History of Cinderella

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History of Cinderella 






Cinderella-PrinsepCinderella is a folk tale that is present in many forms and variants.  There are thousands of renditions of the story which feature a young person(mostly young women, but can be young men) who is in tragic circumstances and living off the charity of others.  All of a sudden, her fortune changes as she attracts the attention of a nobleman.  The nobleman must search in some way to find out her identity.  When found, Cinderella becomes the spouse of royalty.  Begrudging family members then get their reward for cruelty.  Often there is a presence of magical items or beings to help Cinderella gain her fortune.  

The earliest recorded tales is by Strabo a Greek who recorded the story of Rhodopis between 7 BCE and 23 CE. She was a young Greek courtesan who attracted the attention of the Pharaoh when an eagle flew off with her sandal, while she was taking a bath. The eagle dropped it in the Pharaoh's lap. He was so intrigued by the shoe and it's shape that he searched for the owner.

The story is also present in Asia as well. The Chinese have the story of Ye Xian 叶限 which can be dated to about CE 860, and the Malay-Indonesian people have the tale of Bawang Putih Bawang Merah, the Vietnamese have Tam Cam and other ethnic groups have similar tales in the region.
The first  known written occurrence of the Cinderella tale in Europe comes from an Italian named Giambattista Basile in 1634.   It is one of the stories in the Pentamerone along with recognizable versions of Rapunzel, Puss in Boots, Sleeping Beauty and Hansel and Gretel. Basile was the first person to commit oral traditional stories to written word. His tale about Cenerentola (Cinderella) included a wicked step mother, evil sisters, losing her shoe, magic and a nobleman who sought the owner of the shoe.

Charles Perrault from France wrote the story of Cinderella that is best known in its translated English version. Perrault wrote "Histoires ou contes du temps passe" in 1697. This French version included even more magical aspects to the story. This version includes the pumpkin, fairy-godmother, and the glass slipper. It is the version that Walt Disney used to create his Cinderella movie in 1950.


Trying_on_the_slipper_-_Sarah_Noble_Ives
Cinderella_-_Anne_AndersonThe Grimm Brothers from Germany took many common tales only known in oral tradition and published them in 1812 in their book Grimm's Fairy Tales. Cinderella was one of these stories, but known in the German language as Ashenputtel.
In this version, Ashenputtel plants a Hazel twig and it grows with the water of her tears. A white bird roosts in the tree, which she believes is her deceased mother. The bird then is the bearer of the white gown and silk shoes to go to the ball. She eludes the prince as he chases here home but drops one of her golden slippers.
Edward_Burne-Jones_CinderellaThe Prince searches the kingdom for the owner, but her stepsisters try on the shoe first. Each sister cuts off a part of their foot to fit into the slipper. After all Princesses do not need to walk anywhere after they marry? The shoe still does not fit and the Prince notices the blood pouring from the shoe. Once the Prince places the shoe on Cinderella, he recognizes her and he takes her away from her evil stepmother and her limping stepsisters.

AschenputtelScholars who study folklore have isolated at least 345 variants of Cinderella in Europe. Most of the tales have a wicked female relative who persecutes her. Most of the stories also have a ball, a ball gown that appears with magic and a built in curfew when the magic wears off. In some stories there are magic birds who provide and others have a fairy godmother that is kindness personified that enables her to attend the party.Cinderella_and_the_Fairy_Godmother Once she gets tired she runs away but leaves an article of her clothing behind. In some stories it is jewelry that she loses and in another story she loses a squirrel slipper as found in the Russian version. Hundreds of books, films, plays, ballets and television shows have been based upon this tale. From the Muppets portrayal with Miss Piggy as Cinderella and Sesame Street's Cinderelmo there is a vast contrast to the Russian National ballet performing the Sergei Radchenko version of the fairy tale.









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Cinderella mean queenCinderella's Prince Charming is just perfect, but his mother is a royal pain. She makes the ugly stepsisters look friendly! With a little makeover magic, Cinderella is ready to turn the Mean Queen into the Nice Queen.
 Retells the classic French version of Cinderella, along with three similar tales: Rhodopis from Egypt, Yeh-Shen from China, and Little Burnt Face from the Micmac Indians of the Canadian Maritimes.
Cinderella 4
CinderellarexCinderella Rex loves to dance, but will she get to attend the royal ball?
Elegant paintings of a cavernous castle and an enchanted countryside distinguish this retelling of the transformed maiden. Ages 5-8.The smoothly told story...contains the familiar details and a happy ending in which Cinderella forgives her stepfamily."" (The Horn Book Club)
Cinderella perrault
Cinderella wippleIf the Shoe Fits: Voices from Cinderella takes a fresh look at an old and favorite story. In thirty-three poems it brings to life not only the voices of well-loved characters, but also voices of characters not usually heard from -- including the glass slipper, without which the story would not have a happy ending. On the stage set by the story we hear each player tell the tale from their point of view, answering the questions that swirl around Cinderella:

Is the ghost of Cinderella's father at peace in the afterlife? What has made Cinderella's stepmother so cruel? Can a rat be as happy as a human? How do the prince's mother and father feel about Cinderella for their son? Does the Magic One's Magic last forever? Do the glass slippers realize how important a role they play in the life of one girl? Is there a quiet someone, with a gentle purr, who is a secret accomplice? And, finally, what does Cinderella herself have to say to us about her own story? 









