Multiculturalism in Cinderella

WHY AM I ALWAYS PICKED ON!? I was just minding my own business when my horrid stepsisters came up to me and started making fun of me for the mud on my face. They know that it is not mud, it is actually a star-shaped birthmark on my left cheek, and I absolutely hate it. As I look in the mirror and try to scrub it off, I remember the horrific childhood I was forced to suffer through. My mother died when I was born and as soon as I learned to walk I was on my own, I never even received a single hug from any of my family. I learned how to get by on very little at a very young age, but don’t feel sorry for me, hey what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger right? I know my stepsisters pick on me because they are jealous, I have overheard them talking about me many times. I wish they could be nice to me, but I know that will never happen so instead I try to ignore their comments and be happy with what I have.

Now time for the good news… my father came today to visit and told us that we were all (yes even me!) invited to Prince Merhdad’s feast in celebration of NoRuz (the Persian New Year). He insisted that we all get new clothes and gave us each a gold coin, BEST DAY EVER. We covered our heads with our cloaks and went to the market, one of the most exciting and best smelling places I’ve ever been to; the smell of the roasting almonds is my favorite. In fact, the smell was so good that I ended up trading part of my gold coin for a paper twist of hot-spiced nuts (I should probably let you know that I can be a tad bit impulsive).

This is the part when my past came rushing back to me and I couldn’t stop myself from giving away some of my coins. There was a woman, old and shivering, whose sad eyes made me remember my childhood and the same feeling of hopelessness that she was feeling. Without hesitation, I gave the woman most of my coins. Satisfied with my decision, I set out to buy some cloth to make a sash for my dress with the small amount of money I had left. I didn’t get far when the most beautiful and mesmerizing jar caught my eye and the kind merchant let me have it for my remaining coins! My stepsisters laughed and made fun of me but I don’t care, this has been such a wonderful day. Well that’s it for tonight, I’ve had a long and eventful day and my bed is calling my name.

With Love,

Settareh (Star)

————————————————————-

  The doll was like a good luck charm that would help me out with advice or a task if I fed it. As long as I did not show it to anyone, it protected me from evil. Shortly after my mother died, I grieved so much that I would not sleep at night. I fed and gave drink to the doll and in return the doll gave me advice, "Don't weep, little Vasilissa. Grief is worst at night. Lie down, shut thine eyes, comfort thyself and go to sleep. The morning is wiser than the evening." So Vasilissa the Beautiful lay down, comforted herself and went to sleep, and the next day her grieving was not so deep and her tears were less bitter".

  My father did not take the death of my mother well, for many days and nights he would grieve. However, he soon was looking to marry. He ended up marrying a widow with two daughters, whose appearances were a bit deceiving. She just wanted my dad because of his big house and wealth. Jealous they were, because of my looks( I do not like to be conceded but I am definitely prettier than that widow and her two daughters). Because of this my step mom would make me do all kinds of chores so that I could lose my looks, trying to make me skinnier and my face ugly. Even though this was the case, the opposite would happen and they were the ones who grew uglier. Thanks to my doll, who would do all of my chores for me when i slept, I managed to survive thanks to my doll, giving me the recipe of making a sunscreen for my face!

  Sometimes men would come to my house to ask for my hand in marriage, but my step mother would intervene and say that i could not marry until my step sisters married.

My dad's occupation as a merchant set him up on a business trip out of the country, which let my crazy stepmother do whatever she wanted. She ended up selling the house and moving us to the edge of a forest. Her hate for me was so much that she moved there with the intention of sending me off to run errands hoping I would not come back. My step mother had the intention of having me encounter Baba Yaga. She was a scary old witch who lived in a hut that sat on what looked like hens' legs. Thanks to my doll however, I never encountered the witch until my stepmother made me encounter her.

--------------------------

Living in a tsardom is no joke! (I found their Facebook page! https://www.facebook.com/Tsardom).

  I kept walking and saw another figure, alike the white one but he was dressed in red along with his horse (who was also red). He represented the sun rising(weird right?).

