Anita's Stepmother

Once upon a time there was a princess. She was young and beautiful and very very kind. Her name was Anita. Anita was very happy except for one thing. Her real mother had died, so she had a stepmother. Anita's stepmother was a witch and was only mean when her father went out. Then the Queen ordered her to scrub the floor and wash the dishes. When her father came home Anita kept meaning to tell her father about it but the Queen held her back and told her that she would tell her father that she was very naughty and tipped dirt on the cat.

A prince heard of Anita and wanted to marry her. The prince travelled from a far place to the palace. The prince came striding in and demanded to marry Anita. The King agreed at once but the Queen shook her head. "No". She said. "She is pretty and beautiful and I want to keep her." But the King said "No, you did not give Anita to me."

Then it was Anita's turn to speak. She said. "Father! My Stepmother treats me like a servant. She makes me scrub the floor. Wash the dishes and tidy the whole palace and garden."

"When!" said the King. "When does she!"

"When you go out." Said Anita in her beautiful smooth clear voice.

"She ought to die!" cried the king who was in a fine rage by now. Anita shook her head. "No." She said. "Give her another day of being Queen and if she orders me around to do things she will die the next day. If not she will be a servant to us forever."

She turned to the witch, and said to her: "You have got two choices. Die, or be a servant for the rest of your life. You must choose tonight and tomorrow."

The witch was now shivering with fright, and she knew what Anita meant and was Queen one more day. She did not die, but instead was a servant for the rest of her life. She was happy as she worked hard and got paid well and when she did die she went up to Heaven and not down to Hell.

Back to the stories page.