Once upon a time in a beautiful cottage deep in the forest a baby was born. Her name was Bella. As Bella grew older her mum got very sick and sadly passed away. Her dad grew very sad and stayed in bed all day everyday, leaving Bella with a lot of responsibilities to do around the house and outside on the farm. She loved to be around animals and outside in the warm evening sun. Her closet filled top to bottom with the finest silk dresses and stunning ball gowns hand sewn by her mother, for they were quite wealthy and could afford the nicest materials. One day her father decided to finally go outside and take the crops and food out to town to sell at the markets. He got on their horse, waved goodbye to Bella and began the long journey to town. As Bella sat and waited the night grew dark and very cold, grey clouds started rolling in over the tops of the trees. She ran to the shelter of her home and waited for the storm to pass. Early that morning she suddenly awoke from her sleep hoping to see her father safely home but he was nowhere to be found. She ran out to the farm and cried. Bella looked out into the forest and saw the figure of a horse. She prayed hoping her dad was on the back, but when the horse came into the light she realised it was nothing but alone.
She went to bed that night drowned in her own tears. In the morning she got a letter from her anonymous auntie she knew nothing about. It was an invitation letter to go and stay with them in their house out in the country. So Bella packed all of her things that would fit in her little suitcase. She managed to pack all of the important things. She got on her horse and went to town to sell the last of the crops and then with the money she earned she paid for a taxi. Bella said her goodbyes to her beloved horse and watched as the image of her horse grew smaller and smaller until it was nothing but a spec. She got to the address of her aunties house and grabbed her things, thanked the taxi driver and went and knocked on the door. She heard loud rummaging around the house before her auntie and two girls opened the door and let her inside. The two girls named Priscilla and Chelsea were Bella’s cousins. They despised Bella and envied her beauty so much that they treated her very poorly. Chelsea and Priscilla went through her stuff and tore up Bella’s gowns and stole her dresses to keep for themselves. They lived in a very small house on top of their factory. They had a shoe making business. Bella’s auntie didn’t like Bella very much and as a result of that she made her sleep in the basement in the factory. Soon after her cousins started calling her basement Bella.
Bella worked long hours in the factory and was treated very unfairly. Down in the factory there was a little tiny vent that led into the house. One night Bella listened carefully to the gossip going on upstairs. Priscilla and Chelsea were arguing over the newspaper headline that read “The Farmer’s Son Is Looking For A Bride”. There was to be a massive market day and a ball at the town hall. Bella got so excited and couldn’t wait to go. She was so over the top with excitement that she sprung off her mattress and ran over the nearest sewing machine. Bella was quite talented at sewing and making clothing items as her mother had taught her when she was younger. She found some old fabric scraps and had a few things of her own that she managed to save from her evil cousins. She stitched and tucked and sewed the night away. When daylight hit she was just adding on a few finishing touches to her beautiful gown. Suddenly fear shot through her heart as she heard footsteps crashing down into the factory. She knew who it was instantly and desperately tried to hide her dress from the sight of her cousins. The basement door flung open but Bella managed to hide it just in time. Priscilla and Chelsea were prancing around in their dresses mocking Bella in her nightie.A few minutes later her auntie came down the stairs. The sound of her heels clacking against the stairs made Bella very nervous. Bella’s Auntie gathered up Priscilla and Chelsea and all of their things and headed up into the house. Bella followed after them and asked to go with them to the ball. They laughed in mockery and took her as a joke. Her auntie said “you shall not join us unless you have swept the house top to bottom and made over 150 pairs of shoes.” Priscilla and Chelsea couldn’t contain their laughter and cracked up on the floor making jokes.
Moments later the house was silent as they had already left without her. Bella sat in a slump knowing it was impossible. As she swept the house tears fell from her eyes and a little bird flew through the window and sat on top of the fireplace and sang to her. Bella made a wish and talked to the bird. Longing ever so hopelessly to go to the ball. She heard the voice of a sweet whisper in her ear saying “You will go to the ball and you will wear your beautiful dress” Bella looked around and to her amazement a small fairy was standing on her shoulder. Bella ran and went to get changed. The fairy did her hair in a swirled up bun and put little clips in her hair. She gave Bella the most beautiful purse and these golden slippers. “How will I get there though?” the fairy led her out to the garden and there in the garden was an amazing carriage and a familiar face of the horse in the front. It was her horse that she had sold the day she left. She stepped into the carriage. The carriage went up and down and tilted on the uneven footpath. They finally made it to the town hall. Bella made a magnificent entrance that got heads turning everywhere including the rich farmer. He came to greet her out of the carriage and he held out his hand for her to hold. As she stepped out of the carriage, all of the lady’s watched in envy. Bella caught a glimpse of her cousins and aunt and prayed they wouldn’t recognise her. Everyone was invited into the hall. The farmer said, “would you like to dance with me?” and she gladly agreed and took his hand and danced. He introduced himself to her; his name was Harry.
They danced the night away under the light of the big full moon. They laughed and talked and got to know one another. As the moon slowly started turning into the morning sun Bella suddenly realised the time and that most of the people from the ball were long gone. She had been so dazed by the charming farmer that she had forgotten all about her family and that they would already be on their way home and that when they got there they would realise that she wasn’t there. Bella apologized to Harry and released her grasp from him. She spun round to try and leave but he grabbed her hand, and pulled her in for a goodbye kiss. She ran off afterwards blushing all the way home. Harry was so worried he would never see her again. As the sun began to rise he saw a shimmer of something hidden in the grass he rushed over and to his surprise it was Bella’s purse.
When Bella arrived home the fairy appeared on her shoulder and spun in circles above Bella’s head magically changing her outfit. She ran inside and when she got downstairs into the factory there were birds and bunnies and beavers and all sorts working away. They were making all 150 pairs of shoes that Bella was ordered to do but couldn't possibly do it by herself. Suddenly she heard the sound of her cousins angrily barging through the door. All of the animals quickly vanished but all of the shoes were finished. Bella’s auntie was furious that her daughter’s didn’t get to dance with the farmer she kept going on about this mystery girl. Bella quietly giggled. Then there was another knock on the door and to their surprise it was Harry he was holding Bella’s purse in his hand. Little did Bella know that the fairy had secretly put in their address on the inside of the purse. When Harry saw Bella he didn't really recognise her. Chelsea and Priscilla tried so desperately to convince him that it was them who danced with him, but he knew deep down it wasn’t right. He came closer to Bella and stared into her eyes. He said “This is her, this is the beautiful girl I danced with last night. You must be Bella”. Bella was shocked that he knew her name but she reluctantly replied “yes that is me” he took her hand and kissed it gently. He asked Bella if she would be his bride and she agreed. They got on the back of his horse and rode away. They had a beautiful wedding underneath an oak tree on their farm. Surrounded by animals of all kinds and the lovely chirping and singing of the birds amongst the trees. They lived happily ever after.
