Once upon a time there was a widowed gentleman with his daughter named Anna. Anna was a sweet and kind young girl and her father loved her very much. But they both lived a difficult life. They were a very poor family and could hardly buy food and the clothes they wore were all ragged hand me downs. Whenever someone had old clothes they didn’t wear anymore they would give them to Anna and her father like charity. Anna’s clothes were the most ragged, her dresses were torn and patched. Anna and her father didn’t mind if their clothes were all worn out because what mattered was they actually had something to wear. They never let anything ruin the happiness they had with each other. Their smiles always shone through.
Both Anna and her father worked and lived at the castle, the father worked in the stables while Anna worked in the kitchen. Because of her ragged dresses she was made fun of by the other servants because their clothes were finer than hers. Every day while Anna was working she heard snickers or murmurs of ‘how ugly her dress is’ from the other female servants. All of the servants began calling Anna ‘Raganna’ because they decided it suited her with the ragged dress. So Anna was now called Raganna.
One day Raganna was walking through the town, when something caught her eyes. An old woman was selling her old dresses on her stall. All, except one, were very beautiful and the beautiful dresses were selling out quickly. The dress, that was not beautiful, was a plain, raggedy, simple dress. It was white at the top and light brown at the bottom with a torn black sash round it. No one wanted it; they all thought it looked terrible. Just then Raganna asked the old woman for the raggedy dress.
“You sure you want this dress instead of the pretty dresses?” the old woman asked Raganna.
“I’ve worn rags my entire life madam” answered Raganna “I don’t mind this dress at all”.
So Raganna bought the raggedy dress and took it straight home. Raganna and her father had a room in the castle on the third floor. As soon as she got to her room she changed into her new ragged dress. Sure the dress was raggedy, but Raganna liked the dress and decided to wear it always.
The next day there was a lot of excitement in the castle, the king and his son the prince were holding a ball that night. The servants were excited because they were allowed to watch the ball. Raganna wanted to watch the ball too, but she couldn’t bear going in rags so she decided not to go to the ball. What she decided to do was just concentrate on her work. It took the whole day for all the servants to get everything ready for the ball. The cooks started to make the food for the banquet, the musicians rehearsed their music and the maids and butlers set the dining table and mopped the floor
That evening everything was ready, the dining table had the best china and silver, the floor was spotless and the musicians were ready to play music. In the kitchen the food was ready and looked delicious. It was time for the ball and all the guests were arriving and the servants started to move towards the ballroom to watch the ball. But Raganna and her father went straight to their room. Raganna’s father didn’t want to go to the ball either; he was tired and wanted to go to bed early.
When Raganna and her father reached their room they both got ready for bed. Raganna took off her ragged dress and changed into a night dress.
“Are you sure about not going to watch the ball?” Raganna’s father asked. He really wanted her to go and have a good time there.
“Its fine father” said Raganna “besides I don’t want to frighten the guests or embarrass the other servants by going in there with a ragged dress”.
“Pity your dress is not a gorgeous gown” Raganna’s father said “then you would be able to attend the ball”.
Raganna began to fold the dress inside out to keep it clean for tomorrow, but when she did that the ragged dress magically transformed into a beautiful gown. It was a light pink gown with a light pink sash round it. Raganna was astonished and so was her father.
“Amazing!” said her father “that ragged dress is magic. Now you can go and watch the ball”.
“I don’t know about that” said Raganna “and you’ll be all by yourself.
“I will be fine my daughter” Raganna’s father said “I will only be asleep. Besides you should have some fun for a while after doing lots of hard work all day”.
Raganna did want to have a nice time for once so she agreed with her father to go to the ball. She washed her face and brushed her hair. Then she put on the light pink gown; she looked beautiful. Raganna’s father then took out a small box from his bedside draw. Inside the box there was a necklace and a ring.
“These were your mothers” he said “before she died she asked me to give them to you when you were older. Now is the time for you to have these”.
“Thank you Father” said Raganna. She gave her father a kiss on the cheek, put on the necklace and ring then went down stairs to the ballroom.
In the ballroom the dancing had just began. There were lots of beautiful girls, mostly princesses, in their beautiful gowns. The music was beautiful and everybody was dancing to it. Everyone was having a good time, except the prince. The prince was fed up. He was fed up because the ball was to help him find a bride, but so far he hadn’t found the right girl to be his bride.
