Cinderella · chapter 2 of 5
The Prince's Ball
王子的舞会
The prince is giving a ball, and the stepsister can think of nothing else. Cinderella fixes her dress and her hair, and quietly wishes she could go too.
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Read what you hear
- Narrator 舞会前的几天，姐姐天天站在大镜子前。
Wǔhuì qián de jǐ tiān, jiějie tiāntiān zhàn zài dà jìngzi qián.
In the days before the ball, the stepsister spent all her time in front of the big mirror.
- The Stepsister 灰姑娘，你看！王子请我去舞会了！
Huī gūniang, nǐ kàn! Wángzǐ qǐng wǒ qù wǔhuì le!
Cinderella, look! The prince has invited me to his ball!
- Cinderella 真好。姐姐，你想穿哪件衣服去？
Zhēn hǎo. Jiějie, nǐ xiǎng chuān nǎ jiàn yīfu qù?
How lovely. Which dress will you wear?
- The Stepsister 这件？那件？灰姑娘，你说哪件好看？
Zhè jiàn? Nà jiàn? Huī gūniang, nǐ shuō nǎ jiàn hǎokàn?
This one? That one? Cinderella, which one looks best?
- Cinderella 红的好看。头发高一点儿，就更好看了。
Hóng de hǎokàn. Tóufa gāo yìdiǎnr, jiù gèng hǎokàn le.
The red one. And if you wear your hair up a little higher, you'll look even lovelier.
- The Stepsister 好！那你给我做头发。快一点儿！
Hǎo! Nà nǐ gěi wǒ zuò tóufa. Kuài yìdiǎnr!
Fine! Then you can do my hair. And hurry!
- Cinderella 姐姐，这件衣服有一点儿小……
Jiějie, zhè jiàn yīfu yǒu yìdiǎnr xiǎo…
This dress is a little tight on you…
- The Stepsister 没关系！我两天没吃饭了。一定可以穿！
Méi guānxi! Wǒ liǎng tiān méi chīfàn le. Yídìng kěyǐ chuān!
Who cares? I haven't eaten in two days. It'll fit!
- The Stepsister 啊！衣服破了！
À! Yīfu pò le!
Oh no! It's torn!
- Cinderella 别急，姐姐。我给你补一补，很快就好。
Bié jí, jiějie. Wǒ gěi nǐ bǔ yi bǔ, hěn kuài jiù hǎo.
Don't worry. I'll mend it for you. It won't take long.
- The Stepsister 灰姑娘，你想不想去舞会？
Huī gūniang, nǐ xiǎng bu xiǎng qù wǔhuì?
Cinderella, wouldn't you like to go to the ball?
- Cinderella 我？……姐姐，你在笑我吧。
Wǒ? … Jiějie, nǐ zài xiào wǒ ba.
Me? … You're making fun of me, aren't you?
- The Stepsister 对！灰姑娘去舞会？大家会笑你的！
Duì! Huī gūniang qù wǔhuì? Dàjiā huì xiào nǐ de!
Of course I am! Cinderella at a ball? Everyone would laugh at you!
- Cinderella 她说得对。我没有漂亮的衣服……
Tā shuō de duì. Wǒ méiyǒu piàoliang de yīfu…
She's right. I don't have a single pretty dress…
- Cinderella 可是……我也想去看看。只看一眼，我也高兴。
Kěshì… wǒ yě xiǎng qù kànkan. Zhǐ kàn yì yǎn, wǒ yě gāoxìng.
But… I'd love to go and see it. Even one look would make me happy.
- The Stepsister 快点儿！衣服好了吗？头发呢？
Kuài diǎnr! Yīfu hǎo le ma? Tóufa ne?
Hurry up! Is my dress ready? What about my hair?
- Cinderella 都好了。姐姐，你看看。
Dōu hǎo le. Jiějie, nǐ kànkan.
All done. Take a look.
- The Stepsister 啊，我真漂亮！王子一定只看我！
À, wǒ zhēn piàoliang! Wángzǐ yídìng zhǐ kàn wǒ!
Oh, I look gorgeous! The prince won't look at anyone but me!
- Narrator 舞会的晚上到了。姐姐坐上马车，去了王宫。
Wǔhuì de wǎnshang dào le. Jiějie zuò shàng mǎchē, qù le wánggōng.
The night of the ball arrived. The stepsister climbed into the carriage and set off for the palace.
- The Stepsister 灰姑娘，你在家干活吧！再见！
Huī gūniang, nǐ zài jiā gànhuó ba! Zàijiàn!
Cinderella, you stay home and do your chores! Bye!
- Cinderella 她走了……我一个人在家。
Tā zǒu le… wǒ yí gè rén zài jiā.
She's gone… and I'm here all alone.
- Cinderella 我也想去舞会……我真的很想去……
Wǒ yě xiǎng qù wǔhuì… wǒ zhēn de hěn xiǎng qù…
I want to go to the ball too… I want to so much…
What changed in the story?
- Which dress does Cinderella choose for her stepsister?
“红的好看。”
- Why does the stepsister think the tight dress will fit?
“我两天没吃饭了。一定可以穿！”
- What happens to the dress?
“衣服破了！”
- What does Cinderella think when her stepsister asks if she wants to go to the ball?
“姐姐，你在笑我吧。”
- Why does Cinderella agree that she can't go?
“我没有漂亮的衣服”