  Then another figure, who, just like his horse, was dressed in black, passed by along with nighttime. For some reason her hut was not dark at all. For an ugly hag she had a nice lawn. Out of nowhere, Baba Yaga made her grand entrance, "Then suddenly the wood became full of a terrible noise; the trees began to groan, the branches to creak and the dry leaves to rustle, and the Baba Yaga came flying from the forest. She was riding in a great iron mortar and driving it with the pestle, and as she came she swept away her trail behind her with a kitchen broom"

  She asked me who I was and wanted (with her stinky breath) and I told her I was Vasilissa and that I needed some fire. She said I could have some only if i worked for it, so I had no choice but to say yes. She threatened that if I did not fulfill the task, I would be eaten like a chicken!!!!

  Of course I had to consult my doll, but as always she comforted me and assured everything was going to be alright. have you ever heard the saying "the morning is wiser than the evening,"? Well now you have. So anyways, after I woke up wiser, the morning came along with the red horseman. I go outside after the witch leave to go gather stuff to make supper and the doll had done all my chores and left all the ingredients that I needed for the supper. I just couldn't believe it!

  Ever have that relative that you know is lying through her teeth, but puts on a fake happy face?

  I could tell she was angry but acted as if she was pleased. Apparently old hags like kvass, honey, and red wine. She ate everything, including the bones in the food. Then after she gave me more tasks to fulfill. Again I asked for help from my doll and again she gave the same result. The old hag again had no choice but to be pleased, and this time a few pairs of hands appeared out of nowhere to take some of the things that I had to collect.

This old grandma ate as if she was 5 people! I thought the older one got the slower that the person's metabolism gets.

----------------------------------------------

  I make my way back to my stepmother's house, go inside, then soon after the eyes from the skulls follow my stepmother and her daughters. They eyes would follow and grow hotter and hotter, to the point that it burned them to ashes. The next day I buried the skull and then locked the house. I then when to live with an old woman who did not have children and was poor. Someone that could use some of my help, until my father returned. I was so bored however, that I asked the old lady if she could buy me some lax so that I could spin and make something useful. I hate to seem conceded but I made the thread as fine as hair.

  I fed and gave drink to the doll and then the doll requested me to bring an old frame and old basket and some hairs from a horse's mane. The doll ended up making a frame for me to weave on!

  The thread was so fine that I felt I should not sell it, but rather give it as a gift to the Tsar.

  The old lady did me the favor of taking the threads to the Tsar, and then surprised, he asked how much the old lady wanted for the threads. But she, like I wanted her to answer, said that there was no price but was a gift. He then requested her take some gifts and for her to make more. She then told him that I was the one who wove the threads and asked for me to make shirts. Of course I was going to sew shirts for him! But anyways, i went straight to work.The Tsar called me a "needlewoman". As soon as he saw me his face lit up and I felt him fall in love with me. I felt our souls intertwine (cute huh?). He took me by my white hand and asked if I could be his wife. I hesitated a little, but I said yes. Wish you could have made it to the wedding, but know that we are happy!

--------------------------------------------

Wow, that was kind of creepy! I can't imagine being watched by creepy skulls like that! I'm happy I'm finished with this translation!

To begin, I’m sorry I have not written in a few weeks, but once I explain why it will all become clear. Let’s begin at the beginning, when I returned home from the market and finally sat down with my new prized possession that I was so blessed to receive. I know this is going to sound crazy, but the jar I bought the other day at the market is no ordinary jar, it is MAGICAL, yes, I repeat, MAGICAL. As I was stroking it I mumbled out loud that I wish it was full of jasmine blossoms and all of a sudden the smell of the blossoms surrounded me and the jar was vibrating! At first I thought I was dreaming, but when I asked for food and something to wear, the pari granted my wishes and sweet figs appeared, followed by a warm shawl. I was very confused but decided not to question things, so instead I told the jar about myself and the lonely life I live. At this point I had to pinch myself because a turtledove flew down and my prayers had been answered.