Then suddenly Raganna walked through the doors into the ballroom. When she made her appearance everyone stared at her. Raganna was the most beautiful girl anyone ever seen, even the prince couldn’t take his eyes off her. He walked up to her and asked her to dance; Raganna accepted. They danced and danced forgetting about everyone else at the ball. The prince didn’t dance with any other girl; he wanted to dance with Raganna only.
Soon the ball was coming to an end; while no one was looking Raganna quickly exited the ballroom. The prince began to search for her to introduce her to his father, but he couldn’t find her at all. Raganna was gone.
Raganna was in her room, while the prince searched for her. Raganna’s father was asleep and didn’t hear her come in the room. Raganna took off her gown and folded it inside out; it transformed back into her raggedy dress. Then she fell asleep in bed dreaming about her dance with the prince. It was a night she would never forget.
The next morning Raganna told her father all about it.
“Did you tell everyone who you were?” he asked.
“No I didn’t, besides the prince would have been disappointed for dancing with a maid in rags than a princess” Raganna said.
Raganna’s father understood; a prince would only marry a princess, not a maid. So he decided not to talk about it anymore.
When it was the time for the servants to work there was a big announcement; another ball was going to be held again tonight. So just like yesterday all the servants got everything ready. Raganna was happy; she wanted to dance with the prince again.
That night when the guests were arriving, Raganna and her father went to their room. Raganna’s father wanted to go to bed early again. Raganna got ready for the ball. First she washed her hands and face. Next she took off her raggedy dress and turned it inside out again. This time the dress turned into a light blue gown. It was more beautiful than the light pink one.
“Like I said last night” said Raganna’s father “the dress is magic”.
Raganna put on the light blue gown and her mother’s necklace and ring. Then she headed down stairs straight into the ballroom. When she entered the ballroom all eyes turned to her direction again. Raganna was again more beautiful than all the other women in the ballroom. The prince was delighted that she had arrived and asked her for a dance. Just like last night’s ball the prince danced with only Raganna. Then the ball came to an end and Raganna quickly disappeared again before anyone noticed.
The next day Raganna was fetching water from the well, when she saw the prince sitting on the well.
“Good morning your highness” she said and curtseyed.
“Morning Raganna” the prince sighed, he knew Raganna name because they had been friends for a long time.
“Is something bothering you?” Raganna asked.
The prince told Raganna about the mysterious girl he had been dancing with for the past two nights. He also said about not knowing her name.
“I must ask” said Raganna “if this mysterious girl wasn’t a princess, would it bother you?”
“It wouldn’t bother me at all” the prince answered “I don’t care if she’s of noble blood or not. As long as she is kind and caring and of noble spirit I would love her for the rest of my life”. Then he left.
Raganna was touched by his words and felt guilty for not telling him who she really was. That night another ball was being held and Raganna was getting ready. This time she decided not to turn her raggedy dress inside out and just go in her raggedy dress.
“You are not going to the ball in a beautiful gown?” her father asked.
“No Father” said Raganna “I have lied to the prince for two nights now and that’s enough. I have decided to go as I am and reveal the truth to him”.
She put on her necklace and ring and set off towards the ballroom. This time her father came with her to see what would happen. When they both entered the ballroom everyone gasped. They couldn’t believe that a girl in dirty rags would enter the ball. Even the servants were very embarrassed. The prince saw the necklace and ring she was wearing and recognized them at once.
“You’re the mysterious girl I was dancing with for two nights in a row aren’t you Raganna?” he asked.
“Yes your highness” said Raganna “as I am a maid and not a princess I was scared of revealing who I really was. I’m sorry”.
“There is no need to apologize” the prince said “remember what I told you this morning. I didn’t care if you were a maid or a princess; I love you and only you and I choose you to become my wife and princess. So would you marry me Raganna?”
“I will my prince” Raganna answered.
He kissed her while Raganna was crying tears of happiness. Suddenly Raganna’s raggedy dress started to magically transform by itself into a beautiful gown. It was a raggedy dress no more. It was now a light pink gown with light blue patterns.
Then there was the sound of clapping from everyone else in the ballroom. They were happy for the prince for finding his bride at last. Raganna’s father was clapping too; he was happy for his daughter. Raganna and the prince were happy too for they were able to stay at each other’s side always. And this time Raganna didn’t have to disappear again.
A few days later Raganna and the prince were married and Raganna became a princess. She no longer had to wear rags ever again. As for her father he became a member of the royal court. He didn’t have to work in the stables anymore. And they all lived happily ever after.
