The tale of Cinderella began as a traditional German folk story. It was collected by the Brothers Grimm, and given the title Ashputtel, Cinderella's original name. The story follows the same lines but has several variations:

  • Cinderella's fairy godmother figure was originally a tree. (Her mother was buried in the garden. The father gave Cinderella a hazel branch as a gift, which she planted atop her mother's grave. Her tears caused the branch to grow into a hazel tree, and it was by repeating "Shake, shake, hazel tree, gold and silver over me!" that she obtained her ballgown.)
  • Cinderella attended three royal balls held in honour of the prince, the last being the one in which she lost her golden slipper.
  • Each night when a ball was held Cinderella was forced to pick lentils from the ashes of the kitchen fire, which had been thrown in by her stepmother. It was only after this task had been completed that she would be allowed to go to the ball - though her stepmother broke her promise each time.
  • In Disney's version, Cinderella's only friends were the family's farmyard animals and a group of mice, who helped to make her dress. This idea of being a 'friend of the animals' is also in the traditional tale. Dozens of birds helped her to clear the peas from the fire when Cinderella cried:
    "Hither, hither, through the sky,
    Turtledoves and linnets, fly!
    Blackbird, thrush, and chaffinch gay,
    Hither, hither, haste away!
    One and all come help me, quick!
    Haste ye, haste ye! - pick, pick, pick!"
  • Originally, the eldest stepsister had to cut off her big toe in order to fit into the shoe, but the blood was noticed. The second stepsister managed, by slicing away a part of her heel, to squeeze into the slipper, and was riding away with the prince when a dove called to him to see the blood dripping from her heel. Thus the prince returned, demanded the father (who, contrary to the Disney story, remained alive throughout) to bring forth any other daughters he had...and they all lived happily ever after.

There are many versions of Cinderella, this version is a fairly cheery and happy one, some of the other versions have the stepsisters cutting parts of their feet off in order to try and fit into the glass slipper.

Once there was a gentleman who married, for his second wife, the proudest and most haughty woman that was ever seen. She had, by a former husband, two daughters of her own humor, who were, indeed, exactly like her in all things. He had likewise, by another wife, a young daughter, but of unparalleled goodness and sweetness of temper, which she took from her mother, who was the best creature in the world.

No sooner were the ceremonies of the wedding over but the stepmother began to show herself in her true colors. She could not bear the good qualities of this pretty girl, and the less because they made her own daughters appear the more odious. She employed her in the meanest work of the house: she scoured the dishes, tables, etc., and scrubbed madam's chamber, and those of misses, her daughters; she lay up in a sorry garret, upon a wretched straw bed, while her sisters lay in fine rooms, with floors all inlaid, upon beds of the very newest fashion, and where they had looking-glasses so large that they might see themselves at their full length from head to foot.

The poor girl bore all patiently, and dared not tell her father, who would have rattled her off; for his wife governed him entirely. When she had done her work, she used to go into the chimney-corner, and sit down among cinders and ashes, which made her commonly be called Cinderwench; but the youngest, who was not so rude and uncivil as the eldest, called her Cinderella. However, Cinderella, notwithstanding her mean apparel, was a hundred times handsomer than her sisters, though they were always dressed very richly.

It happened that the King's son gave a ball, and invited all persons of fashion to it. Our young misses were also invited, for they cut a very grand figure among the quality. They were mightily delighted at this invitation, and wonderfully busy in choosing out such gowns, petticoats, and head-clothes as might become them. This was a new trouble to Cinderella; for it was she who ironed her sisters' linen, and plaited their ruffles; they talked all day long of nothing but how they should be dressed.

"For my part," said the eldest, "I will wear my red velvet suit with French trimming." "And I," said the youngest, "shall have my usual petticoat; but then, to make amends for that, I will put on my gold-flowered manteau, and my diamond stomacher, which is far from being the most ordinary one in the world."

They sent for the best hairdresser they could get to make up their head-dresses and adjust their double pinners, and they had their red brushes and patches from Mademoiselle de la Poche.

