Frida sat in her room brushing hair and trying to look her best. Suddenly the sound of horses was heard, she hid her slipper in her dress pocket, and hurried downstairs excitedly.
"Just where do you think you're going?" Carmelita asked.
"To...To open the door. For the prince." Frida answered nervously.
"You can't meet the prince!" Zoe said. "He would be disgusted with a dirty wench like you."
"I'll have you know that prince is not as shallow as you think!" She said. "He's brave, kind, and honest unlike you!"
"You speak as if you know him." Carmelita said suspiciously.
"I...I...I."
"Have you met him perchance?"
"Don't be ridiculous Mother! You truly think she's met the prince? How silly."
"And what I have met him?" Frida said.
"Liar!" Zoe said.
"Quiet Zoe." Her mother ordered. "If you did meet the prince when was it? What did he say?"
"It's none of your business!"
They heard a knock at the door. Frida turned to answer it but just then her hair was sized by Carmelita who dragged her into the kitchen.
"What are you doing?! Ow! That hurts!" Frida cried.
She knocked the young girl to the ground then left her on the floor. Carmelita opened the door and greeted them politely.
"Good day gentlemen." She said. "How may I help you?"
"Sorry to bother you Madame." A servant said. "But we request that any maiden living in this household try on this slipper."
"Well the only maiden here is my daughter. Zoe!" She called. "Sit down and try on the slipper."
Zoe sat in a chair, took off her shoe, and lifted up her foot. Carmelita had instructed Zoe to keep her foot in cold water for an hour to shrink her foot then to grease it with both butter and oil. It took a lot of twisting and turning but she managed to get her foot into it.
"It fits my lord!" The servant announced.
But Manny was not ready to take her as his bride just yet.
"You don't look anything like the girl at the ball." He said.
"Well I am." She said. "The shoe fits."
"Then why is your foot red?"
She looked down to find that her foot was now turning blood red due to a terrible burning pain she felt from the tight squeeze. In fact it squeezed her foot so hard that it started to bleed. Manny quickly noticed the blood dripping on to the shoe. Zoe hid her foot under her dress which only caused the shoe to pop right off her foot.
"Well it seems clear that you're not the one." Manny turned to Carmelita. "Are there any other maidens in your house?"
"No." She lied.
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
But La Murte happened to be walking by and she had a little trick up her sleeve. She snapped her fingers and cast a little spell on the doves.
"No, no, what you hear is not true." The doves cooed. "Listen to the doves, she's hiding your true love."
"You dare lie to me?" Manny said angrily. "Tell me is there another maiden?"
"No one except some petty servant girl."
"Where is she?"
"You don't want her! My daughter Zoe is far more lovely."
"No, no, what she says is not true." The doves cooed again. "Though Zoe strives to look her best, she is no more ugly than a turkey's crest."
On cue the hankerchief fell from Zoe's brow exposing the turkey crest. The girl screeched and ran away in shame. The doves then flew off into the kitchen. Manny followed them until he found an unconscious servant girl lying on the kitchen floor. He gently nudged her awake.
"Oh...What happened?" She said coming to.
"Are you alright?" Manny asked.
"Um...Yes."
"Would you mind trying this on?" He asked holding up the red slipper.
"No. Not at all."
She lifted up her foot and slid easily into the slipper. She then pulled the other shoe from her pocket and removed the rag covering her head, revealing the star there.
"Can you tell me your name?"
"Fridanella but I would rather you call me Frida."
"Will you marry me?" He asked.
"That depends on two things."
"Which is?"
"Do you mind marrying some poor peasant girl?"
"Not at all."
"And also will I never have to come back here again."
"Not unless you wish it."
"Then of course I'll marry you."
He helped her up and they shared their first kiss.
"Frida stop kissing him!" Zoe ordered.
"I forbid you to marry him!" Carmelita screamed.
"You have no control over me." Frida said.
"Why you ungrateful little brat! I'll fix you-"
Poof! The wicked woman and her bratty daughter were changed into a vulture and crow. They squawked and flew out the window never to bother Frida again. Though she was very confused about how it happened until she saw a familiar old woman standing outside smiling at her.
"What just happened?" Manny asked.
"Nothing to worry about." Frida reassured him.
They were married the very next day, it was a lovely ceremony and the kingdom happily welcomed their prince's new bride. And when King Rodolfo passed Manny and Frida took his place as the rulers of the new kingdom. They ruled with wisdom and kindness while raising their three children, two strapping boys and a beautiful little girl. Frida was so happy with her new life that she no longer the star on her head it was returned to La Muerte who would give it to another sad yet good person who needed it.
Hope you all liked it. I plan to write another Latin American fairy tale soon so be on the look out.