Cinderella wasn't having a very exciting day, even for her. The stepsisters were extra grumpy, and all the chores seemed to take twice as long. She’d finished scrubbing the kitchen floor and was carefully sweeping the garden path when she heard a tiny, worried meow.
Peeking under a rose bush, Cinderella saw a little kitten! It was small and fluffy, with big, scared eyes. The kitten was all alone and looked very lost. “Oh, you poor thing,” Cinderella whispered, gently scooping the kitten into her arms. It trembled a little, but soon snuggled close.
Cinderella knew she should finish her chores, but she couldn’t just leave the kitten. “I need to find your mama,” she said to the kitten. She carefully carried it around the garden, calling, “Kitty, kitty! Is anyone looking for a kitten?”
The stepsisters laughed when they saw her. “Cinderella, what are you doing with that silly creature? Get back to work!” they called. But Cinderella didn’t let their unkind words bother her. She knew helping the kitten was the right thing to do.
She walked further and further, past the vegetable patch and towards the edge of the woods. Suddenly, she heard a louder meow! A beautiful, calico cat came running towards them, meowing with relief. It was the kitten’s mama!
The little kitten leaped from Cinderella’s arms and ran to its mother, purring loudly. The mama cat rubbed against Cinderella’s legs, as if to say thank you. Cinderella felt a warm glow inside. It felt much better than finishing all her chores quickly.
As Cinderella walked back to the house, she noticed something amazing. The garden seemed brighter, the birds sang sweeter, and even the stepsisters didn’t seem quite so grumpy. She realized that being kind and helping others had made *her* feel beautiful, inside and out.
That night, as Cinderella lay in bed, she thought about the little kitten and its mama. She knew that even when things were difficult, a little bit of kindness could make all the difference. And that, she thought, was a very magical thing indeed. Close your eyes now, and remember that kindness is a gift you can give to everyone, and to yourself.