Isabella - Egyptian Cinderella

Isabella

Long, long ago, there lived a young girl called Rhodopis who was kidnaped by pirates and snached from her home in Greece and taken across the sea to Egypt and sold as a slave. Rhodopis was teased by the three servant girls that worked for the same Master that she worked for. Although her Master was kind he was old and liked to doze beneath the fig tree ,and hardly heard the servant girls ordering Rhodopis about because they were household servants and she was only a slave.

Rhodopis found friends among animals instead , birds ate crumbs from her hand, she coaxed a monkey to sit on her shoulder and charmed a hippopotamouse with her songs.Each night when the day had cooled Rhodopis would dance for her animal friends, one night her Master awakened to see her her dance he thought such a gift deserves a reward so he declared you shall go barefoot no longer.Her Master ordered a pair of rose-red slippers made especially for Rhodopis.The next day the Egyptian servant girls were jealous of the rose-red slippers and out of spite found new tasks for Rhodopis which made her too tired to dance at night.One day there was an announcement that tomorrow everyone would sail to Menface because the Pharaoh was going to hold court for all his subjects. The servant girls told Rhodopis she would be left behind because she had to wash the clothes,grind the grain and the garden to weed.

The next day the river nile was full of boats and people getting ready to sail to Manface for the important announcement.The servant girls wore special accessories Kipa wore a necklace of blue beads bracelets jingled on the rist of the second, the third tied a multi colored sash about her waste.They pulled their raft around the bend in the river without even looking back at Rhodopis. Rhodopis sat down by the river to wash some clothes ,Rhodopis took off her slippers and put them on the bank behind her.When Rhodopis looked up she saw a falcon,the symbol of the God Horus. The bird swooped down and when Rhodopis looked back up dangling from one of the talans was one of her beautiful slippers.

The falcon flew to the city of Memphis where the Pharaoh was holding court. He preferred riding his chariot fast as the wind then sitting on the throne. The falcon dropped the slipper into the Pharaoh’s lap, it was so shiny the Pharaoh thought it was a scrap of the sun . Then he saw the falcon wealing over head,the god Horus sends me a sign,he picked up the slipper and declared “Every maiden in Egypt must try on this shoe whose foot it fits shall be my Queen.” that is the will of the gods. The Pharaoh dismissed the court,called for his chariot and began his search at once.When the servant girls arrived in Menface they found the throne empty and the streets deserted they were so angry on their return not even seeing Rhodopis without her rose-red slippers didn't please them. ”slaves are better off bare foot”snapped Kipa.The Pharaoh traveled all around Egypt and girls rich or poor tried to wear the slipper but none could fit into so small a shoe. The Pharaoh summed his Royal barge and reached the River bank,The noise was so dreadful Rhodopis fled in alarm but the servant girls ran to the water's edge “Now we will see The Pharaoh”said Kipa.The Pharaoh held up the rose -red slipper and declared “Who-ever can wear this shoe shall be my Queen.” The servant girls knew the shoe, its owner too but they covered their mouths and said nothing.If one of them could wear it.First Kipa then the others tried to put on the slipper,each cramped her foot,curled her toes and squeezed till tears ran down her cheeks.”Enough”said The Pharaoh wearily.He would have to set sail again,did he not see Rhodopis peering through the bushes.”Come” he commanded. “You must try this shoe.”He slipped the slipper on her foot with ease and Rhodopis pulled its mate from the foldes of her tunic.”Behold, there is none so fit to be Queen.” “But she is a slave”protested one of the servant girls,Kipa sniffed “she is not even Egyptian.” “She is the most Egyptian of all for her eyes as green as the Nile ,her hair as feathery as Papyrus and her skin the pink of a lotus flower. The Pharaoh showed Rhodopis to the Royal barge.

And they lived happily ever after.