Cinderella was likewise called up to them to be consulted in all these matters, for she had excellent notions, and advised them always for the best, nay, and offered her services to dress their heads, which they were very willing she should do. As she was doing this, they said to her:

"Cinderella, would you not be glad to go to the ball?"

"Alas!" said she, "you only jeer me; it is not for such as I am to go thither."

"Thou art in the right of it," replied they; "it would make the people laugh to see a Cinderwench at a ball."

Anyone but Cinderella would have dressed their heads awry, but she was very good, and dressed them perfectly well. The sisters were almost two days without eating, so much were they transported with joy. They broke above a dozen laces in trying to be laced up close, that they might have a fine slender shape, and they were continually at their looking-glass. At last the happy day came; they went to Court, and Cinderella followed them with her eyes as long as she could, and when she had lost sight of them, she fell a-crying.

Her godmother, who saw her all in tears, asked her what was the matter.

"I wish I could -- I wish I could -- "; she was not able to speak the rest, being interrupted by her tears and sobbing.

This godmother of hers, who was a fairy, said to her, "Thou wishest thou couldst go to the ball; is it not so?"

"Yes," cried Cinderella, with a great sigh.

"Well," said her godmother, "be but a good girl, and I will contrive that thou shalt go." Then she took her into her chamber, and said to her, "Run into the garden, and bring me a pumpkin."

Cinderella went immediately to gather the finest she could get, and brought it to her godmother, not being able to imagine how this pumpkin could make her go to the ball. Her godmother scooped out all the inside of it, having left nothing but the rind; which done, she struck it with her wand, and the pumpkin was instantly turned into a fine coach, gilded all over with gold. She then went to look into her mouse-trap, where she found six mice, all alive, and ordered Cinderella to lift up a little the trapdoor, when, giving each mouse, as it went out, a little tap with her wand, the mouse was that moment turned into a fine horse, which altogether made a very fine set of six horses of a beautiful mouse-colored dapple-gray. Being at a loss for a coachman, the godmother could not think of what to use.

"I will go and see," said Cinderella, "if there is never a rat in the rat-trap -- we may make a coachman of him."

"Thou art in the right," replied her godmother; "go and look."

Cinderella brought the trap to her, and in it there were three huge rats. The fairy made choice of one of the three which had the largest beard, and, having touched him with her wand, he was turned into a fat, jolly coachman, who had the smartest whiskers eyes ever beheld. After that, she said to Cinderella:

"Go again into the garden, and you will find six lizards behind the watering-pot, bring them to me."

She had no sooner done so but her godmother turned them into six footmen, who skipped up immediately behind the coach, with their liveries all bedaubed with gold and silver, and clung as close behind each other as if they had done nothing else their whole lives. The Fairy then said to Cinderella:

"Well, you see here an equipage fit to go to the ball with; are you not pleased with it?"

"Oh! yes," cried she; "but must I go thither as I am, in these nasty rags?"

Her godmother only just touched her with her wand, and, at the same instant, her clothes were turned into cloth of gold and silver, all beset with jewels. This done, she gave her a pair of glass slippers, the prettiest in the whole world. Being thus decked out, she got up into her coach; but her godmother, above all things, commanded her not to stay till after midnight, telling her, at the same time, that if she stayed one moment longer, the coach would be a pumpkin again, her horses mice, her coachman a rat, her footmen lizards, and her clothes become just as they were before.

She promised her godmother she would not fail of leaving the ball before midnight; and then away she drives, scarce able to contain herself for joy. The King's son who was told that a great princess, whom nobody knew, was come, ran out to receive her; he gave her his hand as she alighted out of the coach, and led her into the ball, among all the company. There was immediately a profound silence, they left off dancing, and the violins ceased to play, so attentive was everyone to contemplate the singular beauties of the unknown new-comer. Nothing was then heard but a confused noise of:

"Ha! how handsome she is! Ha! how handsome she is!"

The King himself, old as he was, could not help watching her, and telling the Queen softly that it was a long time since he had seen so beautiful and lovely a creature.