Now let’s fast forward to tonight, the eve of No Ruz. I stayed behind as all the girls left to the palace to make sure no one would discover the magical power of my jar (I knew if my envious sisters caught me they would steal it). Luckily the girls were all so excited to go that they left quickly and I didn’t have to worry about any men because we live in separate quarters. When the coast was clear I politely asked my jar for No Ruz clothing and a dark red silk dress, golden pendant, turquoise bracelets, and diamond studded anklets were suddenly sitting in front of me. I take back what I said in my first entry, THIS, was the BEST DAY EVER! Once I was ready I made sure to give my thanks and at once I was outside of the palace, I couldn’t believe my eyes!

As I entered I made sure to stay far away from my sisters and keep my head turned at all times, this was my night and they were not going to ruin it. The feast was nothing less than perfection, there was roast lamb and spiced cucumbers, and even fresh snow brought down from the mountains (talk about fancy, oh my). Basically I ate and ate and ate until I realized I needed to get out of there, and fast, to avoid the beating that would be waiting for me if stepmother was home first (not a big fan of her). I ran as fast as I could and quickly swapped my silk dress for my tattered dress; it was then that I realized I had lost one of my diamond anklets along the way! I wasn’t too upset, however, because I couldn’t have asked for a better night and I was so thankful to even be able to attend (and to make it home before my stepmother). Now I must go and have the best sleep of my life, for the first time in a while I am going to bed with a full stomach!

With Love,

Settareh (Star)

—————————————————————

As crazy as the last two diary entries sounded, this one is going to sound craziest of all. After the feast life continued on as usual, I went back to being woken up by my stepsisters mean remarks every morning and back to going to bed with my stomach growling. You will never believe what happens next! As I was doing my daily chores I heard a knock on the door and it was the prince’s mother demanding that each of us try on the jeweled anklet she was holding in her hand… yes MY ANKLET. Though my stepsisters oiled their feet, the anklet wouldn’t go on, and then it was my turn. I stepped up politely and when the prince’s mother saw that the anklet slipped right on, she told me to join her at the palace, and I asked if I could quickly grab a few things. I tried to grab my jar in secret but my stepsister followed and forced me to reveal its’ power (I wasn’t that upset though because the thought of being with the prince distracted me).

When I arrived at the palace the prince’s mother handed me the most beautiful mirror so I could look at his handsome face without the embarrassment of looking at it directly. I felt once again like this was all a dream. We celebrated for 39 days, as is custom, and on the fortieth day the wedding was planned to commence. I had been looking forward to my wedding day since I was a child and I couldn’t contain my happiness that the day had finally come.

However, right before my wedding, my two stepsisters came into my room and insisted on doing my hair (looking back I should’ve known something was up). They told me that as a married woman I had to wear my hair up and that they had brought with them lovely blue pins as a gift since they knew it was my favorite. Side note: these “pins” were actually the shattered glass pieces of my now destroyed jar- I wish I had known that at the time. Each sister shoved a pin into my head, and a horrible pain came over me. I was screaming and crying and begging for them to stop, and finally, on the sixth jab, it all stopped and I felt as if I was transformed.

I had become… I had wings…. But… what… Then I finally realized what I had transformed into, a gray turtledove! I watched my prince from my spot on the windowsill each day, and though he would see no one, and eat nothing, at least I was there to be his companion, much like the bird that had become my companion so long ago.

As time past I wondered how this all had happened and wished more than anything I could be fully there with my prince. I had almost given up hope but one day the prince began to stroke me with his fingers, discovering the blue shard of glass under my sharp feathers. “Pull it out” I thought, “Please pull it out”. And that he did. Not just the one, but the other five pins stuck all over my poor and aching body. When he pulled out the last one I felt the transformation occurring again and all of a sudden I was back into my old body. I couldn’t have been happier, I will remember that moment for as long as I live.

