Okay, here is a summary of the plot for the third episode of the Chinese version of Cinderella, often titled " Cinderella's Dream Comes True (Part 1)".
Please Note: The exact plot can vary slightly depending on the specific adaptation, but this covers the most common events of the third episode.
Cinderella Episode 3: The Ball Invitation
In this episode, the focus shifts from Cinderella's hardships to the exciting news that is changing her life.
- The King's Decision: The King, concerned about finding a suitable wife for his son and heir, announces that a grand ball will be held at the palace. He decrees that all young women in the kingdom must attend, regardless of their social standing, to give them an equal chance to be noticed.
- The Invitation: Cinderella's stepmother, seeing this as an opportunity to perhaps finally get rid of Cinderella (hoping the girl will be lost or unable to attend), reluctantly agrees. She forces Cinderella to do all the chores, hoping exhaustion will prevent her from going.
- The Magic Help: Remembering her late mother's kindness, Cinderella prays for help. As she does, her mother's spirit appears (or a magical object, like the magic hairpin, is used) and instructs the mice (who are her late mother's mice companions) to help her. They transform her worn-out dress into a beautiful, flowing gown and her plain shoes into exquisite glass slippers.
- Preparation and Fear: Cinderella is overjoyed but also anxious. Her stepsisters, Fung Fangfang and Jia Jia, see the beautiful dress and realize it must belong to the "Kitchen God" (a common folkloric figure representing the spirit of the hearth/ home). They drag Cinderella to the bathroom, trying to drown her in the toilet, hoping to ruin the dress. However, the mice manage to save Cinderella and the dress just in time.
- The Ball: With the help of the mice (and sometimes her grandmother's ghost or a fairy godmother figure appearing briefly), Cinderella manages to attend the magnificent ball at the palace. She captivates everyone with her beauty and grace in the glass slipper.
- The Midnight Departure: As the clock strikes midnight, Cinderella realizes she must leave to avoid being discovered. She hurries home, accidentally dropping one of her glass slippers on the way. The mice quickly retrieve it and hide it for her.
- End of the Episode: The episode typically ends with Cinderella safely back in her dreary home, clutching the glass slipper, the magical night a fleeting dream, and the mystery of who wore the other slipper remaining for the next episode.
This episode sets up the central conflict and introduces the magical elements that will drive the rest of the story forward.
