从前，有一个名叫灰姑娘的善良少女，她有一位恶毒的继母和两位心地不好的姐姐，由于家庭境遇不好，灰姑娘从小就要起早贪黑地为继母和姐姐们做苦活，整日沾满煤灰，因此被家人称为"灰姑娘"，尽管灰姑娘家里富有，但继母把她当成家里的女佣，甚至让她睡在炉火旁,日复一日的劳累让她面目憔悴。
有一天，继母的两个女儿要求灰姑娘帮她们梳头打扮时，灰姑娘却被她们嘲笑和羞辱，灰姑娘忍着泪水，独自一人来到后花园，在母亲的墓前，她终于忍不住大哭起来，这时，她听到树上传来一个声音："孩子，他们不带你去，你就自己去吧！"灰姑娘惊讶地看着树,原来是一个化作大树的魔法树精。
树精告诉灰姑娘，她的眼泪唤醒了大树，让它成长成了庞大的树木，灰姑娘感激地对树道歉，并表示她会照顾这棵大树，就在这时，树精送给灰姑娘一套漂亮的礼服和一双水晶鞋，带她去参加城堡的舞会，但她必须在深夜十二点前回到家,否则魔法就会消失。
灰姑娘化装出场，在舞会上她因为美丽和优雅，立刻引来了王子的注意，王子与灰姑娘一舞就醉，整个晚上都只和她跳舞，当钟声十二响起时，灰姑娘抱着王子离开舞会，临时决定不回家，但在回家的路上,她误把一只水晶鞋丢了。
王子带着水晶鞋寻找合适的女孩时，灰姑娘的姐姐们都试过了，却都没合适，王子带着灰姑娘家去找，终于发现了灰姑娘的鞋印，灰姑娘虽然满身煤灰，但当她把脚伸进水晶鞋时，鞋子完美地合上了，王子立刻认出了她，求她成为王妃，灰姑娘同意了,两人过上了幸福的生活。
英文版本：
Once upon a time, there lived a kind and beautiful girl named Cinderella. Her stepmother was wicked, and her two stepsisters were mean to her. Cinderella was forced to work like a slave for her stepmother, and because of her dirty work, she was often covered in soot, earning the name "Cinderella." Despite her family's wealth, Cinderella's stepmother treated her like a servant, even making her sleep near the fire. Day after day, she toiled endlessly, her face growing pale and drawn.
One day, Cinderella's stepsisters demanded she help them prepare their hair and nails. They mocked her and made fun of her in front of everyone. Cinderella, filled with sorrow, retreated to the garden behind the house, where her mother's grave was located. She broke down in tears at her mother's grave. At that moment, a voice echoed from the trees, saying, "Let her go, as they won't take her!" Cinderella looked up to see a tree that had transformed itself into a talking tree.
The tree explained that Cinderella's tears had given it life and strength, and it had grown into a large tree to protect her. Cinderella apologized to the tree and expressed her gratitude. The tree then presented her with a beautiful dress and a pair of glass slippers, urging her to attend the royal ball. However, she must return home before midnight, otherwise the magic would disappear.
Cinderella, now dressed in her finest, arrived at the castle. Her beauty and elegance immediately captivated the prince, who asked her to dance. The prince danced exclusively with Cinderella all night, while the other girls looked on in jealousy. As midnight struck, Cinderella decided not to return home and stayed with the prince. However, she accidentally dropped one of her glass slippers on her way back.
The prince, determined to find the owner of the slipper, brought Cinderella's slipper to the castle. When no one else could wear it, the prince visited Cinderella's house. There, he found Cinderella herself, covered in soot, trying to help her stepmother. The prince immediately recognized her and asked her to marry him. Cinderella agreed, and they lived happily ever after.