I can now officially say that I am the wife of the prince and our celebration was everything I wanted and much, much more. As for my sisters, well, they got what they deserved I’ll just put it that way. (Okay I’ll tell you- their hearts couldn’t contain the rage and jealousy anymore and they simply burst). Well diary, I guess this is the end of the rode for me and you and time for me to go live my happily ever after as a PRINCESS, can you believe it? Me a princess.

With Love,

Princess Settareh (Star)

———————————————————

       Today, I found out that my name, Rhodopis, means “rosy cheeked." I'm guessing it has to do with my pale skin and my light eyes. I'm only drawing so much attention to my coloring because you will never believe what happened to me today. What started out as an average day certainly took a turn. Earlier, I was combing through my blonde hair when I heard a startle from outside. It was frightening and I have no idea what caused it. The sounds began to rise in volume as they got closer and closer to me. I couldn't determine what it was. At this point, I realized that I had two options. Should I stay or should I go now? (Hey, I think that sounds like a good name for a song title.) Anyways, I told myself that I could try and hide or I could try to run as fast as I could. 

        Needless to say, thinking on my feet is not one of my strengths. So I found myself on board a ship of pirates. I wasn't sure where they were taking me but I could hear whispers about profits and money. I looked out the window of the small barracks that I was trapped in and realized that we were making our way down the Nile River. I started to fall asleep.

        I wish I would have never woken up because my dream was more peaceful than the nightmare of my reality. Finally off of the ship, I realized that I had been sold as a slave. I saw some other house servants. Excited, I tried to approach them in hopes that we would be friends. Or at least, cordial enough to help each other out. It was in this moment that my name, "rosy cheeked" became more and more apparent.  As I approached the other house servants, I realized that everyone had darker features than me. Their hair, their eyes and their skin were all a lot darker than mine. Feeling like an outcast, they began to tease me for my different appearance. I’m wasn't sure how to handle it. I didn't know how to fight back. They began yelling things to me like “Go to the river and wash the clothes,” “Mend my robe,” “Chase the geese from the garden,” “Bake the bread,” and many more.

        I’m wasn't sure how I could do all of that on my own. Thankfully, I took comfort in the birds and the monkeys and the hippopotamus who became my friends. My master is a very old man. But he is kind. He spends the majority of his days asleep.

      The sun began to fall and I made my way down to the river for my favorite part of the day. I got to sing and dance with the animals. Tonight was a special night, however. I guess my singing and dancing had woken up my master and he came to join me by the river holding red slippers for me! They were the most beautiful shoes I have every seen!! I was so thankful to him. I can’t wait to fall asleep and wake up tomorrow wearing my new shoes.

Warm toes, Rhodopis

----------------------------------

Cold toes, Rhodopis

----------------------

--------------------------

              I have come to realize that the world I live in can at times be cruel. Instead of getting angry and closing myself off from it, I choose to put as much good into it as I can. Others in Mátsaki treat me badly because I am poor, dirty, and I am part of the people who heard the turkeys. They add to the cruelty in this world; I choose to stop the cycle every time it comes around to me. Instead I will be kind to those I interact with, no matter what they may be like. Right now, those I interact with the most are the turkeys since there is such an abundance of them in this part of the Zuni River. Normally they are difficult to keep track of but I have noticed they always listen to me, they never question or argue, but treat me with as much respect as I have come to treat them. It is incredible to see them be so kind, even if they might just be turkeys.

            Talk of the town right now is the Dance of the Sacred Bird. I overheard them all speaking about it today as I walked the turkeys around. Everyone is going, except for me of course. I am undeserving, and even if I was I have nothing to wear. Although it is not so bad, I can still pass the time with my turkeys so that I am not alone.

-------------------------------------

              You must have heard me! The turkeys have spoken to me! They said they know how I feel about the dance, how much I wish to attend. They want to help me! They asked me to give them articles of clothing I was wearing one by one so they could mend them, and then they gave me jewelry they had found on the ground around town. I wish you could see me right now. I feel like a different person, I look like a different person. I knew you could hear me, so thank you Gods for this opportunity. Although the turkeys still seem hesitant in trusting me. They asked me to leave the wicket open to their cages, they still seem doubtful I will return before morning to let them out like I normally do. Why would I do that? I love them, they have been my only friends thus far, I would not abandon them. They told me if I do not come back by morning they will leave me, seeing as I do not treat them with the same respect they have treated me.