All the ladies were busied in considering her clothes and headdress, that they might have some made next day after the same pattern, provided they could meet with such fine material and as able hands to make them.

The King's son conducted her to the most honorable seat, and afterward took her out to dance with him; she danced so very gracefully that they all more and more admired her. A fine collation was served up, whereof the young prince ate not a morsel, so intently was he busied in gazing on her.

She went and sat down by her sisters, showing them a thousand civilities, giving them part of the oranges and citrons which the Prince had presented her with, which very much surprised them, for they did not know her. While Cinderella was thus amusing her sisters, she heard the clock strike eleven and three-quarters, whereupon she immediately made a courtesy to the company and hasted away as fast as she could.

When she got home she ran to seek out her godmother, and, after having thanked her, she said she could not but heartily wish she might go next day to the ball, because the King's son had desired her.

As she was eagerly telling her godmother whatever had passed at the ball, her two sisters knocked at the door, which Cinderella ran and opened.

"How long you have stayed!" cried she, gaping, rubbing her eyes and stretching herself as if she had been just waked out of her sleep; she had not, however, any manner of inclination to sleep since they went from home.

"If thou hadst been at the ball," said one of her sisters, "thou wouldst not have been tired with it. There came thither the finest princess, the most beautiful ever was seen with mortal eyes; she showed us a thousand civilities, and gave us oranges and citrons."

Cinderella seemed very indifferent in the matter; indeed, she asked them the name of that princess; but they told her they did not know it, and that the King's son was very uneasy on her account and would give all the world to know who she was. At this Cinderella, smiling, replied:

"She must, then, be very beautiful indeed; how happy you have been! Could not I see her? Ah! dear Miss Charlotte, do lend me your yellow suit of clothes which you wear every day."

"Ay, to be sure!" cried Miss Charlotte; "lend my clothes to such a dirty Cinderwench as thou art! I should be a fool."

Cinderella, indeed, expected well such answer, and was very glad of the refusal; for she would have been sadly put to it if her sister had lent her what she asked for jestingly.

The next day the two sisters were at the ball, and so was Cinderella, but dressed more magnificently than before. The King's son was always by her, and never ceased his compliments and kind speeches to her; to whom all this was so far from being tiresome that she quite forgot what her godmother had recommended to her; so that she, at last, counted the clock striking twelve when she took it to be no more than eleven; she then rose up and fled, as nimble as a deer. The Prince followed, but could not overtake her. She left behind one of her glass slippers, which the Prince took up most carefully. She got home but quite out of breath, and in her nasty old clothes, having nothing left her of all her finery but one of the little slippers, fellow to that she dropped. The guards at the palace gate were asked if they had not seen a princess go out.

They said they had seen nobody go out but a young girl, very meanly dressed, and who had more the air of a poor country wench than a gentlewoman.

When the two sisters returned from the ball Cinderella asked them if they had been well diverted, and if the fine lady had been there.

They told her, yes, but that she hurried away immediately when it struck twelve, and with so much haste that she dropped one of her little glass slippers, the prettiest in the world, which the King's son had taken up; that he had done nothing but look at her all the time at the ball, and that most certainly he was very much in love with the beautiful person who owned the glass slipper.

What they said was very true; for a few days after the King's son caused it to be proclaimed, by sound of trumpet, that he would marry her whose foot the slipper would just fit. They whom he employed began to try it upon the princesses, then the duchesses and all the Court, but in vain; it was brought to the two sisters, who did all they possibly could to thrust their foot into the slipper, but they could not effect it. Cinderella, who saw all this, and knew her slipper, said to them, laughing:

"Let me see if it will not fit me."

Her sisters burst out a-laughing, and began to banter her. The gentleman who was sent to try the slipper looked earnestly at Cinderella, and, finding her very handsome, said:

It was but just that she should try, and that he had orders to let everyone make trial.

