Cinderella by Vera Southgate

BME Summary

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Characters

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Character Traits

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Visual Vocabulary

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Themes

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Essential Questions For Cinderella (Well-Loved Tales)

1. Is wealth or kindness more important?
2. Why is kindness important?
3. What qualities are important to you in your friends and family?
4. What does it mean to be beautiful inside and out?
5. How can hard work and strong values pay off?

Cinderella Summary (from the Well-Loved Tales Collection)

The Well-Loved Tales version of Cinderella, by Vera Southgate, is a retelling for second and third graders. It begins with Cinderella and her two elder sisters, whose mother recently passed away. They lived with their father and Cinderella was forced to do all the work. Her two sisters were beautiful, but because of their terrible tempers, they became ugly. Cinderella worked from dawn until dusk and slept by the hearth of the fire. As she was always dirty, she came to be known as Cinderella. People in the town thought she was a maid because she was only seen in rags.

When the king arranged a grand, three-day feast for his son, the prince, Cinderella’s sisters were invited, but she was not. Her sisters thought it was absurd that Cinderella would even desire to go to the ball. When her sisters left for the ball, she wept. Her sadness was interrupted by the kind voice of her fairy godmother. After hearing Cinderella’s troubles, she gave her instructions to get a pumpkin, a mouse trap with six mice in it, a rat trap with one rat in it, and two lizards. With a few touches of her magic wand, the fairy godmother transformed the items into the most wonderful carriage imaginable, six fine grey horses to pull the carriage, a coachman, and two footmen. The final touch was the transformation of Cinderella’s rags into a beautiful, pink silk ball gown with satin slippers.

After giving careful instructions to return to return home before the clock struck twelve, her fairy godmother waved farewell to Cinderella, and she was off to the ball! No one recognized her, but everyone noticed her. The prince immediately took a liking to her, and refused to dance with anyone else all night long. Cinderella remembered her godmother’s warning, and left the ball just in time. She arrived at home as the clock struck twelve and was quickly transformed back to her former self. Her sisters could talk of nothing but the beautiful princess that stole the prince’s attention and how nobody knew her name.

The next evening, Cinderella’s sisters left again for the second ball. Once again, Cinderella’s godmother appeared and Cinderella was transformed into a princess. This time, she was even more beautiful and wearing a blue satin gown. She danced with the prince all night, but remembered her godmother’s warning with five minutes to spare. She dashed out of the ballroom and was halfway home when the clock struck home and the magic disappeared. She had to run the rest of the way home, but made it and was sitting by the fire upon her sisters’ return. Again, they went on and on about the mysterious princess.

On the evening of the third and final ball, Cinderella’s godmother arrived just as her sisters left for the ball. Her third and final gown was the most beautiful – gold and silver with a diamond tiara. Everyone was stunned with her beauty, and Cinderella lost track of time. She left in such a hurry that she lost her glass slipper. Cinderella ran all the way home in her rags, but the prince found her shoe. He vowed only to marry the woman who fit the dainty shoe.

The prince searched high and low, and many women tried to squeeze their foot into the shoe. He finally arrived at Cinderella’s house and her sisters tried to squeeze their feet into the shoe until their feet bled. The prince asked Cinderella’s father if he had any other daughters. He said she was much too dirty, but the prince insisted.

The shoe fit perfectly, and the prince knew at once this was his bride. Cinderella’s fairy godmother appeared one more time and transformed her into the princess. The prince lifted her onto his horse and rode away with her.

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Frequently Asked Questions about Cinderella by Vera Southgate

What is the summary of Cinderella (Well-Loved Tales)?

Cinderella (Well-Loved Tales) is a retelling by Vera Southgate for young readers. It follows Cinderella, who is mistreated by her sisters, receives magical help from her fairy godmother, and attends a royal ball where she captures the prince’s heart. The story emphasizes kindness, resilience, and inner beauty.

What are the main themes and lessons in Cinderella for K-12 students?

The main themes in Cinderella include kindness over wealth, the power of hard work, and inner beauty. Students learn that positive qualities and perseverance lead to success, making it a valuable lesson for character development.

How can teachers use Cinderella for classroom activities?

Teachers can use Cinderella for activities such as story sequencing, character analysis, discussions on kindness, and creative writing. Its familiar plot and strong moral lessons make it ideal for engaging students in reading and critical thinking.

What qualities make Cinderella a positive role model?

Cinderella is a positive role model because she shows compassion, patience, humility, and strength even when faced with hardship. Her ability to remain kind inspires students to value character over appearance.

Why is kindness more important than wealth in Cinderella?

In Cinderella, kindness is shown to be more important than wealth because it leads to true happiness and respect. The story teaches that outer beauty and riches are fleeting, but a good heart brings lasting rewards.