Harriet Hall, Gilwern u3a
Wales
Cinderella - What Happened Next
Three weeks after she had triumphantly fitted her elegant foot into the glass slipper, Cinderella began to get, if not cold feet, a definite chill around her pretty toes. At first this opening of an entirely new life had been intoxicating. The swift move into the palace, being given her own luxurious suite of rooms, having lovely clothes made for her and being lavished with jewels by Prince Rudolph who was amazingly good looking, charming and adored her. The King and Queen would rather he had chosen a bride nearer his station, but Cinderella’s father was, after all, a Baron from the old aristocracy and they could not resist her warmth, thoughtfulness and outstanding beauty so were very kind to her. Above all Cinderella relished not having to cook, clean and run endless errands for her spiteful sisters. Free of these chores she imagined she would have some time to herself, to explore the lovely palace grounds and, above all, to read. Before she died, her mother had done her best to educate Cinderella and had instilled in her a love of reading which she had pursued during every spare moment she had. In showing her round the palace, Rudolph, after opening the door of a wonderful library, shut it again saying that she would not want to read a lot of old books. She protested, but he laughed at her saying that there were better things to do and that she should relax and enjoy the company of his sisters. Annabel and Sylvia were around Cinderella’s age and entirely concerned with their looks and gossip, but they also hero-worshipped Cinderella and stuck to her like leeches whenever her company was not demanded by Rudolph or his parents.
The king and queen began planning a fabulous wedding, one that would display their wealth and power, mark the opening of a new and youthful era while presenting Rudolph as triumphant in having won the heart of such a beautiful woman. Cinderella, her
housekeeping in a debt-ridden household having made her thrifty, suggested tentatively that, since they had just given a huge and expensive ball, a small ceremony in the pretty palace chapel would be lovely. Rudolph mocked her and said that as the most beautiful bride in the world she should have an appropriately grand wedding, but Cinderella thought the money would be better spent on the parlous state of the tenants on the royal estate. Rudolph took her riding to show her off and she saw run down properties and neglected land. The people were friendly to her but looked sullen when addressed by Rudolph. At dinner that night, with no guests present, Rudolph complained about their useless tenants who made so little money for them, and Cinderella, angry, said that perhaps some investment was necessary. ‘Nonsense’ said the king, ‘they waste any money we give them and anyway it was not something she should bother her pretty head over’. That night Rudolph had too much to drink becoming much less charming, upbraiding her for being a soft touch and telling her not to interfere.
Cinderella’s feet were by now, very cold indeed. This opening up of her life was proving rather to be a closing down. On a rare occasion when she had escaped the royal attentions, she had found, in a corner of the garden, a hedge with an almost invisible opening. She squeezed through the tiny gap into a secret space with a seat and a pond. She had been unable to return, but now having brooded over her situation for a week she slipped out of the palace one night and went to this secluded spot. She sat down and put all her strength into begging her Godmother to come to her. She told her Godmother how guilty she felt at complaining after such an amazing future had been arranged for her, but she believed that nothing but unhappiness for everyone would result from her marrying Rudolph. Her Godmother expressed her delight at what she felt was a sensible decision and said briskly that her cousin in Washington, a top rate lawyer, needed a cook. She said Cinderella would have time for study as well as feeding the family and should come to the same spot in the garden in one week carrying as little luggage as possible. Cinderella spent a guilty week concealing her excitement before selecting the plainest outfit from her stuffed wardrobe. She left all the jewellery, the grand clothes, and the glass slippers together with an apologetic note and tiptoed away without a backward glance. Her Godmother gave her a passport in the name of Ella Cinderford together with other necessary papers, put her on a plane to America and the opening of a very different life. The cousin was sympathetic and appreciative of Ella’s cooking. She helped with her studies and encouraged Ella not only to read, but to go to law school where she did exceptionally well. She intended one day to go back to her own country and seek redress for the royal tenants, but in the meantime, she set out to build her experience. Her first case was occasioned by her Godmother who, when visiting Washington, was enraged by a man who stole her parking space. She was so angry that without thinking, she changed his lovely new Porsche into a pumpkin and stormed off. By the time the spell wore off, the man had missed an important appointment. She was charged with criminal damage, but Ella argued that he had been deluded and such was her skill that the jury believed her. It was the opening of a great career. Meanwhile her sisters, deprived of Ella’s care, learnt cookery and business management, opening a restaurant which became a tremendous success. Prince Rudolph, who had given up looking
for a woman to fit the glass slippers and married someone as boring as he was, became a regular customer while their father sat in a corner lamenting the loss of his daughter.