And, on a magical occasion, the fairy came to visit

Yes, this was Cinderella moaning and complaining about her ill fortune again. It was the fourth time this week that her stepmother told her scrub the floor and feet massage all her three stepsisters. But, not even the drastic back pain, that was kicking in, as she leaned to face the floor or the humiliation of doing such mundane work, being her the child of a deceased aristocrat, was enough the provoke a steeper reaction. It was her doom to be forever plagued by that evil stepfamily. Maybe one is thinking that she could have left home, to study abroad and have a more decent life, even on a meager allowance, elsewhere. But, that sort of thing did not occur in the fifteenth century, when she probably lived. Going out, on her on, probably meant even dire consequences. One must also consider the hypothesis of her living with distant relatives, as her father was an aristocrat, with probably well documented relations or, maybe even killing that evil stepfamily or bullying them back. But nothing of the sort crossed her mind. She had a weak personality, which faded gradually, with the dirt on the floor she scraped. Cinderella was gifted with perfect looks and an excellent cradle, but, that also meant that she was over protected and the absence of challenges in her early years, rendered her a pushover. Thats why she tolerated so much abuse, even though she was eighteen now. So, all the strength she had left was used to pray and to ask God for help. Well, all that lasted until, in one starry night, something came to visit her, when she was alone in the garden of her sumptuous house. It was her fairy Godmother or, at least, that small creature claimed to be so. And this was their dialogue, on that night: Cinderella: Oh my god!? What is all that light and what are you, smallest of humanoid creatures? How did you appear out of nowhere with so many sparks? And, how come you have wings? You can fly! Fairy Godmother: I am your fairy Godmother! I came to help you out of this misery! Cinderella: Fairy Godmother? You mean that nonsense that was going around the country is actually true? You do exist? Fairy Godmother: What nonsense? I came here to throw you a bone and you come barking at me? Cinderella: Well, this is the fifteenth century and the only education I have is the dismal information Ive received at the church, which tells that you dont exist. Also, you are so different, so small. You cant be human. Fairy Godmother: I never claimed to be one.

Cinderella: And the wings. You are and Imp, arent you? The priest told us never to trust your hellish kind. I am going to fetch the holy water I took from church, last Sunday. Fairy Godmother: I dont really care for God and I am a fairy, but, I am nearly calling for Divine intervention here. You dont do anything to improve your situation on your own. You moan all the time. You use all of the strength you have left to ask God for help and you dont fetch the only opportunity that knocked at your door, freely, in the last eight years (considering that her father died when she was ten). Cinderella: Well, I am a bit nave. So, this means that God sent you to help me? Fairy Godmother: I never claimed that either. Lets stop thinking about God for a second and let me take a look at you. Cinderella: So, you deny God?! You mustnt be up to any good them. Are you sure you are not an Imp? Fairy Godmother: I am here because of what your stepmother has been doing to you. I want to help you tonight. Remember that Ball, that you really wanted to go and the invitation that arrived the other day. Well, the evil bitch of stepmother you have said you could go only if you finished your housekeeper tasks and found a suitable dress. It is six oclock and the time isnt on your side. Cinderella: Evil bitch of stepmother?! Can a fairy Godmother curse? The priest said it is a sin to curse. Fairy Godmother: What the priest does to the altar boy is much more of a sin and did you not just call the name of God in vain, when you said the Oh my God? Life aint perfect, so deal with it. Cinderella: I cant! All I can do it to scrub this floor until I have nothing more of my hands. I dont know even how to sew properly. Father always thought that women should be kept ready for a proper marriage and I have not a single proficiency! I can hold a conversation, I am very well raised and know everything there is to know about society. But, the stories that I know about societys money arent something I can borrow against for a party dress. Much less, in such a short notice! Fairy Godmother: Arent you a helpless kind! If you only knew the Law properly, you could realize that you are entitled to your whole state, if your stepmother should pass away. Cinderella: Are you suggesting the murder of my stepmother? Are you going to savagely take her life? You are so tiny! Fairy Godmother: I could rip both of your heads, with a single flick of my wand, if I so desired, but, thats not how the story goes. I am going to cause more pain to your stepmother and stepsisters than death itself! Cinderella: How?