He obliged Cinderella to sit down, and, putting the slipper to her foot, he found it went on very easily, and fitted her as if it had been made of wax. The astonishment her two sisters were in was excessively great, but still abundantly greater when Cinderella pulled out of her pocket the other slipper, and put it on her foot. Thereupon, in came her godmother, who, having touched with her wand Cinderella's clothes, made them richer and more magnificent than any of those she had before.

And now her two sisters found her to be that fine, beautiful lady whom they had seen at the ball. They threw themselves at her feet to beg pardon for all the ill- treatment they had made her undergo. Cinderella took them up, and, as she embraced them, cried that she forgave them with all her heart, and desired them always to love her.

She was conducted to the young prince, dressed as she was; he thought her more charming than ever, and, a few days after, married her. Cinderella, who was no less good than beautiful, gave her two sisters lodgings in the palace, and that very same day matched them with two great lords of the Court.

By Charles Perrault

The text for this story came from Andrew Lang's Blue Fairy Book.

Hard rock/heavy metal band. Consisting of singer/guitarist Tom Keifer, bassist Eric Brittingham, guitarist Jeff LaBar, and drummer Fred Coury (for the first three albums).

Their 1986 album Night Songs made them fairly well-known with "Nobody's Fool (as well as "Shake Me" and "Somebody Save Me") but they started to stand out from every other hair band on their second album, 1988's Long Cold Winter, which had a more bluesy feel to it. Heartbreak Station in 1990 wasn't as interesting or popular, and after a live "mini-LP" in 1991, Fred Coury left and the band did not record until Still Climbing in 1994, by which time their style of music had become much less popular. Fred Coury was replaced, after two temporary drummers, with Kevin Conway.

Little known fact about Cinderella is that in the original, European version* of the full Cinderella story (titled "La gatta cenerentola" in Italian), Cinderella kills her step-mother at the instigation of her governess. The governess later becomes the evil new step-mother. In the brothers Grimm version of Cinderella, Cinderella's step-sister cuts off her toe to fit the shoe. So now you know what Disney's adaptation of Cinderella omitted: murder committed by the heroine, and extreme body modification.


*The story that appears before this 1846 European version comes from Egypt, recorded by Strabo in the 1st century BC. In "The Many Faces of Cinderella" the author seems to believe the Chinese version is also related, even though I find the Egyptian version having a higher likelyhood of having a relationship. Maybe I will reexamine the Chinese version in the future. It could be old enough to have been included in the Arabian Nights.



Reference(s): A well-researched page on Cinderella: http://www.lyricoperasandiego.org/resource_library/CinderellaVersions.htm "Cinderella: The Many Faces of Cinderella"
The page cites
Disney Animated Features
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Release Date: 15 February 1950

World War II had put a damper on The Walt Disney Company's animated features. After a critically (if not financially) successful initial run, pioneering the genre, they were forced to reduce costs by issuing compilation films. While entertaining, they barely (if at all) lived up to the term "feature."

This changed, more or less permanently, in 1950.

With the war now long over, Disney had more animators, and fewer of them devoted to creating pro-U.S. war-era cartoons. The time was ripe for a brand new full-length animated feature, based once again on a fairy tale (as was Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs). That film was Cinderella.

The original fairy tale was familiar to most people, although Disney added its own special touch to it. In brief, a beautiful young woman, practically enslaved by her evil stepmother, receives the assistance of a fairy godmother that allows her to attend a ball and meet Prince Charming. The Prince falls in love, but the magic spell runs out at midnight; Cinderella rushes out of the ball, leaving only a glass slipper behind. The Prince uses the slipper to find his true love, to the astonishment of her oppressors. Happily ever after, etc.

The special Disney touch I mentioned eariler involves the now-ubiquitous cute animal companions (mice in this case, particularly Gus and Jaq) and the presence of award-winning songs (this time by Mack David, Jerry Livingston and Al Hoffman). Although often disparaged in Disney's more recent films, the presence of the animal sidekicks provided much-needed humor to what would normally be a tragic tale (at the beginning) or a rather dull romance (at the end).

The music includes a couple of songs now amongst Disney's most recognizable: "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo" and "A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes."

