The Story of Oshin, a Japanese Cinderella

SECTION 1
　Once upon a time,/there was a young woman named Oshin.// Her mother died/and her father remarried.// Her new stepmother had a daughter.// The two women were cruel.// Oshin had to work hard/in a shabby kimono.// Her life was difficult.//

　One day,/an invitation to a garden party came from a nobleman.// Oshin’s stepmother ordered,/“Oshin,/make your sister a new kimono.”// For three long days,/Oshin sewed all day and all night.//


SECTION 2
　Suddenly the goddess Benten entered.// “Oshin,/don’t you want to go to the party?”/she asked.// “I wish I could go,”/Oshin answered.//

　Benten took her fan/and touched a charcoal bucket.// “Bucket to coach!”/she said.// An elegant coach appeared.// Next,/Benten pointed her fan at two mice.// “Mouse to horse!”// Two strong horses appeared.// She waved her fan at a cat.// “Cat to coach driver!”// A handsome coach driver appeared.// Oshin couldn’t believe her eyes.//

　Finally,/Benten’s fan touched Oshin’s ragged kimono.// It became the finest silk.// Oshin looked really beautiful!// Benten passed her fan to Oshin and said,/“Life is wonderful.// Life is strange.// At six o’clock,/all will change.”//