---------------------------

              Oh the dance was incredible, men asked me to dance not long after I got there. We danced well into the night. No one even recognized me! But I have made a grave mistake, it began to get late and I figured I could stay one more dance. One dance turned into two, two turned into three, and before I even knew it the sun had long set and it was almost morning. I rushed across town back to their cages, but by the time I returned the turkeys were gone! I could hear their call in the distance, so I chased after them. I just needed to catch up to them, to tell them I was sorry; I wanted to tell them I was simply late, that I had returned. But no matter how quickly I ran I could not catch up to them. I called and called for them but they did not turn around. If I quickened my pace, so did they. Before I knew it they were gone and I looked down to find my dress was in shambles as it originally had been. I had given less importance to the turkeys, I had failed proven their worse fears, they felt they had no choice to leave. I miss them every day.  

----------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------

February 27, 645 A.D.

The sunset is exceptionally beautiful today, and I’m glad I can enjoy the wonderful dances of pinks and reds by the lake. I’ve made a friend with one of its residents, a sparkling gold fish that is longer than I am! Its large, golden eyes always look like they want to tell me something, but Jinyu’s mouth always opens and closes wordlessly. Silly as it is, I feel a connection to Jinyu, as if she were looking after me. Nonetheless, I enjoy her company every evening, especially when I can steal whatever moments I can away from Houmu and Jun-li. They’ve become exceptionally harsh with me these past few days, with all the visitors we’ve been getting in preparation for the New Year’s Festival. I’ve been cleaning non-stop this past week, and by knees and arms are still glowing bright red with all the scrubbing and dusting I have to do. A part of me wishes that I could be a part of the preparations, but I know that it will never be possible; even asking Houmu about it is out of the question. Maybe if I continue to be obedient, Houmu will give me a chance.

March 5, 645 A.D.

The most terrible thing has happened! Houmu called me in to wash the floor this evening while I was feeding Jinyu, even though we didn’t have any visitors. I thought it was strange, but I didn’t question why and did the chore completely. When I came back to the lake to finish, Jinyu was gone. I called out to her, but she didn’t poke her head out of the water like she usually does, so I came back when dinner was served. My heart seized when Houmu set down a platter of the largest goldfish I had seen only in the lake. My voice was trembling when I asked her where she got the fish from. She replied in that same, cold voice, although this time she was smiling. The lake, she said. After that, I couldn’t stop crying. I knew it was indecent of me, but I couldn’t help myself. I was excused from dinner and ran to the lake and cried for hours and hours. Jinyu was my only friend. Houmu and Jun-li are always so cruel to me, regardless of all the work I put into this house. Sometimes I feel like running away, but doing such a thing is foolish for a girl of my age. After dinner I was cleaning out the trash, I found Jinyu’s bones. I couldn’t bear to throw them away so I took them to my bed and hid them under my pillow. At least Jinyu will be closer to me now. I just don’t understand Houmu at all! She won’t let me go to the Spring Festival! She tells me that there isn’t any extra money for another dress but as the elder sister, I should be the one receiving a new dress, not Jun-li!! Wow, I can’t believe that her stepmother did that to Yeh Shen’s only friend. It seems that in Chinese culture, siblings are meant to be given importance depending on how old they are, but I guess the stepmother doesn’t respect this in order to favor her own daughter. I hate her already!

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------

March 23, 645 A.D.

