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TABLE 4.4
Formal Register Version (abbreviated because of familiarity) Cinderella, in formal
and casual register
Once upon a time, there was a girl named Cinderella. She was very happy, and
she lived with her father. Her father remarried a woman who had two daughters.
When Cinderella’s father died, her stepmother treated Cinderella very badly and,
in fact, made her the maid for herself and her two daughters.
At the same time in this land, the King decided that it was time for the Prince
to get married. So, he sent a summons to all the people in the kingdom to come to
a ball. Cinderella was not allowed to go, but was forced to help her stepsisters and
stepmother get ready for the ball. After they left for the ball, and as Cinderella was
crying on the hearth, her fairy godmother came and, with her magic wand, gave
Cinderella a beautiful dress, glass slippers, and a stagecoach made from
pumpkins pulled by horses made from mice. She then sent Cinderella to the ball in
style. There was one stipulation: She had to be back home by midnight.
At the ball the Prince was completely taken with Cinderella and danced with her all
evening. As the clock began striking midnight, Cinderella remembered what the fairy
godmother had said and fled from the dance. All she left was one of her glass slippers.
The Prince conducted a big search, using the glass slipper as a way to
identify the missing woman. He finally found Cinderella; she was the only one the
glass slipper fit. He married her, and they lived happily ever after.

Casual Register Version (Italicized type indicates the narrator; plain type indicates
audience participation.)
Well, you know Cinderella married the Prince, in spite of that old nasty stepmother.
Pointy eyes, that one. Old hag!
Good thing she had a fairy godmother, or she never woulda made it to the ball.
Lucky thing! God bless her ragged tail! Wish I had me a fairy godmother.
And to think she nearly messed up big time by staying ’til the clock was striking 12.
After all the fairy godmother had done for her.
Um, um. She should a known better. Eyes too full of the Prince, they were. They
didn’t call him the Prince for no reason.
When she got to the ball, her stepsisters and stepmother didn’t even recognize
her she was so beautiful without those rags.
Served ‘em right, no-good jealous hags.
The Prince just couldn’t quit dancing with her, just couldn’t take his eyes off her.
He had finally found his woman.
Lucky her! Lucky him! Sure wish life was a fairy tale. Kinda like the way I met
Charlie. Ha ha.
The way she arrived was something else—a coach and horseman—really
fancy. Too bad that when she ran out of there as the clock struck 12 all that was left
was a pumpkin rolling away and four mice!
What a surprise for the mice!
Well, he has to find her because his heart is broke. So he takes the glass
slipper and hunts for her—and her old wicked stepmother, of course, is hiding her.
What a prize! Aren’t they all?
But he finds her and marries her. Somebody as good as Cinderella deserved that.
Sure hope she never invited that stepmother to her castle. Should make her the
maid!! she never invited that stepmother to her castle. Should make her the maid!!

Source: Excerpted from A Framework for Understanding Poverty: A Cognitive Approach (5th Revised
Edition) by Ruby K. Payne © 2013 by aha! Process, Inc. All rights reserved. www.ahaprocess.com 97

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