©2002 by Lauren Renée Hotchkiss

Once upon a time there lived a woman who married, for her second husband, the most macho, red-necked, and thoroughly unrelenting male that ever lived. He had two daughters, Transvestia and Transsexuella, who, though female, were very much like him in all respects. The woman, on the other hand, had a son, Al, who was of the sweetest, kindest and gentlest disposition. The step-father could not stand this young man because he was so pretty and delicate and not at all what he considered a “man” should be, and also because he made the lack of femininity of his own daughters all the more apparent. He gave Al a job with the construction company he owned, doing the hardest, lowliest, most backbreaking work imaginable in the belief that this would make a man out of him. He had to break out cement, tear out sheetrock, take debris to the dump, and do all manner of things for which he was not suited by nature.

Al bore all this patiently, not wanting to upset his mother by complaining to her about his lot. Though he did the job as best he could, everyone but his stepfather could tell that he just would never be like other men. Because of his more feminine nature, his stepsisters began to call him “Ella”

Al was allowed to wear only the most macho of clothes, and though he would much rather have worn the pretty dresses his mother wore, this was not possible. The sweetness and goodness that shone in his face, however, made him a hundred times more beautiful than his ugly stepsisters could ever hope to be, however richly they might be dressed.

One day the Queen’s Daughter decided to give a very grand ball to which all the great people of the kingdom were invited. Transsexuella and Transvestia were highly delighted to receive an invitation. Poor Al was not invited. At once they began to busy themselves trying to choose the gowns that they should wear to the ball, but having no fashion sense nor skill with makeup, they had to at last ask Al for his help, as he knew their clothes and how to use their makeup better than they did.

At last the day of the ball arrived. Though Al was sad that he could not put on a fancy gown and go to the ball with his step-sisters he very sweetly offered to help them with their hair. As there was no one who could do it so well they gladly consented. Yet even as he worked, they said unkind things to him.

“Ella, don't you wish that you could go to the ball?, but then again I suppose you wouldn't fit in .... unless you wore a dress, hee, hee.”

Al made no answer. He went on arranging their hair till at last he had them looking as good as could be expected. Soon it was time for them to leave. He stood at the door waving goodbye as they were driven away in a rented limousine. He looked after them until they were far out of sight, then went to his room and started crying.

But Al, like all good transgendered folk, was watched over by a fairy godmother, and as he sat there in tears, she appeared before him.

“My dear child,” said the strange little old lady, “why do you cry.”

“I wish - I wish I could -,” Al could not finish speaking the words through his tears.

“You wish,” said the fairy, “that you could go to the ball. Is that not so?”

“Yes! Oh yes!” answered Al, sighing.

“Well, but promise to be a good girl, and I will see that you go.”

She commanded Al to go out into the garage and get out his old VW Beetle. Al went obediently and backed the old piece of junk, backfiring all the way, out into the driveway, though he couldn't see how that would help him get to the ball. But then lo and behold his fairy godmother touched the Beetle with her magic wand and before Al's delighted and unbelieving eyes it was transformed into a stretch limo.

As Al looked at the magnificent limousine, his kitten came scampering by, and with but a touch of the magic wand was transformed into a chauffeur for the evening.

“Now”, she said, “you have a limo fit to take you to the ball. Are you not pleased?”

“Oh, yes,” cried Al, “but must I go as I am in this old pair of levis and torn tee shirt.

She smiled, and once more waved her wand, and at that moment he became arrayed in an elegant formal length black velvet evening gown and was bedecked with diamond jewelry. The fairy then gave her a pair of the prettiest glass slippers in the world and said as Genderella stepped joyously into the carriage:

“One command only must you obey. No matter what happens, do not stay at the ball after midnight. If you do, your limo will instantly become a beetle again, your chauffeur a kitten, and you will once more be dressed in drab.

Al, now Genderella, promised to obey, and with a word to her chauffeur was driven away.

The Princess, being told that a lovely young lady that nobody knew had just arrived at the ball, went out to welcome her. They exchanged greetings, and the Princess escorted her into the hall where the company was gathered. As she entered, there fell over all a deep silence; every one left off dancing and the violins ceased to play. On all sides, ladies and gentlemen whispered, “How beautiful she is!”