Fairy Godmother: I am going to make you look better than your stepfamily, at a party! (Diabolical laughter follows) Cinderella: That would be great! But, dont you think that my stepmother and my wrenched stepsisters would take vengeance on me later? I mean, they despise me because I am prettier than all of them put together. As much as I want some sort of payback, I am not sure thats the way to do it. Fairy Godmother: You are so dimwitted! You are not seeing the whole picture here! Well, if you did, you wouldnt need my help, right?! So, think about it for a second, you are one of the prettiest girls in the kingdom, you have a noble heritage and the prince is attending the ball. Cinderella: I am still not following. Arent we supposed to upset my stepfamily? Fairy Godmother: You are even more stupid than Snow White, arent you?! Do you want me to leave you with a band of retarded dwarfs? Cinderella: Who? Fairy Godmother: Nevermind. Lets go on with the plan. If I grant you a dazzling outfit and a perfect entourage for the Ball tonight, you are sure to make a really good impression on the Prince. He will fall for you on the spot. Marriage should follow and you will be able to exact revenge on your stepfamily. Cinderella: I am glad to think that I am marriage material, but, is that the only thing I am good for? Maybe, I should just leave this place. The humiliation, the constant nagging of my stepmother and stepsisters, this is wearing me down! Fairy Godmother: I am beginning to lose my temper with you. Now you want to give up?! Even your spoiled stepsisters love life more than you do and are willing to struggle for it. You dont even want to try to be a Queen, one day, with the help of my magic powers? How could you be so unwilling to help yourself? I am going to use magic to help you, and you want to give it all up already? What if God have showed up instead with a Miracle? Would you have doubted his Power? If you just went out of the door, your nobility title would be over and you would probably end up in a brothel. This is the fifteenth century, remember?! Well, maybe you would have met the prince earlier this way. Cinderella: What do you mean? Does the Prince go to places like that? Fairy Godmother: Why dont you focus? That is the last of your problems now and, being much better than the working ladies, you should build your confidence. If you always think so small, you wont even be asked to mope the brothels floor or, maybe, work in some fetish, where the guy pushes you over. Cinderella: Okay, I am listening. Fairy Godmother: So, as your fairy Godmother, I will clean your entire house, produce a magnificent dress and arrange a beautiful carriage to take you to the Ball tonight. You will be

the toast of the evening and, besides torturing your stepfamily with jealousy, you are sure to charm the Prince. You will have until midnight to accomplish all that, before the spell wears off. Cinderella: Why the catch at the end? Well, I even though that you were a fiendish creature. Maybe I wouldnt be so surprised if you asked for my soul, in return. Asking me for my first born child is dmod now. All the old witches did that already. But, then again, why does your spell lasts only until midnight? Arent you a fairy Godmother, with the power over matter and imagination? Fairy Godmother: Now, at least, you are interested, but, why do you complain so much. Thats a window of opportunity and it doesnt come cheap. Your dress is made in China, by an army of illiterate children, working sixteen hours a day, twenty eight days a month, but, all the rest is expensive magic. Cinderella: Slave children and expensive magic? Why do I have to condemn innocent children to slave labor and how could magic cost anything? Fairy Godmother: There is nothing that we can do to help those children now. Not using the dress would just mean putting them on the street, where they would find even worse occupations, much like you. As for the magic itself, it is free, but not the magical components. Do you think that my golden wand was free?! If you feel bad about the children in China, find a way to adopt three hundred million of them or make a successful coup and overthrow the administration there. Otherwise, even I am hopeless. Cinderella: But why midnight or not 11:30 or 1:30 a.m.? Fairy Godmother: One should never tire the others with ones presence. One should never outstay welcome. One should never ruin ones mysterious appearance. If by midnight, my magic hasnt been enough for a Prince to notice you and to win his hearth, you shouldnt make things worse with your dismal and week personality. Cinderella: So, if I fail by midnight, you wont be there to help me? Fairy Godmother: If one doesnt learn to help oneself, all help becomes useless.

GhO 01-08-2011