Cinderella aka 辛黛瑞拉（灰姑娘）

Rec'd an interesting email from a friend & think my readers may find the points shared meaningful as well. The original text is in Chinese; being your friendly blog owner, I shall translate it into English as best as I can. Hopefully, I can still preserve the moral the story is trying to potray. =P

An American teacher used the story, "Cinderella" to teach values to students.
Original text rec'd through email :-

上課鈴響了，孩子們跑進教室，這節課老師要講的是《灰姑娘》的故事。

老師先請一個孩子上臺給同學講一講這個故事。

孩子很快講完了，老師對他表示了感謝，然後開始向全班提問。

老師：你們喜歡故事里面的哪一個？不喜歡哪一個？為什麼？

學生：喜歡辛黛瑞拉（灰姑娘），還有王子，不喜歡她的後媽和後媽帶來的姐姐。辛黛瑞拉善良、可愛、漂亮。後媽和姐姐對辛黛瑞拉不好。

老師：如果在午夜12點的時候，辛黛瑞拉沒有來得及跳上她的南瓜馬車，你們想一想，可能會出現什麼情況？

學生：辛黛瑞拉會變成原來髒髒的樣子，穿著破舊的衣服。哎呀，那就慘啦。

老師：所以，你們一定要做一個守時的人，不然就可能給自己帶來麻煩。另外，你們看，你們每個人平時都打扮得漂漂亮亮的，千萬不要突然邋邋遢遢地出現在別人面前，不然你們的朋友要嚇著了。女孩子們，你們更要注意，將來你們長大和男孩子約會，要是你不注意，被你的男朋友看到你很難看的樣子，他們可能就嚇昏了（老師做昏倒狀，全班大笑）。

好，下一個問題：如果你是辛黛瑞拉的後媽，你會不會阻止辛黛瑞拉去參加王子的舞會？你們一定要誠實喲！

學生：（過了一會兒，有孩子舉手回答）是的，如果我辛黛瑞拉的後媽，我也會阻止她去參加王子的舞會。

老師：為什麼？

學生：因為我愛自己的女兒，我希望自己的女兒當上王后。

老師：是的，所以，我們看到的後媽好像都是不好的人，她們只是對別人不夠好，可是她們對自己的孩子卻很好，你們明白了嗎？她們不是壞人，只是她們還不能夠像愛自己的孩子一樣去愛其他的孩子。

孩子們，下一個問題：辛黛瑞拉的後媽不讓她去參加王子的舞會，甚至把門鎖起來，她為什麼能夠去，而且成為舞會上最美麗的姑娘呢？

學生：因為有仙女幫助她，給她漂亮的衣服，還把南瓜變成馬車，把狗和老鼠變成僕人。

老師：對，你們說得很好！想一想，如果辛黛瑞拉沒有得到仙女的幫助，她是不可能去參加舞會的，是不是？

學生：是的！

老師：如果狗、老鼠都不願意幫助她，她可能在最後的時刻成功地跑回家嗎？

學生：不會，那樣她就可以成功地嚇到王子了。（全班再次大笑）

老師：雖然辛黛瑞拉有仙女幫助她，但是，光有仙女的幫助還不夠。所以，孩子們，無論走到哪，我們都是需要朋友的。我們的朋友不一定是仙女，但是，我們需要他們，我也希望你們有很多很多的朋友。

下面，請你們想一想，如果辛黛瑞拉因為後媽不願意她參加舞會就放棄了機會，她可能成為王子的新娘嗎？

學生：不會！那樣的話，她就不會到舞會上，不會被王子遇到，認識和愛上她了。

老師：對極了！如果辛黛瑞拉不想參加舞會，就是她的後媽沒有阻止，甚至支持她去，也是沒有用的，是誰決定她要去參加王子的舞會？

學生：她自己。

老師：所以，孩子們，就是辛黛瑞拉沒有媽媽愛她，她的後媽不愛她，這也不能夠讓她不愛自己。就是因為她愛自己，她才可能去尋找自己希望得到的東西。如果你們當中有人覺得沒有人愛，或者像辛黛瑞拉一樣有一個不愛她的後媽，你們要怎麼樣？

學生：要愛自己！

老師：對，沒有一個人可以阻止你愛自己，如果你覺得別人不夠愛你，你要加倍地愛自己；如果別人沒有給你機會，你應該加倍地給自己機會；如果你們真的愛自己，就會為自己找到自己需要的東西，沒有人可以阻止辛黛瑞拉參加王子的舞會，沒有人可以阻止辛黛瑞拉當上王后，除了她自己。對不對？

學生：是的！！！

老師：最後一個問題，這個故事有什麼不合理的地方？

學生：（過了好一會）午夜12點以後所有的東西都要變回原樣，可是，辛黛瑞拉的水晶鞋沒有變回去。

老師：天哪，你們太棒了！你們看，就是偉大的作家也有出錯的時候，所以，出錯不是什麼可怕的事情。我擔保，如果你們當中誰將來要當作家，一定比這個作家更棒！你們相信嗎？

孩子們歡呼雀躍。

Translation :-

Bell rings, the students rushed into their classroom. Today, the teacher has a story to tell - Cinderella.