The Princess conducted her to a seat of honor, but as they sat there a strange stirring began in her heart. She was strangely attracted to this lady in a way in which she had felt before only for men. It confused her. But soon, overcoming her perplexity, she led her out to dance.

Genderella danced so beautifully that all admired her. She was kind and courteous too, even to her ill-tempered step-sisters who did not for a moment recognize in this lovely lady their little half-brother. At last a splendid feast was served, but in the midst of it all, Genderella heard the clock strike the quarter hour before twelve. She rose and said farewell, and then hastened away as fast as she could.

When she got back home, she found her godmother waiting. Gratefully she thanked the little old lady for what she had done, but as she was telling her all that had happened, her two step-sisters arrived home from the ball. Genderella's fairy godmother quickly changed her brocaded gown back into tee shirt and jeans again and disappeared in a twinkling. In his old clothes once more Al met them at the door.

“If you had only been at the ball,” said Transvestia, “you would have seen the finest, most beautiful lady that you have ever laid eyes on. She was very kind to us, too, and showed us much attention. But a boy like you would know nothing of such loveliness.”

Al asked if they knew the name of the lady.

“No,” Transsexuella answered, “no one knows her name, but the Princess would give half the kingdom to learn who she is!”

The next night the Princess asked everyone again to a ball that she might once more see the beautiful lady. Al's two sisters went, and when they were gone and the house was still, her fairy godmother came as before and made Genderella ready. The gown she wore on the second night was even more lovely than the one she had worn before. The Princess welcomed her with beaming eyes and stayed always by her side. Not a thing was less fine and splendid than before; not a person less kind and courteous than on the previous night. Indeed, the music was so beautiful, the movements of the dance such wonders of harmony and grace, the room so bright, and everything so full of joy that Genderella never thought of how time was flying.

Suddenly the great clock of the palace began to strike twelve. Hearing this, Genderella fled. One! Two! Three! Four!. Though nimbly as a dear she ran she began to panic. Five! Six! Seven! Eight!. She had just reached the broad steps outside the palace when one glass slipper fell from her foot. Nine! Ten!, she dared not stop to pick it up. Eleven! Twelve!. Suddenly her Gown turned back into faded levis, the limo disappeared, and the kitten scampered off toward home.

As fast as she could, Genderella followed. All she had left of her finery was one glass slipper, the mate to the one she had lost.

In great dismay, the Princess ran out from the palace after her, but not a sign of her was to be seen. The guards at the gate said no splendid lady had passed them, only some guy in a old pair of levis, who ran as if for his life.

The Princess was very distraught and had a search made everywhere, but all she could find of the beautiful lady was the one glass slipper she had dropped. For days and days she had her servants march through the length and breadth of the kingdom, giving notice with fanfare of trumpet that every lady in the land should try on the glass slipper. Knowing that none but the rightful owner could wear it, she gave orders that whoever it would fit should come to live with her at the palace.

They began by trying the slipper on the duchesses and the other ladies of the court; but it would fit none of them. At last it was brought to Genderella's two step-sisters. Both tried it on, but of course their feet were much too large for the glass slipper. Al, meanwhile, stood by and watched what was going on. He knew his slipper and when her sisters had failed, he said to them meekly:

“Let me see if it will not fit me.”

His step-sisters burst out laughing. “Could a man wear such a slipper?,” they cried. But the messenger looked very earnestly at Al, and said that it was only fair that he be allowed to try it.

So Al sat down and the gentleman held the slipper up to his foot, and behold!, it went on easily and fitted him like it was made for her, as of course it was. Transvestia and Transsexuella were dumb with amazement, but their amazement was greater still when Al pulled from under a chair the mate to that beautiful slipper. Thereupon in came the fairy godmother, who touched Al's clothes with her wand, and lo! they became more magnificent than any she had worn before.

His step-sisters, finding Genderella to be that beautiful lady who had been so kind to them at the ball, threw themselves at her feet to beg her pardon for all their ill treatment of her. Genderella lifted them up, kissed them, and said she forgave them with all her heart.

She was conducted to the Princess, who thought her even more charming than before and invited Genderella to live with her at the palace. Genderella, who was as good as she was beautiful, gave her two sisters a home at court. Her goodness made them ashamed of themselves, so they tried to conquer their pride and ill-temper, and grow to be more feminine young ladies.

And so they all lived happily ever after, or something like that.