Summer Session: Cinderella

Summary

Storytime for Grownups: Summer Session Episode - Cinderella Release Date: June 16, 2025

---

Introduction to Summer Session

In this special Summer Session episode of Storytime for Grownups, host Faith Moore and the Summer Session Host shift focus from classic literature to the enchanting world of fairy tales. This five-month series, reminiscent of a fun college class, delves into the relationship between fairy tales and storytelling, exploring their enduring relevance and impact.

Quote: "It's like an audiobook with built-in notes. So brew a pot of tea, find a cozy chair, and settle in."
— Faith Moore [00:00]

---

Addressing Listener Concerns: The Dark Side of Fairy Tales

A significant portion of the episode is dedicated to addressing listener questions and concerns about the often dark and violent themes present in traditional fairy tales. Several listeners expressed apprehensions about exposing children to gruesome and frightening stories, questioning their value and appropriateness.

Key Questions Highlighted:

1. Amanda Burt [05:44]: Expresses dislike for fairy tales due to their dark and gritty nature, questioning their appeal beyond children's stories.
2. Tzivia [07:14]: Wonders about the necessity of gore and violence in fairy tales and their impact on children.
3. Julie [07:41]: Recognizes the dark themes but sees fairy tales as a safe mechanism for children to process life's harsh realities.

Discussion Insights: Faith Moore and the Summer Session Host argue that fairy tales play a crucial role in helping children confront and understand fear. They reference G.K. Chesterton's essay "The Red Angel" and C.S. Lewis's "On Three Ways of Writing for Children" to support the idea that fairy tales provide symbolic frameworks for children to navigate and overcome their innate fears.

Notable Quotes:

• "Fairy tales show children that the evils that are out there in the world... can be faced and even faced by them. A child that's empowering."
  — Summer Session Host [13:45]

• "Art should depict the world as it is... there is evil in the world. Fairy tales are a way for children to encounter that evil in a safe and empowering way."
  — Summer Session Host [18:06]

---

Storytime: Exploring Cinderella Across Cultures

The heart of the episode is the in-depth exploration of Cinderella, arguably the most popular fairy tale worldwide. Faith Moore reads three distinct versions of the story, each offering unique cultural perspectives and narrative nuances.

1. Sennerantola by Giambattista Basile [34:36]:

   • An Italian rendition from the 1634 Pentameron.
   • Features Zezolla, who faces adversity from her stepmother and stepsisters.
   • Incorporates magical elements like a date tree and a fairy that aids her in attending the prince's feast.
   • Highlights themes of jealousy, resilience, and magical intervention.

2. Cinderella or The Little Glass Slipper by Charles Perrault [45:35]:

   • A French version published in 1697 in Mother Goose Tales.
   • Emphasizes the transformation through magical assistance from the fairy godmother.
   • Introduces iconic elements like the glass slippers and the midnight deadline.
   • Focuses on inner beauty and kindness triumphing over adversity.

3. Ashputtel by The Brothers Grimm [61:01]:

   • A German version from 1812 in their collection Children's and Household Tales.
   • Features Ashputtel, who interacts with a hazel tree and receives help from birds.
   • Includes darker elements, such as the stepmother's cruelty and the sisters' attempts to deceive the prince.
   • Concludes with justice served as the true bride is identified through the slipper fitting.

---

Analyzing the Universal Themes of Cinderella

After narrating the different versions, Faith Moore and the Summer Session Host delve into the allegorical significance of Cinderella. They identify recurring elements across the stories and interpret their symbolic meanings.

Consistent Elements Across Versions:

• The Neglected Protagonist: A daughter mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters.
• Magical Assistance: A fairy or magical entity aids Cinderella in attending the royal event.
• Transformation and Recognition: Cinderella's transformation into a princess leads to recognition by the prince.
• The Lost Slipper: A unique slipper becomes the key to identifying the true bride.

Symbolic Interpretations:

• Inner Beauty and Goodness: Cinderella's true self is symbolized through her kindness and integrity, which ultimately leads to her recognition and elevation.
• Triumph Over Adversity: The stories emphasize resilience and the belief that goodness will prevail over evil.
• Empowerment through Magic: Magic serves as a metaphor for the unexpected support and opportunities that can change one's circumstances.

Notable Quotes:

• "Cinderella is a story about inner beauty, staying true to yourself, and doing the right thing."
  — Summer Session Host [27:10]

• "These stories are meant to convey universal truths that go beyond the literal events in the narrative."
  — Summer Session Host [23:25]

---

Conclusion: The Enduring Relevance of Fairy Tales

Faith Moore and the Summer Session Host conclude the episode by reaffirming the importance of fairy tales in modern storytelling. They argue that fairy tales like Cinderella offer timeless lessons about courage, integrity, and the innate goodness within individuals. By navigating through magical narratives, children and adults alike can find solace and strength in confronting life's challenges.

