ladies. She said, you,
cried the sisters, laughing, a pretty sight you would be
at the ball, You with your rags and your sooty hands,

(05:15):
go scour your pots and pans, cried the stepmother. That
is all you are fit for, you, cinder Wench. So
Cinderella went back to her work, but as she scrubbed
and rubbed, the tears ran down her cheeks so fast

(05:38):
she could hardly see the night of the ball, the
sisters dressed themselves in all their finery and came into
the kitchen to show themselves to Cinderella. They hoped to
make her envious. They swept up and down the room

(06:00):
and spread their gowns and smiled and oggled while Cinderella
admired them. After they tired of her admiration, they and
the stepmother stepped into a fine coach and rolled gaily
away to the ball. But Cinderella sat in a corner

(06:25):
by the fire and wept and wept. Suddenly, as she wept,
a little old woman in a high pointed hat and
buckled shoes appeared in the kitchen, And where she came
from no one could have told. Her eyes shone and

(06:49):
twinkled like two stars, and she carried a wand in
her hand. Why are you so sad, my child, she asked,
and why do you weep so bitterly? Cinderella looked at
her with wonder. I am weeping, she said, because my

(07:14):
sisters have gone to the ball without me, and because
I wished to go to Then dry your tears, said
the little old woman. I am your fairy godmother. And
if you are a good girl and do exactly as

(07:36):
I say, there is nothing you can wish for that
you shall not have run to the garden and fetch
me a pumpkin. And let me see the mouse trap.
If there are six fine fat mice in it, they
will be of use. Cinderella got out the mouse trap

(08:00):
as she was told, and there were exactly six mice
in it. She also hurried out to the garden and
fetched the biggest, roundest pumpkin she could find. That is well,
said the Godmother. And now the rat trap. Cinderella brought

(08:23):
the trap, and there was a rat in it. And
now said the Godmother, we are ready to begin. She
touched the pumpkin with her wand, and at once it
turned into a magnificent golden coach, lined throughout with pale

(08:48):
yellow satin. She touched the mice, and they became six handsome,
sleek gray horses. To draw the coach, she the rat
with her wand, and he was turned into a coachman
in a livery of scarlet and gold lace. He mounted

(09:11):
to the box of the coach and gathered up the reins,
and sat there, whip in hand, waiting footman. Footman cried
the Godmother impatiently, where shall we get them? Her sharp

(09:33):
eyes glanced this way and that, and presently in the
crack of the wall, she espied two lizards the very thing,
said she a touch of her wand, and they were
changed to footman with powdered wigs and cocked hats. They

(09:58):
sprang up and took their places behind the coach. And now,
said the fairy, all is ready, and no one has
a finer coach in which to go to the ball.
Do you not agree with me? But Godmother, my rags.

(10:22):
I could not go to the ball in rags, no
matter how fine my coaches, cried Cinderella. Wait a bit,
I have not done yet. The Godmother touched Cinderella's rags
with her wand, and at once they were changed to

(10:45):
a gown of white satin embroidered with pearls. There were
diamonds in her hair, and her clumsy shoes were changed
to glass slippers that exactly fitted her little feet. Cinderella wandered,

(11:05):
and her heart was filled with joy. The satin gleamed
about her like moonshine, and the diamonds shone as bright
as the tears she had shed. Now, my child, you
can go to the ball, said the godmother. But remember this,

(11:31):
My fairy charm can only last till twelve o'clock. At
the last stroke of twelve, these fine clothes will change
into rags. The coach will again become a pumpkin, the
horses mice, and the coachman and footman a rat, and

(11:53):
lizards as they were before. So by twelve you must
be home again. Cinderella promised to obey, and then she
stepped into the coach and rolled away to the ball.
When she reached the palace, the music was sounding and

(12:17):
the Prince was about to choose a partner for the dance.
All the ladies waited anxiously, each hoping she would become
the one to be chosen. Many beauties were there, and
it was hard to say which was the loveliest. But

(12:39):
when Cinderella entered the room, no one had eyes for
anyone but her. She was far fairer than the fairest,
as the crescent moon is lovelier than the stars. The
Prince came to her and took her by the hand.

