ਸਿੰਡਰੇਲਾ
Cinderella
Bilingual Punjabi + English Brothers Grimm Ages 4-8
, ਕੰਢੇ ਨਿੱਕੇ , ਸਿੰਡਰੇਲਾ ਨਾਂ ਨੇਕ ਰਹਿੰਦੀ । ' ਝਾੜੂ ਦਿੰਦੀ, ਰਿੰਨ੍ਹਦੀ ਮੁਸਕਰਾਉਂਦੀ ਰਹਿੰਦੀ।
Long ago, in a little house at the edge of town, there lived a kind girl named Cinderella. She swept the floors and stirred the soup and smiled all day long.
ਦੀਆਂ ਦੋਵੇਂ ਮਤਰੇਈਆਂ ਬੜੀਆਂ ਖਰ੍ਹਵੀਆਂ । ਝਿੜਕ ਕੇ , " ਲੈ ਕੇ !" " ਚੁੱਕ!" ਸਿੰਡਰੇਲਾ ਲੈ ਕੇ ਸ਼ਾਮ ਰਹਿੰਦੀ, ਸੁਭਾਅ ਛੱਡਿਆ।
But her two stepsisters were not kind. "Fetch this!" they snapped. "Carry that!" Poor Cinderella worked from morning until night, yet she never lost her gentle heart.
ਖ਼ਬਰ । ਸ਼ਾਨਦਾਰ -ਜਲਸਾ ਰੱਖਿਆ , ਸੱਦਾ ! ਮਤਰੇਈਆਂ ਖ਼ੁਸ਼ੀ ਨਾਲ ਕਿਲਕਾਰੀਆਂ ਮਾਰਨ ਲੱਗੀਆਂ। ਉਨ੍ਹਾਂ ਸਿੰਡਰੇਲਾ ਨਾਲ ਲਿਜਾਣ ਨਾਂਹ ।
One day, grand news arrived. The palace was holding a great dance, and everyone was invited! The stepsisters squealed with joy. But they would not let Cinderella come.
"ਤੇਰੇ ਕੋਲ ਪਾਉਣ ਕੱਪੜੇ ," ਠਹਾਕਾ ਮਾਰ ਕੇ , ਪਿੱਛੇ ਛੱਡ ਕੇ ਤੁਰ ਪਈਆਂ।
"You have nothing to wear," they laughed, and off they went without her.
ਸਿੰਡਰੇਲਾ ਚੁੱਲ੍ਹੇ ਕੋਲ ਗਈ ਠੰਢਾ ਹਉਕਾ ਭਰਿਆ। ਓਦੋਂ , ਲਿਸ਼ਕੋਰਾਂ ਮਾਰਦੀ ਛੂ-ਮੰਤਰ ਕਰਕੇ ਸਾਹਮਣੇ ਗਈ!
Cinderella sat down by the fire and sighed. Then, with a swish and a sparkle, a fairy godmother appeared!
" ਪੂੰਝ ਲੈ, ਬੱਚੀਏ," । ਛੁਹਾਉਂਦਿਆਂ , ਬੱਘੀ । ਸ਼ਾਨਦਾਰ ਗਏ। ਸਿੰਡਰੇਲਾ ਪੁਰਾਣੇ ਲੀੜੇ ਚਮਕਦੇ ਸੋਹਣੇ ਸੂਟ ਬਦਲ ਗਏ।
"Dry your tears, dear one," she said. With a tap of her wand, a pumpkin became a coach. Mice became horses. And Cinderella's old dress became a gown that shimmered like starlight.
" ਚੇਤੇ ਰੱਖੀਂ," , " ਹੁੰਦਿਆਂ ਖ਼ਤਮ ਜਾਵੇਗਾ।"
"But remember," said the fairy godmother, "the magic ends at midnight."
ਜਲਸੇ ਸਿੰਡਰੇਲਾ ਘੁੰਮ-ਘੁੰਮ ਕੇ ਨੱਚੀ ਖ਼ੁਸ਼ ਹੋਈ। ਨੇਕ ਆਖ਼ਰ ।
At the dance, Cinderella twirled and laughed. Everyone wondered who the kind, lovely girl could be.
ਓਦੋਂ —ਟੱਲ ਵੱਜਿਆ, ਟਣ-ਟਣ-ਟਣ! ਬਾਰ੍ਹਾਂ ਵੱਜਣ ਲੱਗੇ। ਸਿੰਡਰੇਲਾ ਹਰਨੀ ਛਾਲਾਂ ਮਾਰਦੀ । ਉਤਰਦਿਆਂ , ਪੈਰੋਂ ਨਿੱਕੀ ਤਿਲਕ ਕੇ ਡਿੱਗ ਪਈ।
Then, bong! The clock began to strike midnight. Cinderella ran, quick as a deer. As she hurried down the steps, one tiny glass slipper slipped off her foot.
, ਸੁਨੇਹੀ ਛਾਣ ਮਾਰਿਆ। " ਕਿਸ ਆਉਂਦੀ ?" ਬੂਹੇ-ਬੂਹੇ ਜਾ ਕੇ ।
The next day, a messenger searched the whole town. "Whose foot fits this slipper?" he asked at every door.
ਮਤਰੇਈਆਂ ਮਿੱਚ-ਮਿੱਚ ਕੇ ਵਾੜਨ ਕੋਸ਼ਿਸ਼ ਕੀਤੀ, ਨਾ । ਨਿਮਾਣੀ ਸਿੰਡਰੇਲਾ । ਬੜੇ ਆਰਾਮ ਨਾਲ ਪੂਰੀ-ਪੂਰੀ ਗਈ!
The stepsisters pushed and squeezed, but the slipper would not fit. Then quiet Cinderella stepped forward. The slipper slid on perfectly, snug as could be!
ਇੰਝ ਨੇਕ ਸਿੰਡਰੇਲਾ ਬੜੇ ਆਦਰ ਨਾਲ ਲੈ ਜਾਇਆ , ਸਦਾ ਹੱਸਦੀ-ਵੱਸਦੀ । ਆਪਣੀਆਂ ਮਤਰੇਈਆਂ , ਮਨ ਨਿਰਮਲ ।
And so kind Cinderella was welcomed to the palace, where she lived happily ever after. She forgave her stepsisters, too, for her heart was as gentle as ever.
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A public-domain Brothers Grimm tale, retold and translated into Punjabi (Gurmukhi) for diaspora families by Maastarji. Read together to build Punjabi reading confidence.
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Frequently asked questions
- Is "Cinderella" written in Gurmukhi?
- Yes. The full story is written in Punjabi (Gurmukhi script) as “ਸਿੰਡਰੇਲਾ”, with the English shown alongside so you can read both together. You can hide the English to read in Gurmukhi only.
- Can my child read this if they are still learning Punjabi?
- Yes. Keep the English on so a new reader can follow the meaning while they sound out the Gurmukhi. As they grow more confident, switch to “Gurmukhi only” for reading practice.
- Is this story free to read?
- Yes — every story on Maastarji is free to read online, with no sign-up. “Cinderella” is a public-domain Brothers Grimm tale, retold and translated into Punjabi for diaspora families.
