Chances are you know all about the glass slipper and the fairy godmother of Cinderella, but do you know about the golden slipper and the magic tree?
The Story of Cinderella, and her Evil Stepmother, is probably the most well-known fairytale of all time, but few people know the true origin of this classic romance.
Written in 1697, the original telling is far from the sanitized fairytale many of us grew up with, the Brothers Grimm’s version is a tale of resilience, cunning, and stark retributions, reflecting the harsh realities of that era.
Join us as we explore the depths of a story that has captivated the human imagination for generations, uncovering the lessons and legacies embedded within the first edition of the grim tale of Cinderella.
This blog post ventures into the heart of the Grimms’ “Aschenputtel,” German for Cinderella, peeling back the layers of this centuries-old story to reveal its raw, unvarnished truth.
Her Mother’s Grave
Okay, so, let’s talk about this rich dude and his messed-up family drama. His first wife kicks the bucket and leaves behind her sweet daughter, right? Telling her, “Be good and God’s got your back, kiddo.” Classic mom stuff. But then the guy goes and marries this total piece of work who brings her two bratty daughters into the mix. These girls? Beautiful on the outside but rotten to the core.
They’re all, “Get lost, you peasant!” and make her do all the grunt work while they lounge around in their fancy clothes. They even start calling her Cinderella because she’s always covered in ash from sleeping by the fireplace. Like, rude much?
So, one day, the dad asks what they want from the fair. The stepsisters are like, “Give us designer clothes and jewels!” Typical. But the only thing Cinderella wants is for him to snag the first twig that hits his hat on the journey home. Dad’s like, “Sure, whatever,” and so he does.
She plants the twig on her mom’s grave, waters it with her tears, and prays under it every day. Then get this – a little bird starts showing up and granting her wishes! Like, talk about a fairy godmother moment.
In no time at all, Cinderella’s got this whole magical tree thing going on, and the bird’s hooking her up left and right. It’s like her own personal shopper. So, while her evil stepsisters are living it up on her father’s dime, Cinderella’s got her own secret power vibe going on. Iconic, right?
The King’s Festival
One day, word spreads through out the land that the king is throwing this massive festival, right? All the hot girls in the kingdom are invited, in hopes of finding a bride for his son, Price Charming. And of course, Cinderella’s two stepsisters are all over it.
They’re like, “Cinderella, make yourself useful and fix us up for the party.” So there she is, brushing their hair, shining their shoes – you name it. But deep down, she’s dying to go to the ball herself. Finally, she’s like, “Pretty please, stepmom, can I come too?”
But this evil witch ain’t having it. Telling her, “Girl, you’re covered in dirt and dust. And you wanna go to the ball? Ha! You don’t even have anything to wear, let alone know how to dance.” But Cinderella’s not giving up that easy, she pleads and pleads until her stepmom’s like, “Fine. If you can pick out these lentils from the ashes in two hours, you can come.” Then she poured a bowl of perfectly good lintels into the fireplace.
Not one to sweat the rudeness, Cinderella hits up the birds in the garden like, “Hey, help a girl out!” And bam – they swoop in, sort those lentils like pros, and she’s golden. But guess what? Stepmom’s still playing mean girl, like, “Nice try, Cinderella, but you’re still a hot mess. No party for you.” Seriously, this lady needs a chill pill.
Night One
With the coast clear, Cinderella pulls a total power move and heads straight to her mom’s grave under the hazel tree. She’s like, “Okay, tree, time to make me sparkle.” And boom! The bird drops this bomb gold and silver dress, along with a pair of slippers embroidered with silk and silver. Talk about a glow-up!
Cinderella wastes no time. She slips into that dress quicker than you can say “pumpkin carriage” and heads to the festival looking like a legit queen bee. Her stepsisters and stepmom are shook – they don’t even recognize her! They’re all like, “Who’s that foreign princess stealing the spotlight?”
Meanwhile, Prince Charming spots Cinderella and is all over it. He’s like, “You’re my dance partner for life, babe.” Seriously, he’s not letting go of her hand for a second. And whenever some basic tries to cut in, he shuts them down with a solid, “She’s with me.”
Cinderella’s living her best life, dancing the night away until the clock strikes midnight. But even then, Prince Charming’s like, “I’ll escort you home, girl.” He’s dying to know who this mystery beauty belongs to, but Cindy is not about to reveal her true identity just yet. She pulls a sneaky exit and heads back to her humble abode, hiding in a dovecote. The prince is left scratching his head, like, “Who was that masked queen?”
Outside her house, the prince is on a mission to find his dance partner. He’s like, “Some unknown hottie escaped to your place.” This prompts Cinderella’s dad to ask himself, “Could it be my girl?” He even gets the ax and chops the dovecote in half – talk about drastic measures! But surprise, surprise – there’s no Cinderella in sight. Just our girl chilling in the kitchen, looking like a total mess in her dirty clothes with a dim oil lamp for company. She’s ditched the glam and gone back to her roots, literally.
