Common questions about Cinderella
Short answers, pulled from the story.
Who was the Greek courtesan named Rhodopis in the earliest known variant of Cinderella?
The Greek courtesan named Rhodopis was the subject of the earliest known variant of the Cinderella tale, recorded by the Greek geographer Strabo in his Geographica. She was bathing in the colony of Naucratis when an eagle snatched one of her sandals and carried it to Memphis, where the king of Egypt, Psammetichus, found it. This story predates all other European versions by centuries and established the core archetype of a young girl in unfortunate circumstances who ascends to the throne through marriage.
When was the first literary European version of Cinderella published and by whom?
The first literary European version of the story was published in Italy by Giambattista Basile in his Pentamerone in 1634. Basile, a writer, soldier, and government official, assembled a set of oral folk tales into a written collection titled Lo cunto de li cunti, or Pentamerone. The story itself was set in the Kingdom of Naples and written in the Neapolitan dialect, establishing the core elements of the wicked stepmother, the magical transformation, and the missing slipper that would define the genre for centuries to come.
What year did Charles Perrault publish his famous version of Cinderella named Cendrillon?
One of the most popular versions of Cinderella was written in French by Charles Perrault in 1697, under the name Cendrillon ou la petite pantoufle de verre. The popularity of his tale was due to his additions to the story, including the pumpkin, the fairy-godmother, and the introduction of glass slippers. A modern edition of the original French text by Perrault is found in Charles Perrault, Contes, edited by Marc Soriano.
When did the Brothers Grimm publish their second edition of the Cinderella tale Aschenputtel?
In the second edition of their collection in 1819, the Brothers Grimm supplemented the original 1812 version with a coda in which the two stepsisters suffer a terrible punishment by the princess Cinderella for their cruelty. The tale is called Aschenputtel or Ashputtle, meaning The Little Ash Girl, and is much more violent than that of Charles Perrault and Disney. In this version, the stepsisters mutilate their feet to fit in the golden slipper, and magic doves from heaven declare Aschenputtel as the true bride of the prince.
What is the name of the Chinese version of Cinderella that appeared around 860?
The tale of Ye Xian first appeared in Miscellaneous Morsels from Youyang written by Duan Chengshi around 860. In this version, Ye Xian is the daughter of the local tribal leader whose mother died when she was young, and she befriends a fish which is the reincarnation of her deceased mother. Her stepmother and half-sister kill the fish, but Ye Xian finds the bones, which are magical, and they help her dress appropriately for a local Festival, including a very light golden shoe.
When was the first animated film adaptation of Cinderella released by Walt Disney?
Cinderella 1950, a Walt Disney animated feature released on the 15th of February 1950, is now considered one of Disney's Classics and the most well-known film adaptation. This film incorporates the titular character as a Disney Princess and its franchise. Earlier in the film, the Duke warns that the slipper could fit any number of women, but Cinderella then produces the beautiful matching slipper, proving beyond all doubt that she is the one from the ball.