(13:02):
You shall be my partner in the dance, said he,
for never have I seen anyone as fair as you.
From then on the Prince would dance with no one
but Cinderella, and none could wonder nor blame him, for

(13:23):
she was so beautiful that the heart melted at sight
of her. The prince begged her to tell him her
name and whence she came, but she would not, And
when the castle clock struck the quarter before twelve, she
managed to slip away from him and run out to

(13:46):
her coach. She sprang into it. The rat coachman cracked
his whip, and away they went, and the Prince did
not know what had become of her. When the stepsisters
came home, Cinderella was again sitting in the corner beside

(14:09):
the fire, dressed in her rags. Was it a beautiful ball,
she asked? Yes, it was a fine ball, indeed, said
the sisters, and they began to tell her about it.
And whom did the prince dance with? Asked Cinderella. Oh,

(14:34):
he danced with a strange princess who came in just
after the ball began. The prince had bowed to us
and smiled, and he might have chosen one of us
as his partner, But after she came he had eyes
for no one else. She must be a very great princess, indeed,

(14:59):
but no one could but find out who she was,
not even the prince himself, though he begged and entreated
her to tell him, she slipped away before the ball
was over, and no one knew where she went. The
prince was like one distracted. Tomorrow night, another ball is

(15:22):
to be given, for the prince hopes the princess may
come again, and that he may find out who she is.
Cinderella sighed, Oh, my dear sisters, let me go with
you tomorrow. I beg of you. One of your old

(15:43):
dresses would do for me to wear. But the sisters
laughed and jeered you the cinder wench. They cried, No, no,
the kitchen is the place for you. We would die
of shame if any of those fine folk saw you.

(16:06):
Then they bade her unfasten their dresses and help them
to bed. They must get to sleep and be fresh
and handsome for the second ball. The next night, the
step sisters dressed again and drove away to the ball,

(16:26):
and more than ever did Cinderella long to go with them.
Scarcely had they gone, However, when the fairy Godmother appeared
in the kitchen, well said she, I suppose you would
like to go to this ball too, Oh dear Godmother,

(16:50):
if I only could, cried Cinderella. The godmother bade Cinderella
bring her the pumpkin, the mice, the rat, and the lizards. Again,
she changed them into the grand coach, the horses, driver,

(17:10):
and footman, all complete. She then touched Cinderella's rags with
her wand, and they were changed into a dress even
more beautiful than the one she had worn the night before.
She stepped into the coach and rolled away to the ball.

(17:36):
The Prince had been watching for her impatiently, and the
moment she entered the room, he hurried forward and took
her by the hand. Why did you leave me so suddenly?
He asked her. I sought you everywhere and could not
sleep all night long for thinking of you. He then

(18:01):
again led her to a place in the dance, and
he would dance with no one else. As it drew
on toward midnight, Cinderella became very uneasy. She tried to
slip away without being seen, but the Prince followed her

(18:21):
everywhere she went. At last, she made some excuse and
sent him away for a moment. Then she drew her
cloak around her and sped down the stairs and out
to where the coach was waiting. She sprang into it

(18:42):
and rolled away, But half way home she heard the
castle clock begin to strike the hour. As the last
stroke sounded, the coach melted away from around her, and
a yellow pumpkin lay at her feet. The horses changed

(19:04):
into mice and ran away squealing. The coachman became a rat,
and the lizards made haste to hide in the crack
of a wall. Cinderella, in her rags, had barely time
to run back to the kitchen and take her place

(19:24):
beside the fire before the door opened and her stepsisters
swept into the room. The ball was even more beautiful
than the other, they cried, and the princess was there again,
and so lovely that it dazzled the eyes to look

(19:46):
at her. The prince thought of no one but her. Ah,
if I could only see her, sighe Cinderella, you the
cinder wench, scoffed the sisters. Why she would not even

(20:07):
allow you in her kitchen. But come unfasten our dresses.
Tomorrow there is to be another ball, and we must
get to bed and rest so as to look our best.
So Cinderella helped her sisters to undress, and all the

(20:28):
while she did so, they could talk of nothing. But
the unknown princess of how beautiful she was, and of
how much the prince had admired her. The next night,
Cinderella helped to dress her sisters and make them ready

(20:49):
for the ball. They rolled away in their coach, and
then Cinderella waited impatiently for her godmother to come. It
was not long before the old fairy appeared. Well, said she,

(21:09):
and do you wish to go to this wall also, Oh,
dear godmother, cried Cinderella. I wish to go, as I
never wished for anything in all my life before. Very Well,
then you shall go, said the godmother. But do not forget.