Night two
The next day rolls around, and Cinderella’s like, “Okay, time to level up.” She heads back to that hazel tree and gives it the usual spiel: “Shake, rattle, and roll, tree! I need some more bling.” And guess what? The bird comes through with an even fancier outfit than before. Cinderella’s stepping out at the festival looking like a real superstar, and everyone’s staring.
Prince Charming spots her and is like, “Yes, please.” He snatches her up and they hit the dance floor, leaving everyone else in the dust. When some other losers try to cut in, he’s all, “Sorry, she’s with me.” Classic Charming move, right?But when the party’s winding down and Cinderella’s ready to bail, the prince is not about to let her slip away that easily. He’s hot on her tail, trying to figure out where she lives. But our girl’s not about to spill the beans. She bolts into the garden like a ninja and disappears into the trees.
The prince’s left scratching his head, like, “Where’d she go?” He waits around until her dad shows up, all clueless. He’s like, “That mystery girl probably climbed a tree.” So they chop down this pear tree, thinking Cinderella’s hiding up there, but surprise – she’s chilling in the kitchen, back to her usual Cinderella routine, like nothing ever happened. Classic Cinderella move, am I right?
Night Three
So, on day three of this saga, Cinderella made her usual pilgrimage to mommy’s grave. She’s like, “Alright, tree, time to glam me up again.” And you won’t believe it – the bird delivers an outfit that puts all the rest to shame. We’re talking pure gold slippers, people. Cinderella rolls up to the festival looking like a legit goddess, and everyone’s jaws hit the floor. Prince Charming can’t resist, of course. He’s all over her, and when some other chump tries to cut in, he’s like, “Uh-uh, she’s with me.”
When the party’s winding down and Cinderella’s ready to bounce, Charming’s like, “Not so fast.” But our girl’s quick on her feet. She’s outta there in a flash, leaving him in the dust. Classic Cinderella move, right? But this prince isn’t giving up that easily. He’s got a plan. He’s coated the whole staircase with pitch, so when Cindy makes her escape, her golden slipper gets stuck. Smooth move, Your Highness. Now he’s got a piece of the puzzle.
The Prince’s Bride
The next day, Prince Charming rolls up to Cinderella’s dad’s place with the golden slipper and is all, “Listen, the chick who can rock this slipper is gonna be my queen.”
The step-sisters were hyped because, hello, gorgeous feet! The oldest sister tried to jam her foot into the slipper, with mommy dearest watching. But, drama, her big toe was like, “Nope.” So, her mom hands her a knife and says, “Just chop off the toe. You’re not gonna need to walk when you’re queen.”
And she does! Sucking up the pain, she shoves her foot in the slipper and limps out to the prince. Clueless, he puts her on his horse and rides away. But as they pass the grave, those snitching pigeons on the tree sound off, “Hold up! Check the shoe! It’s bleeding because she’s not the one for you.” Looking down at the horror show, he’s like, “Wrong girl,” and brings her back- asap.
Next up, sister number two tried her luck. She got her toes in but her heel was like, “No way.” Mom’s brilliant idea? “Slice off part of your heel. Queens don’t do walking.” So chop chop it is, before cramming her foot in the slipper, and off they went. Yet again, those pigeons ratted her out, “Blood in the shoe! She’s not the one for you!” Prince sees the mess, and back they go.
When he asks Cindy’s dad, “You got any other daughters?” He’s forced to mention our girl, but downplays her as a dirty and silly. Regardless, the prince insists on seeing her. So Cinderella cleans up, walks in, slipps her foot into the slipper like a dream, and boom – it’s a perfect fit. Instantly he recognizes his dance partner, “She’s the one!”
Needless to say, the stepmom and sisters were shook, but the prince didn’t care. He took Cinderella away, and as they passed the tree, the pigeons were like, “All good here, a perfect scene. She is truly the real queen.”
On Cinderella’s big day, the stepsisters showed up, trying to snag some royal clout. But as they walked to church, the pigeons landed on their shoulder like, “Eye for an eye,” and literally pecked their one eye out from each sister. Post-wedding, on their way back, the pigeons landed on the other shoulder and went for the other eye, leaving them blind as punishment for their evil ways.
But Cinderella? She got her fairy tale ending, living her best life, for ever and ever with her prince.
Anyway, time for this Byrd to fly. Until next time... XOXO Virginia
P.S... add an entry to your Burn Book by throwing shade on this coloring page. CLICK THIS LINK TO DOWNLOAD PRINTABLE PDF:Cinderella Burn Page