The teacher picked a student to tell the story to the whole class.

The student finished telling the story in no time. After thanking the student, the teacher starts asking the class questions.

Teacher : Who do you like in the story? And who don't you like? Why?

Students : Like Cinderella & the Prince, dislike the step mum & step sisters. Cinderella is kind, cute & pretty. But the step mum & step sisters ill treat her.

Teacher : Just imagine, if Cinderella didn't manage to hop on the pumpkin carriage when the clock struck twelve, what would have happened?

Students : Cinderella would turn back to her original self - dirty & wear torn clothes. Aiya, then it spells doom.

Teacher : So you see, you must learn to be a punctual person, or else you might just bring trouble to yourself. On top of that, just take a look at how you dress daily - neat & tidy wear. Never appear suddenly infront of others in an undesirable sight, you might just scare your friends off. Girls especially, when you grow up & start going on dates with guys, if you're not careful & get caught by your boyfriends in your ugly looks, he might faint in shock. (The teacher acts out the fainting scene & the whole class break into laughter.)

Well, you must answer the next question honestly, if you were Cinderella's step mum, would you stop Cinderella from attending the ball?

Students : (After awhile, one raised her hand & answered) Yes, if I was Cinderella's step mum, I would also stop Cinderella from attending the ball.

Teacher : Why?

Student : Because I love my own daughters and I want them to be the Queen.

Teacher : Yes, we may see step mums as a baddies, they ill treat others. But, they certainly treat their own children very well, do you see that? They're not bad people, they merely have not learn to love others like how they love their own children.

Now tell me, Cinderella's step mum tried to stop her from going to the Prince's ball by locking her up. But why did she managed to appear at the ball as the prettiest lady that night?

Students : Because the fairy god mother appeared; gave her pretty clothes, turned the pumpkin into a carriage & the dog and mice into servants.

Teacher : That's right! Think about this, if Cinderella didn't receive help from the fairy god mother, she wouldn't make it for the ball, right?

Students : Yes!

Teacher : If the dog & mice were unwilling to help her, could she make it back home in time?

Students : Nope, but she could have been able to scare the prince off successfully. (The whole class broke into laughter once more)

Teacher : Though Cinderella received the help of her fairy god mother, but that is not enough. Children, wherever we may go, everyone of us need friends. Our friends may not be our fairy god mother, but we need them and I wish you would have lots & lots of friends too.

Next, think about this, if Cinderella gave up the thought on wanting to go for the ball just because her step mum stopped her from going, would she become the Prince's bride after all?

Students : No! Because, she wouldn't have met the Prince at the ball & make him fell for her.

Teacher : Absolutely! That would also mean if Cinderella has no intention to attend the ball, even if her step mum didn't stop her or even encourage her to go, it's useless. Who decides for her if she should go to the ball?

Students : Herself.

Teacher : So, children, even if Cinderella don't have a mum to love her, her step mum hates her, it doesn't mean that she shouldn't love herself as well. In fact, it's because she loves herself, that's why she's able to pursue something that she wished for. If any of you here feel that no one loves you or just like Cinderella has a step mum who hates you, what should you do?

Students : Love ourselves!

Teacher : Yes, no one can stop you from loving yourself. If you feel that others are not giving you enough love, you should love yourself more with double the amount. If others refuse to give you any chance, you should strive even harder in giving yourself a chance. If you love yourself, you would fight to achieve what you really want. No one can stop Cinderella from attending the Prince's ball, no one can stop her from becoming the Queen except herself, right?

Students : Yes!

Teacher : Last question, tell me which part of this story is not logical?

Students : (After a long pause) When the clock struck twelve, everything turns back to its original form , but Cinderella's glass slippers didn't.

Teacher : Oh my! You are great! See, even such a great writer makes mistakes. So, making mistakes is not something to be afraid of. I guarantee that if anyone of you were to become a writer one day, you would definitely be a better writer! Do you believe in yourself?

The students cheered.

*P/S: Highlighted the part in which I find very meaningful & perhaps you readers should tell yourself that once in awhile to motivate yourself.