This is the story of Ella. Oh, poor Ella! Sweet, lovely girl...
Downhall is a small town. Ella lives in a big house in this small town with her parents. Her father is a rich man, her mother is a housewife. Ella's father James always goes faraway countries and doesn't come back for a long time. When he comes back home in the end, Ella and her mother get very happy.
One day, James goes out of the country for business again. He stays away from his home and lovely family for six months. When he returns home, he learns that his adorable wife, Bella has got a fatal illness. After a very short time, she passes away. Ella and James mourn for her for a very long time. They always think of her and their happy past days.
Father and daughter keep on living on their own until that day. Oh, that dark day... The day that James explains the ugly truth to Ella, the day that Ella's nightmare begins. James falls in love with the black widow, Hannelore. Hannelore is a middle-aged, evil minded woman; she also has got two horribly ugly and cruel daughters.
In two weeks' time, James gets married to the black widow. Then, Hannelore and her daughters move James and Ella's home, they start living altogether.
Everything goes well at the beginning. Dinners, parties with nobel families, lords... After two weeks, James has to go faraway countries for business again. In fact, he doesn't want to leave his daughter alone but he convinces himself that Hannelore and the girls will be good friends to her through his absence. However, he never comes back... His ship can't survive a strong storm, sinks and he gives his last breath in the deep ocean before seeing the pretty face his beloved daughter and saying goodbye to her.
After James' announcement of death arrives home, the black widow and her daughters, shedding crocodile tears for a few days, start treating Ella like a maid, despising and insulting her. Ella, becoming unhappy day by day, falls into despair. She sleeps in the kitchen and talks only to her animal friends.
One day in the town it is spread that, there'll be a ball in the palace and the prince will choose his future wife at this ball. Hannelore, the girls and Ella, hearing this, become very happy. After seeing Ella's happiness, Hannelore says that she will never go to the ball and locks her in the attic on the day of the ball.
Ella lies on her bed desperately and begins to cry silently. Aaaaannd poooofff! Suddenly, a fairy appears in the room and promises to send her to the ball after dressing her up like a princess; but on one condition: "She has to leave the ball before it strikes 12 o'clock at night."
The fairy godmother does her magic and dolls Ella up. A gorgeous dress, glass slippers, silky hair...
Ella sets out to the palace on a pumpkin carriage with her servants. Nobody, including the prince, can take their eyes off her. The handsome prince approaches and asks her to dance. They keep on dancing non-stop for hours until Ella notices that it's midnight. After hearing the bell ringing, she rushes to her carriage. However, on the stairs she falls down and loses one of her slippers. The prince ,running after her, can find only the glass slipper of the woman he fell in love with at first sight; but he is decisive to find her and he plans to visit all the houses in the town one by one, make all the single ladies try that glass slipper on until finding the love of his life.
Wow, wow, wow! The royals are in front of Hannelore's house. Now, it's their turn to try that slipper on. The trumpets blow, the prince and his servants come in. The ugly sisters try the slipper on one by one, but it fits none of them. One of the servants, noticing Ella, says :"It's your turn". "But she is our maid!" opposes Hannelore in a surprised manner. The prince says: "Her being a maid doesn't mean that she can't be the love of my life!" and orders his servants to give the slipper to Ella. She puts it on and it fits her foot as if it has been made for her.
The prince, finding his love, hugs her so tight and takes her to the palace right away. Their marriage is celebrated all through the country for days and nights aaaaaannd they live happily forever and ever...
By the way, if you happen to ask about the cruel witches; of course, they pay for what they've done. And their punishment is living whole their lives with wickedness and falsehood...
THE END :)