Lisa fell asleep after hearing the story of Cinderella. She was dreaming of it when she felt someone shaking her awake.
She sat up and saw a very grandly dressed lady standing besides her bed.
“Who are you?” she asked.
“Cinderella’s fairy godmother, of course,” said the lady.
“You are real?” said Lisa amazed, “Not just a storybook figure?”
“Who told you storybook figures are not real?” demanded the lady, “They all are real. Come, I’ll show you.”
Lisa got up and dressed quickly, as the lady got up. She went to the window and waved her wand. Down came a carriage studded with stars and drawn by a white horse. Lisa gasped in wonder.
They stepped in and the carriage flew off over the clouds. They landed in a clearing. Once again, the wand was waved and a fabulous palace stood there. The lady touched Lisa’s head and she found herself wearing a lovely blue frock with silver shoes on.
The lady led her in. A ball was in progress and there was Cinderella dancing with her Prince! Lisa looked at everything in wonder. It was all real!
She watched for a while then asked, “Are all the other stories also real? You know, the ones about Snow White and Rapunzel, and all?”
“Yes, of course,” said the lady, “Lisa, next time I’ll take you to meet some of the others. Would you like to see the pumpkin coach?”
“Oh, yes!” said Lisa, delighted.
They went out and there stood the pumpkin coach with a grand coachman driving six white horses and four footmen standing behind! Lisa rubbed her eyes but the coach was there still.
“Now just stand here and you’ll see Cinderella coming,” said the lady. Lisa heard the clock striking twelve and the sound of running feet. Cinderella came down the steps but was just a minute late.
There lay a pumpkin with a large rat, four green lizards and six white mice! Cinderella’s clothes were covered with ash and torn as she ran away. In a few moments, the Prince came, holding a glass slipper. He looked all around, but did not see anyone except the girl in a dirty dress running away.
“Now do you believe in stories being real?” asked the lady.
“Yes,” said Lisa, “They do seem to be true. But how can I get back?”
The lady waved her wand and Lisa suddenly found herself in her room. She looked down and saw she was still wearing the blue frock and silver shoes!