History of Cinderella

Wikipedia contributors. (2021, January 12). Cinderella. In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved 18:58, January 13, 2021, from https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Cinderella&oldid=999796820

Perrault, C., Bell, A., & Koopmans, L. (2002). Cinderella: A fairy tale. New York: North-South.

Bradman, T., & Warburton, S. (2014). Cinderella and the mean queen.

Meister, C. (2015). Cinderella: 4 beloved tales.

Webster, C., & Hatam, H. (2019). Cinderella Rex.

Whipple, L., & Beingessner, L. (2002). If the shoe fits: Voices from Cinderella. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books.

Cartoon like.  (2020 March, 6) Walt Disney Cinderella. YouTube.  https://youtu.be/zBPn7SSVRmY 

Loves None. (2020, October 21)Sesame Street CinderElmo. YouTube https://youtu.be/bn5hEc06Rsc?list=PLyHtb_JEJGUkV0zZaxMXqHekL-J7XXUtE&t=11

SOPHIA BP. (2013, June, 13) RODGERS AND HAMMERSTEIN'S CINDERELLA (Broadway) - Medley [LIVE @ The 2013 Tony Awards] YouTube. https://youtu.be/hcP1cV3nBZI

александр даев. (2017, August 20) "Russian National ballet ","Cinderella". YouTube https://youtu.be/FgvfZbj77SQ?t=42

Charles Perrault French version of Cinderella.  Most commonly known in North America.  https://www.worldoftales.com/fairy_tales/Charles_Perrault/CINDERELLA,_OR_THE_LITTLE_GLASS_SLIPPER.html#gsc.tab=0

Ashenputel -German variations https://www.worldoftales.com/fairy_tales/Brothers_Grimm/Grimm_household_tales/Aschenputtel.html#gsc.tab=0

Centerentola -- Italian version https://www.worldoftales.com/European_folktales/Italian_folktale_6.html#gsc.tab=0

Cinderella by Brothers Grimmhttps://www.worldoftales.com/fairy_tales/Brothers_Grimm/Grimm_fairy_stories/Cinderella.html#gsc.tab=0

Thomas Sully - Cinderella at the Kitchen Fire - 2005.1 - Dallas Museum of Art.jpg. (2019, December 20). Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. Retrieved 22:04, January 13, 2021 from https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Thomas_Sully_-_Cinderella_at_the_Kitchen_Fire_-_2005.1_-_Dallas_Museum_of_Art.jpg&oldid=381657707.

File:Jean-Antoine Laurent - Cinderella, a perfect match.jpg. (2020, June 24). Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. Retrieved 22:10, January 13, 2021 from https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Jean-Antoine_Laurent_-_Cinderella,_a_perfect_match.jpg&oldid=428563336.

File:Cinderella - Anne Anderson.jpg. (2020, August 8). Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. Retrieved 22:11, January 13, 2021 from https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Cinderella_-_Anne_Anderson.jpg&oldid=437794920.

File:Aschenputtel.jpg. (2017, August 28). Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. Retrieved 22:18, January 13, 2021 from https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Aschenputtel.jpg&oldid=256648877.

File:Edward Burne-Jones Cinderella.jpg. (2019, June 13). Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. Retrieved 22:19, January 13, 2021 from https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Edward_Burne-Jones_Cinderella.jpg&oldid=354294107.

File:Cinderella and the Fairy Godmother.jpg. (2020, July 7). Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. Retrieved 22:21, January 13, 2021 from https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Cinderella_and_the_Fairy_Godmother.jpg&oldid=431529376.

File:Cinderella-Prinsep.jpg. (2020, February 17). Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. Retrieved 22:23, January 13, 2021 from https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Cinderella-Prinsep.jpg&oldid=395452065.

File:Trying on the slipper - Sarah Noble Ives.jpg. (2021, January 6). Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. Retrieved 22:24, January 13, 2021 from https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Trying_on_the_slipper_-_Sarah_Noble_Ives.jpg&oldid=524523407.

File:Cinderella 1865 (6).png. (2019, May 27). Wikimedia Commons, the free media repository. Retrieved 22:26, January 13, 2021 from https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=File:Cinderella_1865_(6).png&oldid=352073584.