Unfortunately, she never got to wear them. Cindmerella's mean step-sisters always took her most beautiful gloves away and wore them to hide their own, ugly hands, but their hands were so much bigger than hers, they always ripped or broke them. Her step-sisters always tried to make themselves look better than Cindmerella. They dyed their tails the latest trendy color, covered themselves in glittery pearl dust, and wove ropes of seaweed into their hair. But nothing they did could make them as beautiful as Cindmerella. They were jealous.
One day the Mer-King announced he was going to throw a royal festival for his son, the Mer-prince. There would be sunken ship scavenger hunts, races, shark-wrestling, and all sorts of games. The whole festival would end with a very fancy ball in the sea-palace where the Mer-prince would choose a bride.
Cindmerella's stepsisters were very excited. They swam around in fast circles, singing and flinging their best jewelry around, trying to decide what to wear. When Cindmerella put one her favorite pearl-covered gloves and placed a pink anemone in her hair and looked at herself in the mirror, her stepsisters just laughed. "You can't go to the festival," they said. "The prince would never want to marry a glovemaker." They threw her anemone on the sea floor and ripped her gloves off her hands. The gloves ripped and her pearls scattered everywhere.
Cindmerella cried as she swam away. Hiding in a cave, she watched her stepsisters leave for the festival, wearing her most wonderful gloves and so much pearl dust that they left a trail behind in their wake. "I wish I could go to the festival," Cindmerella cried to herself.
Cindmerella heard a tiny pop and turned around to find a beautiful, shimmering jellyfish swirling at her. "Hello, Cindmerella," the jellyfish said kindly to her. "I'm your fairy blobmother."
Cindmerella told her fairy blobmother all about the festival and the ball. She told her about her mean stepsisters and showed her the ruined gloves.
"Don't worry, Cindmerella," her fairy blobmother said cheerfully. "We'll get you to the festival faster than you can say 'tidal wave.'
The fairy blobmother swirled her magic tentacles and all the pearls rose from the sea floor. With another swirl the pearls restrung themselves and Cindmerella's gloves were just like new again. Another swirl and Cindmerella's tail and seashells were white and glittering. Even the seaweed that held up her long hair was white and fitted with pearls. Cindmerella had never looked more beautiful.
"Now go to the festival, Cindmerella, and have fun. But remember, you must leave before the tide is at its lowest. That's when the magic will end."
Cindmerella waved goodbye as she swam away to the sea-palace.
Cindmerella was amazed by all she saw. Lights were hung on every kelp tree in sight. A fountain in the shape of an octopus was spouting purple mud in elegant arches from each of its tentacles. There was a three-way tie in the distance-swim. One gutsy merwrestler tried to swap his shark for a dolphin and was escorted out of the sea-palace grounds.
When the bell was finally rung for the ball to begin, everyone swam inside to dance. Cindmerella floated around the edges of the ballroom, enjoying the scene while avoiding her stepsisters.
Suddenly a handsome young merman approached her and asked her to dance. Cindmerella agreed and off they swam, twirling and whirling and flying through the water. They danced all night long. Cindmerella was enjoying herself so much she was startled when she looked up at the tideometer and realized it was nearly low tide. Cindmerella gasped and swam away in a flurry. The young merman called out to and tried to grab her hand to keep her with him, but her pearly glove slipped right off her hand and the merman was left alone.
Cindmerella dashed from the sea-palace grounds, through the kelp forest and away from the lights and music of the festival, never slowing her pumping tail fins until she reached home. By the time she stopped, her tail had returned to its normal red hue and all her pearls, jewels, and sparkles had vanished. Cindmerella was left with only her memories of the evening and a single, pearl covered glove to remember her marvelous time, but that was enough for her. She tucked the glove under her sea-cucumber pillow and fell asleep with a smile on her face.
The next morning, Cindmerella woke to her step-sisters in a flurry. "The Mer-prince met the mermaid he wanted to marry, but she left the ball and now he only has her glove as a clue to who she is," they squealed. "He has vowed to marry the girl whose hand fits it." Cindmerella sucked in some krill in surprise. Her handsome merman was the Mer-prince! He wanted to marry her!
When the Mer-Prince finally showed up at their home, Cindmerella waited and watched with her hand behind her back while her step-sisters tried to fit their large hands into her dainty, beautiful glove. They finally gave up and the Mer-prince turned to Cindmerella. A smile or recognition crossed his lips as he approached her, waiting for her to offer her hand. Cindmerella put both hands out for the Mer-prince. One was bare, and the other wore a sparkling, pearl-covered glove; an exact copy of the one in the Mer-prince's hand. He slid his glove onto her bare hand, and as her last finger fitted into place, a wave of light emanated from the matching pair. Cindmerella looked suddenly as brilliant as she had at the ball. The Mer-prince embraced his beloved mermaid and swept her off her tail, swimming her away from her mean step-sisters forever. He took her to the sea-palace where they were married. And they lived happily underwater after.
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