Cinderella facts for kids
Cinderella is a very famous fairy tale. It tells a classic story about someone who is treated unfairly but then gets a happy reward. There were hundreds of versions of this story long ago.
The oldest known version came from China around the year 860 AD. It was in a book called Miscellaneous Morsels from Youyang. This book was written by Tuan Ch'eng-Shih during the Tang Dynasty.
The most well-known version in the Western world was written by the French author Charles Perrault in 1697. His story was based on an older folk tale. Another early version was La Gatta Cenerentola by Giambattista Basile in 1634.
Today, many people know the story from the animated film by Walt Disney Productions. This movie, called Cinderella (1950 film), has become the most common version. The Cinderella story has been made into plays, movies, television shows, and other forms of media.
Cinderella's Story
The Cinderella story is usually about a young woman from a rich family. She is treated very badly by her horrible stepmother and step-sister. They give her the cruel nickname "Cinderella." This name comes from her having to tend the fireplace, making her dirty with cinders.
In many versions, her father is completely controlled by his second wife. But in some stories, like the popular Disney film, her father has already passed away. Cinderella is forced to work as a servant in her own home.
The Magical Help
Cinderella gets help from a special helper, often a "fairy godmother." This magical friend changes a pumpkin into a fancy coach. Mice become horses, lizards turn into footmen, and a rat becomes a driver. Then, Cinderella's old clothes are changed into a beautiful gown and sparkling jewels. She also gets amazing slippers made of a special material, like glass.
The magic usually lasts only until midnight. Cinderella must leave the castle before the clock strikes twelve. One night, she forgets the time and has to rush away. In her hurry, she loses one of her glass slippers.
The Prince's Search
The handsome prince finds the lost slipper. He decides he will marry only the girl whose small foot fits perfectly into it.
In almost all versions, Cinderella arrives and proves who she is by fitting into the slipper. Sometimes, she even has the other slipper with her. The evil stepsisters are sometimes punished for their trickery. In other stories, they are forgiven. They might even become ladies-in-waiting and marry less important lords.
The very first Chinese version of the story had a character named Yeh-Shen. This story highlighted that Yeh-Shen had the smallest feet in the land. Having small feet was seen as a very important part of beauty in Chinese culture.
Images for kids
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Italian author Giambattista Basile wrote the first literary version of the story.
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Cinderella: a perfect match, an 1818 painting by Jean-Antoine Laurent
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Cinderella prays to the tree and the little birds provide her a beautiful dress. Art by Elenore Abbott.
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Cinderella by Edward Burne-Jones, 1863, Museum of Fine Arts, Boston
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The slipper left behind, illustration in The fairy tales of Charles Perrault by Harry Clarke, 1922
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Pantomime at the Adelphi
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Cinderella at the ball in Soviet film (1947)
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The fitting with the prince onlooking, illustration in Les Contes de Perrault by Gustave Doré, 1862
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The stepsisters, illustration in The fairy tales of Charles Perrault by Harry Clarke, 1922
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In the German version the stepsisters' eyes get pecked out by the princess' birds, her loyal friends and minions
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See also
In Spanish: La Cenicienta para niños