Final Thoughts:

• Role of Fairy Tales: Serve as tools for emotional and moral development, helping individuals understand and overcome fears.
• Cultural Significance: Variations of Cinderella across cultures highlight universal human experiences and values.
• Future Discussions: The hosts hint at continued exploration of fairy tales and their deeper meanings in subsequent episodes.

Quote: "Kids are already afraid. Fairy tales give them the tools they need to face their fears."
— Summer Session Host [16:54]

---

Looking Ahead

The episode wraps up with an invitation for listeners to engage further by sharing their thoughts and questions about Cinderella. Faith Moore previews future episodes that will continue to unpack the rich tapestry of fairy tales and their relevance in contemporary storytelling.

---

This comprehensive exploration of Cinderella not only recounts its various versions but also unravels the deeper symbolic meanings that render this fairy tale a perennial favorite. By bridging historical narratives with modern interpretations, Storytime for Grownups provides valuable insights into the art of storytelling and its profound impact on our lives.

Transcript

[Faith Moore]

Hello and welcome to Storytime for Grown Ups. I'm Faith Moore and this is Summer Session. Normally on Storytime for Grown Ups we read classic literature a few chapters at a time with a few notes along the way. Like an audiobook with built in notes. But during the summer we switch things up a little. From now until September, we will be in Summer Session, which is sort of like a college class, only fun. This summer we're exploring fairy tales and their relationship to the books we've read this year on storytime and storytelling more broadly. We'll do this in once a week episodes, which will drop on Mondays.

[Summer Session Host]

If this doesn't sound like your thing, don't worry.

[Faith Moore]

Storytime will be back with a new book in September. But for now, brew a pot of tea, find a cozy chair and settle in. Class is in session. Hi everyone. Welcome back.

[Summer Session Host]

I'm really excited about this episode, you guys. I got some really great, really juicy questions that I'm going to talk about at the start of this episode and we're going to do some story time. We're finally going to read some of these fairy tales. We had to do some some intro work so that we were ready, but now we're going to first we're going.

[Faith Moore]

To talk a little bit.

[Summer Session Host]

We're going to answer some questions. I'm going to talk a little bit about the stories that we're going to hear today and then we're going to hear some stories. So a lot going on in this episode. Jam packed episode. You'll notice it's quite a bit longer than last week's episode, but hopefully you don't mind. I don't mind. I'm so happy to be here with you. So we're going to dive into it.

[Faith Moore]

In just a minute, but before we.

[Summer Session Host]

Do that, all the usual reminders are still in effect.

[Faith Moore]

Please make sure that you're subscribed so.

[Summer Session Host]

You don't miss miss any of these summer episodes. Also, you won't miss the trailer for September's book when it drops into your feed. And you won't miss September's book when we get there. Believe it or not, it will be here before we know it. I know this is the beginning of the summer, but the summer is going to fly by and September will be here and you don't want to miss that book either.

[Faith Moore]

So make sure you're subscribed.

[Summer Session Host]

If you've been enjoying this show, please consider tapping the five stars in your podcast player. And if you have a couple of extra seconds, please consider leaving a positive review. We've been getting lots more reviews, ratings and positive reviews lately, which is fantastic. So thank you to those of you who have decided to do that. And I would love it if more people did it. The reason I love it so much is because when you do that, when you rate the show and you leave a review, there's a magical algorithm that I don't understand that happens inside of your podcast player. And then suddenly this show becomes visible to people who are just kind of scrolling through their podcast app looking for something new. And that has happened. And people write to me to say that that's how they found the show. And that's great because the more people that listen to show, the longer we'll be able to keep doing this. I can only do this if there are people to listen to it. And so that's a great way for you to help grow the show. Another way to do that is to text a link to the show or to a specific episode to a friend or a family member or colleague, someone that you think would enjoy it, text it to them and tell them you think they would like this and have them try it out. And other ways that you can help support the show. There's merchandise. We have all kinds of cool designs that you can get on, like shirts and mugs and bags and things like that. So you can find the link to that in the show notes of this episode and all the episodes. We also have an online community. It's called the Drawing Room because that's short for withdrawing room. It's where we withdraw after the show. And there's all kinds of people, all your friends are waiting for you in the drawing room to chat about fairy tales or the other books that we've done this show or just books in general.