So many things have happened these past few days, and I’ll quickly try to record them all. On the night of the festival, I went to bed early. But as I was resting, I heard a voice in the room. I called out to Jun-li and Houmu, thinking that they may have forgotten something, but as the voice kept speaking, I knew it couldn’t be them. It was a woman’s voice, soft and sweet. It took me time to realize that the voice was coming from none other than under my pillow. It was Jinyu’s bones that were speaking to me! Jinyu was an enchanted fish, and it seems that her bones retained that magic. The bones asked if there was any longing in my heart that was unfulfilled. My heart was beating rapidly when I told them that I wanted to go to the Spring festival. The bones asked me to close my eyes. I felt a soft, silky sensation wrap around my body and feet. When the bones asked me to open my eyes, my mouth fell open. I was wearing the most richly blue I had ever seen; it had looked as if the thread had woven from sapphires. On my shoulders was a cloak of kingfisher feathers, all lined neatly as if kingfishers themselves had created it. And on my feet were golden slippers, with what looked like actual gold sewn in on the sole, sparkling in the firelight. I thanked the bones over and over again, almost crying from happiness and gratitude. The bones simply replied with a single warning: not to lose the slippers. I agreed and quickly made my way to the festival. It was the most beautiful place I’d ever seen! Colorful lanterns burned merrily around vendors of all sorts—smells of cifantuan*, my favorite man tou**, and many other delicious sweets and fried snacks competed for hungry bellies across the festival grounds. Both men and women looks like colorful flowers, their silk cloaks blowing gently in the wind like petals. I hadn’t noticed that everyone’s gaze was on me until I realized everyone around me were suddenly quiet. My feet grew cold and I couldn’t chew the man tou already in my mouth. I stared back at everyone blankly. My heart seized when I thought I saw Houmu and Jun-li walking across the street, craning their around to look at me. I immediately started running through the crowd. I remember losing a slipper but I couldn’t look back. My heart felt like it was going to jump out of my throat! I quickly put on my rags and pretended I haven’t stepped a foot out of the house. The worst part is when I tried to talk to the bones again, to thank them. They didn’t respond, even when I called out to them several times. I regret losing that slipper.

April 15, 645 A.D.

My slipper has been found! The king of T’o Han received the slipper from a traveling merchant. What is shocking is that he has created a contest around it! He proclaims that he will marry who ever can fit the slipper! No one has, as of now. But, I must get the slipper back quickly; maybe it is the only way to get the bones to speak to me again.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

----------------------------------------------------------

April 17, 645 A.D.

I have escaped death! When I went to take back the slipper, guards assumed that I was a thief! The king was furious and demanded to know who I was. When I told him I was the owner of the slipper, he asked I should prove it. When I did, his face softened and he smiled and I felt at ease. He asked who I was. Before I knew it, I was telling my entire life story to him! From Father’s death to Houmu and Jun-li’s cruelty, to the Spring festival and Jinyu’s bones. After my story, the king allowed me to go home and I was relieved. I thought I was dead for certain. When I went back home, I hoped that the bones would speak to me again. They didn’t, but I still feel like I’m being looked over. I’m not as anxious as I should be, if Jun-li and Houmu realize that I escaped in the night.

April 18, 645 A.D.

I’m writing this from a royal carriage. Royal. My arm is riddled with pinch marks, and I’m still in disbelief at how quickly my life has changed today. This morning, the king came to our house. Yes, I the king of T’o Han! A messenger announced his arrival thirty minutes beforehand, and I was able to quickly wear the gown Jinyu’s bones gave me before Jun-li or Houmu could rip them off. When the king finally arrived, he invited me to join him, not as a guest, but as his wife. Before I could say anything, Houmu claimed that I had stolen the gown, which actually belonged to Jun-li. The king ignored her and was focused only on my answer. I did my best not to burst in tears when I said yes. I was given a few minutes to gather my things and I quickly left. I wished Houmu and Jun-li well, but they were staring nothing but pure poison to me. And now, I’m on the way to T’o Han’s palace. It seems silly, but I believe it was Jinyu’s bones looking after me all along. I will never forget her selfless gifts for as long as I live. 

----------------------------------------------------------

The diary ends here. It feels bittersweet, but I’m so happy that Yeh Shen had a happy ending and became empress, she really deserved it. This just goes to show how jealousy never brings happiness and how it’s important to always follow the Golden Rule.