Cinderella is the beloved child of a widowed aristocrat; a kind and devoted father who feels as though his daughter needs a mother's care. He remarries Lady Tremaine, a widow with two daughters of her own, Drizella and Anastasia. After Cinderella's father dies unexpectedly, Lady Tremaine is revealed to be a cruel and selfish woman, only interested in her daughters. Cinderella is mistreated by her stepfamily, who take over the estate and ultimately reduce her to being a scullery maid in her own home. Despite this, Cinderella grows into a kind and gentle young woman, befriending the mice and birds who live around the chateau.