DIGNITY & BELONGING · ENGLISH · 18:33

Cinderella

Before the golden shoe, there is a daughter grieving at her mother’s grave.

An English telling of Grimm’s Cinderella, where a hazel tree, birds and three visits to a celebration lead to recognition—and a severe reckoning.

After her mother’s death, Cinderella is made a servant in her own home. A hazel tree at the grave and the birds that gather there help her reach the celebration her family denies her. Three visits and a golden shoe lead to recognition—and the Grimm tale’s severe ending.

Begin with listening.

Free English audiobook with music and sound design.

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THE ILLUSTRATED AUDIOBOOK

See the world of the story.

Watch on YouTube ↗ · Read the tale text

PAINTED MOMENTS

All 48 painted moments.

Cinderella: Cinderella at her mother’s bedside — 1. Cinderella at her mother’s bedside

Cinderella: Grieving at her mother’s grave — 2. Grieving at her mother’s grave

Cinderella: Snow covers the grave — 3. Snow covers the grave

Cinderella: The stepmother and her daughters arrive — 4. The stepmother and her daughters arrive

Cinderella: Her fine clothes are taken away — 5. Her fine clothes are taken away

Cinderella: Lentils scattered among the ashes — 6. Lentils scattered among the ashes

Cinderella: Alone beside the hearth — 7. Alone beside the hearth

Cinderella: The daughters ask their father for gifts — 8. The daughters ask their father for gifts

Cinderella: A hazel branch catches her father’s hat — 9. A hazel branch catches her father’s hat

Cinderella: Planting the hazel twig at the grave — 10. Planting the hazel twig at the grave

Cinderella: Praying beneath the hazel tree — 11. Praying beneath the hazel tree

Cinderella: Preparing her stepsisters for the celebration — 12. Preparing her stepsisters for the celebration

Cinderella: Her stepmother sets the first task — 13. Her stepmother sets the first task

Cinderella: Calling the birds into the garden — 14. Calling the birds into the garden

Cinderella: Birds help sort the lentils — 15. Birds help sort the lentils

Cinderella: Presenting the first bowl of lentils — 16. Presenting the first bowl of lentils

Cinderella: Her stepmother sets another task — 17. Her stepmother sets another task

Cinderella: The birds fill two bowls — 18. The birds fill two bowls

Cinderella: Presenting the completed second task — 19. Presenting the completed second task

Cinderella: Her stepmother refuses permission — 20. Her stepmother refuses permission

Cinderella: The family leaves without her — 21. The family leaves without her

Cinderella: A dress arrives at the hazel tree — 22. A dress arrives at the hazel tree

Cinderella: Her family does not recognize her — 23. Her family does not recognize her

Cinderella: The first dance with the prince — 24. The first dance with the prince

Cinderella: Cinderella slips into the dovecote — 25. Cinderella slips into the dovecote

Cinderella: Her father joins the search — 26. Her father joins the search

Cinderella: The dovecote stands empty — 27. The dovecote stands empty

Cinderella: Back beside the kitchen hearth — 28. Back beside the kitchen hearth

Cinderella: Returning the dress to the hazel tree — 29. Returning the dress to the hazel tree

Cinderella: A new dress for the second celebration — 30. A new dress for the second celebration

Cinderella: Dancing with the prince again — 31. Dancing with the prince again

Cinderella: Hiding among the pear tree’s branches — 32. Hiding among the pear tree’s branches

Cinderella: The felled pear tree reveals no one — 33. The felled pear tree reveals no one

Cinderella: The third dress and golden shoes — 34. The third dress and golden shoes

Cinderella: The third dance with the prince — 35. The third dance with the prince

Cinderella: A golden shoe catches on the staircase — 36. A golden shoe catches on the staircase

Cinderella: The prince shows her father the shoe — 37. The prince shows her father the shoe

Cinderella: The elder stepsister tries the shoe — 38. The elder stepsister tries the shoe

Cinderella: The birds warn the prince about the first false bride — 39. The birds warn the prince about the first false bride

Cinderella: The younger stepsister tries the shoe — 40. The younger stepsister tries the shoe

Cinderella: The birds warn the prince again — 41. The birds warn the prince again

Cinderella: The prince asks for the other daughter — 42. The prince asks for the other daughter

Cinderella: The golden shoe fits Cinderella — 43. The golden shoe fits Cinderella

Cinderella: The prince recognizes Cinderella — 44. The prince recognizes Cinderella

Cinderella: The true bride passes the hazel tree — 45. The true bride passes the hazel tree

Cinderella: The white birds settle on her shoulders — 46. The white birds settle on her shoulders

Cinderella: Entering the church on the wedding day — 47. Entering the church on the wedding day

Cinderella: Leaving the church as the sisters face punishment — 48. Leaving the church as the sisters face punishment

AI-assisted illustrations from TQF Studio’s edition.

A MOMENT FOR YOURSELF

A question to carry with you.

STUDIO REFLECTION · NOT ORIGINAL TALE TEXT

Where do you find a sense of worth when the people around you refuse to acknowledge it? A studio reflection, separate from the original tale.

SOURCE & PRODUCTION

Every telling has a history.

Original tale: Cinderella (Aschenputtel), Brothers Grimm, Kinder- und Hausmärchen, seventh edition, 1857, KHM 21. English translation and production: TQF Studio (Tan Quy Family), with AI-assisted translation and imagery and synthetic narration created with Google AI Studio.

For adult listeners. This edition retains dark events from the Grimm tale. Studio reflections are presented separately from the tale.

Music & sound credits

Music: Frédéric Chopin, Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2. Musopen / Internet Archive recording; performer unidentified. Recording source. CC0 1.0.
khenshom — Cotton clothing rustle. Source; CC0 1.0.
Eryliaa — Forest Wind with Birds Singing. Source; Pixabay Content License.
Kenney — GRASS_1. Source; CC0 1.0.
Kenney — GRASS_2. Source; CC0 1.0.
Joseph SARDIN — Horse trotting Foley. Source; CC0 1.0.
laleksic — OPEN. Source; CC0 1.0.
Kenney — STONE_2. Source; CC0 1.0.
Rickmk2 — Footsteps on wooden flooring. Source; CC0 1.0.
Recordings are excerpted, adjusted in level, faded and mixed within the finished audiobook.