“I’m not your servant!” you say. “I won’t take you to the ball.”
Wilbur gasps, and Morris lets out an angry roar. You run for the woods, and your stepbrothers chase after you. But you weave through the trees and quickly lose them. Dragging all those muscles around makes them slow as molasses. Breathless, you plop down next to a stream, slide the slipper into the water, and take a long drink from its heel.
“Ahem!” says a voice behind you. You turn to see a strange man with a long gray beard, pointed hat, and walking stick hobbling toward you. He huffs and puffs. “You are hard to catch!” he wheezes.
You scramble to your feet, ready to run, but he laughs. “Don’t be afraid.” He clears his throat again and sings shrilly, “I am your Wizard Godfather!”
You wince at his awful singing voice. Then you register his words. “Wizard Godfather?”
He nods. “I roam kingdoms far and wide, bestowing gifts upon deserving, hardworking lads and ladies. Now, what do you wish for?”
You don’t hesitate. “To be rid of my stepbrothers. And to live in my father’s manor again. Oh, and to see the royal castle! ”
“Easy task!” cries the wizard. He waves the walking stick over his head. “Done.”
You blink. “Done?”
“Follow that path to your new destiny.” The wizard shuffles off into the woods. You follow the path until you reach a large manor, identical to your family home, minus Wilbur and Morris. An envelope lies inside the door. An invitation to the ball. This time, it has your name on it.
THE END