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:
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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.)
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Cinderella attended three royal balls held in honour of the prince, the last being the one in which she lost her golden slipper.
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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.
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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!"
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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.