The film was nominated for three Academy Awards, ending a multi-year drought by Disney's animated features. It was nominated for Best Music, Scoring of a Musical Picture, Best Music, Song ("Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo"), and Best Sound, Recording.

Next on the company's plate: a Disney-fied version of an odd, almost psychedelic novel by Lewis Carroll. Hint: American McGee's Alice it ain't.

Information for the Disney Animated Features series of nodes comes from the IMDb (www.imdb.com), Frank's Disney Page (http://www.informatik.uni-frankfurt.de/~fp/Disney/), and the dark recesses of my own memory.


26 February 2002:

On 26 February 2002, Cinderella became the earliest of Disney's animated features to have a direct-to-video sequel, taking that title from Lady and the Tramp. The sequel is Cinderella II: Dreams Come True and features three vignettes. One is about Cinderella adjusting to life as a princess; one is about Jaq, the mouse, making his own adjustments; the third is about Cinderella's efforts to help one of her stepsisters.

Cinderella

Equal parts of; Orange & Pineapple juice, Dash of Grenadine, Splash each of; Soda & Sour mix

Combine all but soda, shake, pour into Collins glass, Top with soda, Garnish with cherry

Back to the Everything Bartender

cinderella!

dressed in yella! went upstairs to kiss a fella! made a mistake! kissed a snake! how many doctors did it take? 1...2...3...
-- a childrens chant used while jumping rope.
Once upon a time, I worked at a very small, twice-a-week newspaper in a little town in the Texas Panhandle. We would occasionally receive a Letter to the Editor, and it would nearly always brighten our day, because we had a regular stable of folks with a weak grasp on reality, a weaker grasp of spelling and grammar, and access to reams and reams of paper. Reading impassioned rants from people who believed that the most pressing issue of the day was the failure of the government to imprison schoolteachers for teaching kids about dinosaurs made all your problems look relatively insignificant. But one person made all the other cranks look like paragons of intelligence and sanity.

She referred to herself as "Cinderella" because that was a childhood nickname. She'd punctuate her letters with odd, out-of-place asides like "The children are our future, truly!" and "My boyfriend says I am beautiful like a princess, truly!" and "For I am woman, truly!" She really loved the word "truly." She wrote one letter ranting about how awful the police were, then wrote another one ranting about how much she liked the police. She wrote one letter ranting about how horrible the local schools were, then wrote another telling kids they should stay in school. She wrote one letter ranting about the evils of drugs, then wrote another that included a full recipe for magic brownies (No, that one never got printed -- the publisher was afraid he'd get arrested).

When we started printing her letters, Cinderella started visiting the offices, wanting to talk to the editor about getting her a regular column. The editor talked to her once and said no, thanks, but that didn't stop Cinderella. The editor quickly learned to recognize Cinderella's voice -- when she heard her come in the door, she'd hide under the desk so it would look like she wasn't in. The rest of us would pass her back and forth and laugh into our hands at the funny expressions people made when she started to riff on her "beautiful princess" bit. Eventually, she either got tired of us, moved away, or got back on her medication...
MS Cinderella

A ferry between Helsinki, Finland and Tallinn, Estonia.
Owned by Viking Line

Built: 1989
Length: 191 m
Width: 29 m
Passengers: 2500
Cars: 340

12 decks, nightclub, disco, bars, restaurants, a casino and of course a tax free shop.
Usually filled with older people but at one week in february and in march it's completely filled with partying students as a GooM cruise.

No slippers left behind, glass pathway to captivity, this time
Queen Ella, once called Cinders, will not risk again
King's men, travelling, weary, to every cottage they can find
until they catch her, dressed in comfortable rags.
Babe at her own breast, wetnurse forgotten
Their duty fits it to her feet to recognize.
Her king, bored with his no longer docile wife,cannot spare the time
to seek her otherwise, hunting secret faces and soft words
Even when younger, eyesight sharp, he could not see without the shoe.
And so, slipping through shadows, she leaves it all behind
the soft, sinking bed. Sickly sweet serenades,
the gown, covered with jewels, she could not lift alone.

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