[Faith Moore]

Life in general.

[Summer Session Host]

It's very active over there. So there's a link in the show notes about that. We also do monthly tea times. Our next one is is Tuesday, June 24th at 8pm Eastern. That's like a voice chat where we get to talk to each other. I'm there, you're there, and we talk about things that are coming up for.

[Faith Moore]

Us in the show.

[Summer Session Host]

So this time we'll be talking about fairy tales and our reaction to summer sessions so far. So you can join us. You can also just ask me any questions. There can be kind of ask me anything options there as well. So that's a really fun and informal.

[Faith Moore]

Way to chat together.

[Summer Session Host]

And the link to that is also in the show notes. You can also just make a donation that's in the Show Notes as well. So please scroll into the Show Notes and check out the links that are there. And of course the contact link is also there. That's to get in touch with me, which I hope you do. And you've been doing it. As I say, I have great questions today and I hope you'll keep doing that. It's faithkmoore.com, you click on Contact and then you just fill out that form right there. It goes right to my email. Or you can just click on the link that's in the Show Notes that'll take you to the exact same place. Okay, so as I say, we are going to read some fairy tales today. And as you may have noticed by the title of this episode, we are going to begin with Cinderella. And I'm going to talk much more about that in a second. But before I do that, I do want to read these questions. I have three. The first one's quite long, but I think it's really important. And this is something that has been coming up a lot since we began summer sessions, since the interview with Bose and more since I gave you that.

[Faith Moore]

History of fairy tales.

[Summer Session Host]

And I think it's really important to address this before we do anything else, before we go any further. This is a topic I think that we should address. So I'm going to read these three questions. I'm going to talk about that for a little while, and then we're going to dive into the top of this episode, which is Cinderella, and then we're going to read some Cinderella together. So let's get started with the questions.

[Faith Moore]

All right, so this first one comes from Amanda Burt.

[Summer Session Host]

Amanda writes, I am going to start.

[Faith Moore]

By saying that I am going to.

[Summer Session Host]

Try to keep an open mind during summer session.

[Faith Moore]

I have listened to all the past.

[Summer Session Host]

Episodes of Storytime for Grown Ups and I have not yet been disappointed with.

[Faith Moore]

Any of your choices, but I have.

[Summer Session Host]

A very unpopular opinion. I really don't like fairy tales, not.

[Faith Moore]

Because they're supposedly for children, but because they often seem so dark and grot. Admittedly, I have very limited exposure.

[Summer Session Host]

As a 90s kid, I thought they were all like the Disney adaptations. As an adult, I have discovered that is absolutely not the case.

[Faith Moore]

I am a homeschool mom and fairy tales are huge in homeschool circles, especially for the early years. Many of my friends have read the Andrew Lang books mentioned by Bose Harrington.

[Summer Session Host]

I read aloud to my children at least an hour every day, and we definitely tackle books with hard topics. But I can't quite see the value.

[Faith Moore]

In these tales that include the butchering.

[Summer Session Host]

Of children and the prevailing of evil. I assume they aren't all that way.

[Faith Moore]

And I don't mind fables with moral.

[Summer Session Host]

Lessons such as the Tortoise and the Hare. However, I really don't understand the appeal.

[Faith Moore]

Of reading stories where cruel and tragic things are inflicted on innocent characters in the homeschool realm. There is a kind of cliche phrase about ordering our affections after truth, goodness.

[Summer Session Host]

And beauty, and I have to say.

[Faith Moore]

That it resonates with me much more. I would love to hear your thoughts.

[Summer Session Host]

Perhaps summer session will convert me.

[Faith Moore]

Or maybe I will remain the picky eater of the literary world.

[Summer Session Host]

Thank you so much for all of your hard work on the podcast.

[Faith Moore]

The next one comes from Tzivia.

[Summer Session Host]

She writes Something I don't really get.

[Faith Moore]

About fairy tales is why they need to be so gory and graphic and violent. Did children enjoy listening to these things back then?

[Summer Session Host]

Did parents enjoy scaring their kids? I know my kids would run away and hide and have nightmares from some of the original tales. Maybe kids were made of sterner stuff in those times.

[Faith Moore]

But that doesn't explain to me what the benefit is of the strangeness and violence of the stories. And this last one comes from Julie.

[Summer Session Host]

Spike Julie says, I have heard a.

[Faith Moore]

Little of the value of fairy tales and am looking forward to hearing you read them. I know that they often have dark.

[Summer Session Host]

Themes and that Disney gives a sanitized version.