(21:34):
You must leave before the clock strikes twelve, or your
fine clothes will turn to rags before them all and
your sisters will know you as the cinder Wench. Cinderella promised,
and the godmother then touched her with her wand and

(21:55):
the rags were turned into a dress even more magnificent
than before. If before Cinderella had appeared like the crescent moon,
now she shone like the moon in its full glory.
When she entered the ballroom, she appeared so beautiful that

(22:19):
it dazzled the eyes to look at her. The prince
followed her everywhere and begged and entreated her to tell
him who she was, but she would not. Again and
again they danced together, and Cinderella was so happy she

(22:42):
quite forgot to notice how fast the time was going.
Suddenly the castle clock began to strike. Cinderella gave a
cry of terror. She snatched her hand from the prince
and fled away so fast that for a moment he

(23:02):
lost sight of her. Such was her haste that as
she ran down the stairs, she lost one of her
little glass shoes, but she dared not wait to pick
it up. Just as she reached the door, the last

(23:23):
stroke of twelve sounded. Immediately, her beautiful clothes fell into rags,
her jewels melted away, and the guard who was on
watch saw no one but a little kitchen wench, who
ran past him, weeping bitterly and wringing her hands. Cinderella

(23:48):
ran all the way home, and she scarcely had time
to take her place beside the fire before her sister
swept into the room. What crying, they said, Why are
you not content? You have a warm corner to sit

(24:09):
in and no need to bother your head about anything.
But you should have seen the ball tonight. It was
more wonderful than either of the others. And as for
the princess, she was so beautiful that there was never

(24:30):
anything like it. The Prince never looked at anyone else.
But she went away as before, and no one knows
where she went. However, the Prince picked up one of
her slippers on the stairs, and he may find her
by that. The next day, the prince set out a

(24:55):
proclamation far and wide that he had found a glass slipper,
and whoever could wear that slipper should be his bride.
He hoped in this way to find the lovely princess,
who had three times escaped him. The slipper was sent

(25:19):
around from one house to another, and every lady was
eager to try it on. All hoped to be able
to wear it, but it fitted none of them. Some
feet were too long, and some too broad, some too fat,

(25:42):
and some too thin. At last, the messenger came to
the house where Cinderella and her stepsisters lived. The stepsisters
could hardly wait to try the slipper on. Each was
sure she could wear it, and they began to quarrel

(26:04):
as to which should try it first. At last, it
was given to the eldest sister. She sat down and
tried to put her foot into it, but she could not.
The toes went in easily enough, but her heel would

(26:26):
not go down into it. Then the second sister tried it,
but that was even worse, for she could not even
get her toes into it. The stepmother stood by, begging
and urging them to try again, but the messenger shook

(26:49):
his head. No, no, he said, neither of those two
is the right one. But is there no one else
in the house who could try it on? No, there
was no one except the little kitchen maid, and it

(27:09):
was not worthwhile for her to try it. If the
sisters could not wear it, she certainly could not. Nevertheless,
the messenger said he must see her. His orders were
that everyone in the city should try it on. Very reluctantly,

(27:32):
the step mother sent for Cinderella. She came at once,
and so modest and lovely were her looks that the
messenger wondered that she should be a kitchen wench. She
sat down and took the slipper from the messenger and

(27:54):
put it on, and it fitted exactly. Then she drew
the other slipper out from beneath her rags and put
it upon her other foot, and at once the messenger
knew she must be the one the prince had been seeking.

(28:20):
He kneeled before her and said, you are my mistress,
for you are the one the prince has chosen for
his bride. The stepmother and the stepsisters were ready to
burst with rage and envy. They could not believe their

(28:43):
eyes and would have sent Cinderella back to the kitchen
with harsh words and blows, But this the messenger would
not allow. Cinderella was taken away to the palace and
dressed as a princess should be, and when the Prince

(29:07):
saw her again in all her beauty, he was filled
with love and joy. Soon after they were married, and
though the stepsisters were invited to the wedding, they were
ashamed to come because their faces were so swollen with weeping.

(29:31):
As for the stepmother, she was quite ill with rage
and spite. But the Prince and Cinderella lived happy together forever.
After school,

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Cinderella - A Softly Told Fairytale for Adults

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