Cinderello

Chapter 3: Fantastic Feliciano

"Godfather Feliciano," cried Cinderello, "whatever are you doing in our chimney?"
"I missed the door," Feliciano replied airily.

"But I haven't seen you since I was ten," said Cinderello.
"I've been with Sleeping Beau, my other godchild," explained Feliciano. "But he wouldn't wake up, so it was rather dull."

"Have you been crying, Cinders?" asked Feliciano, looking at him closely.
"Yes! I wanted to go to the Ball, but I'm not allowed."

"Well, you can wipe those tears away, kiddio. Fantasic Feliciano is here to help. Now, go to the garden and fetch me a large pumpkin."

"Great," thought Cinderello. "my stepbrothers are at the Ball and I'm picking up pumpkin for my crazy godfather."

"Here you are," Cinderello said, a few minutes later. "It's the biggest one."
"Jolly good," Feliciano replied. "This shouldn't take long,"

"Um, Feliciano..." said Cinderello.
"Yes dear?" said Feliciano. "Why are you waving that stick around?"

"This isn't a stick, Cinderello," his godfather replied. "It's a wand. The time has come to tell you a great secret. Your godfather is a fairy!"
"Really?" thought Cinderello.

"Watch!" Feliciano went on, he flicked his wand at the pumpkin and cried out, "Abracadabra, cadabra cadeen!"

"Well spotted, Cinderello!" he replied.
Cinderello waited. Nothing happened. "I don't know much about fairies," Cinderello said, "but shouldn't you be using the other end of your wand?"

"Silly me!" said Feliciano. "Soot on the brain. Let's try again."

There was a wonderful tinkle of music and a shower of sparks. In the place of the pumpkin stood a beautiful golden coach.
Cinderello gasped. "You really can do magic!"
"Yes," said Feliciano, "and this is just the beginning. Now, where's your mousetrap?"

"Under the sink," said Cinderello. Feliciano peered in.
"Six mice, one fat rat, all alive. Excellent. Open the mousetrap door, Cinderello."

As each of the mice came out, Feliciano gave them a little tap with his wand, "Kazoom!"

One by one, the mice were transformed into fine white horses. The rat became a rosy-cheeked coachman, with very large.

"Now I need six lizards," said Feliciano. "Hmm.. I expect there'll be some behind your watering can."

"There are!" said Cinderello, handing them to her godfather. In a flash, the lizards became footmen.

They were dressed in glistening green and looked as if they'd been footmen all their lives.
"At your s-s-s-service, Cinderello." hissed one of the footmen.

"There you are, Cinderello," said Feliciano, sounding rather pleased with himself. "Now you can go to the Ball. I'll be off now."
"But I can't go in these stinkin' rags!" Cinderello cried out.

Feliciano touched Cinderello with his wand. A moment later, his smelly rags turned into a dazzling torero suit of turquoise and gold.

On his feet was a perfect pair of little glass slippers.

"There's just one problem," said Feliciano. "You must leave before twelve. On the last stroke of midnight, my magic will began to fade."

"I promise," Cinderello replied, climbing into the coach. "And muchas gracias!" he called, as the horses swept his away.