Preface

    The story I am about to tell you is a Cinderella fairytale, except this fairytale is quite different than the classic Cinderella story with a pumpkin wagon and glass slippers. This story is a more contemporary fairytale of siblings who are facing an unfortunate life like that of Cinderella but with a rough beginning there is always a happy ending in fairytale stories.

     The siblings Cristiano and Ines live with their terrible stepmother and stepsister and are treated very badly, their father died years ago when they were very little. Unbeknownst to the children a beautiful fairy godmother is watching over the children and ready to grant them three wishes and send them to live with a family member that loves and misses them dearly. Cristiano is a twelve years old and tall, tan skin, and wears raggedy clothes that are so worn they barely stay on and his sister Ines is nine years old and wears clothes so raggedy that barely stay on also. Their stepmother and sister are tall, wickedly looking women who works them all hours of the day and barely feeds the children. 

 The background of the story takes place in a small Spanish village and the colors are bleak with mostly yellow tones, just as the lives of Cristiano and Ines, bleak, and depressing. When the children find their true home the colors of the story change and are more immerse, this change of color tone in the story signifies the mood of the characters and change in their life. 

    There are many life lessons in the story, the children are worked till exhaustions but thanks to their fairy godmother they are given a loving, perfect life and the wicked stepmother and sister pay dearly for their mistreatment towards the children. The hard working are rewarded and the malevolent receive their due justice. “The Children and The Pear Cactus,” is similar to the fairytale of Cinderella except with a twist and a delicious pear cactus.

    Once upon a time there was a boy and his sister named Cristiano and Ines, they were loved by their padre very much and he planted many pear cactuses to feed his family.

     The sibling’s padre died when they were young, and they were left in the care of their stepmother and stepsister. After their father’s death all the bountiful cactuses died out and there were no more pears to feed the family. 

    The evil stepmother blamed poor Cristiano and Ines for the dead cactuses, they were treated very badly by their stepfamily and were forced to work tirelessly every day. The children were hardly fed while their stepfamily had delicious meals and their chanclas were so raggedy that they barely stayed on their poor little feet and their clothes were ripped and dirty.

    Their evil stepsister put her siblings to work, “take these brooms and sweep the whole house till not even a little dust can be found,” said the stepsister. While Cristiano and Ines cleaned, their stepmother and sister dressed in colorful skirts and beautiful jewelry and left the poor children alone to clean all night, while they danced and feasted at the village fiesta into the morning.

The next day the evil stepmother was displeased with Cristiano. “You are the laziest child I’ve ever seen” said the stepmother, “I am better off sending your sister away and maybe you will work harder.” Cristiano was very saddened; he loved his sister very much and did not want his stepmother to take her away.

    While the stepmother and sister were away for another fiesta, Cristiano grabbed his sister and ran away. “Come sister, we will run into the night and go up North. I cannot let our evil stepmother take you away,” said Cristiano. So, the children ran into the desert and up sandy mountains alone and scared.

    At the stroke of midnight, a bright light appeared in the sky. “Brother, I can see a woman in the sky. She has a bright beautiful yellow dress and a wand in her hand, I think she is our hada madrina,” said Ines. Cristiano was frightened but he knew his sister was right, “who are you?” said Cristiano.

     “Good evening children, I see you are lost in the darkness and I was sent to care for you. With three strokes of my wand, I will bring you to a true loved one, who will care for you and give you children happiness” said the hada madrina, “We will cross a river together and go over a large wall as tall as the buildings in your village and for my last stroke, I will send you to a loved one who loves and misses you dearly.”

    So, the children followed their hada madrina to a river, where a boat was waiting for them. Then hada madrina stroked her wand and the children were crossing the river to a better life. The children were nervous of what was to come but knew their hada madrina wanted the best for them.