[Faith Moore]

It seems that fairy tales are a safe way for children to deal with the very dark parts of life. Plus, they are not just for children.

[Summer Session Host]

I am really looking forward to this season. Okay, so I am so glad that I got these letters because this is definitely something I want to address right.

[Faith Moore]

Here at the outset.

[Summer Session Host]

And in addition to the letters I just read you, lots of people have been writing in to ask whether this summer session on fairy tales is going to be okay to listen to with children. Right? Fairy tales are children's stories, so people are getting excited about being able to share storytime for grown ups with their kids. But we've also been talking about how these stories can be very dark. Sometimes they're gory, sometimes they have sexual themes. So should you listen with your kids or shouldn't you? And even if that's not your specific concern, you may be feeling, as Amanda does, that you're not sure you want to spend time with these stories when so many of them do have these darker themes. Or, like Sivia is saying, you might be wondering what the heck the deal even is with people telling dark and sometimes gory stories to children in the first place. Okay, so I want to touch on this just a bit before we get into the topic of today's episode and some story time, like I said, because I think these are really valid questions.

[Faith Moore]

And they're fundamental questions as.

[Summer Session Host]

Because essentially what you all are asking.

[Faith Moore]

Is, do fairy tales have a place.

[Summer Session Host]

In the modern world? Right. I mean, sure, maybe in the past, people were wackos who liked to frighten their children with stories about killing kids and burying them under trees or whatever it was, but we clearly don't do that now. So what do these stories really have to offer us? Why should we care about them right now in 2025 and beyond?

[Faith Moore]

And that's a totally valid question.

[Summer Session Host]

And also, I personally feel really passionate about trying to convince that they do have a place in the modern world and that we'd all be much worse off if we let them fall by the wayside. Okay? So I'm going to try to do that.

[Faith Moore]

But of course you are allowed to.

[Summer Session Host]

Have your own opinion, and I hope that you'll write to me with it, whatever it is. But I want to start, I want.

[Faith Moore]

To read to you from an essay.

[Summer Session Host]

By someone named G.K. chesterton. So for those of you who don't.

[Faith Moore]

Know, Chesterton was an English author.

[Summer Session Host]

He was born in 1874, and he lived until 1936, so later than any of the authors that we've read so far on this show. Okay.

[Faith Moore]

He was a Christian and he wrote.

[Summer Session Host]

A great deal about his faith, but he's also the author of the popular.

[Faith Moore]

Father Brown mystery stories.

[Summer Session Host]

And he was also a journalist, magazine.

[Faith Moore]

Editor and a critic.

[Summer Session Host]

Okay, so the essay that I want to read to you from is called the Red angel, and it can be found in his book called Tremendous Trifles, which he published in 1909.

[Faith Moore]

I want to share a few quotes.

[Summer Session Host]

With you, but this first one feels just perfect for our purposes because it's essentially describing exactly the situation that we are in right now. So it's a bit of an extended quote, but I think you'll see why I chose it in a moment. So here it a lady, he writes.

[Faith Moore]

A lady has written to me an earnest letter saying that fairy tales ought not to be taught to children, even if they are true. She says that it is cruel to.

[Summer Session Host]

Tell children fairy tales because it frightens them.

[Faith Moore]

You might just as well say that it is cruel to give girls sentimental novels because it makes them cry. All this kind of talk is based on that complete Forgetting of what a child is like, which has been the.

[Summer Session Host]

Firm foundation of so many, many educational schemes.

[Faith Moore]

If you keep bogies and goblins away from children, they would make them up for themselves. One small child in the dark can invent more hells than Swedenborg. Okay?

[Summer Session Host]

Swedenborg was this mystic writer writing in the 16 and 1700s.

[Faith Moore]

One small child can imagine monsters too big and black to get into any picture and give them names too unearthly and cacophonous to have occurred in the cries of a lunatic.

[Summer Session Host]

Okay?

[Faith Moore]

So what Chesterton is saying here is.

[Summer Session Host]

That, just like I did, he got a letter from someone with these concerns about fairy tales, the same concerns that some of you are writing to me about. So that's kind of cool, I think.

[Faith Moore]

And he's saying in response that we.

[Summer Session Host]

Might think that we are shielding our children from terrifying things by keeping them.

[Faith Moore]

Away from fairy tales.

[Summer Session Host]

We might think that in showing them fairy tales, we are actually introducing into their lives these terrible ideas about being eaten or witches or monsters or whatever. But in reality, he's saying children already have these fears. They already create for themselves monsters and awful ideas that would rival any fairy tale or even put it to shame. If you have kids, you know this, right? Kids get scared by things we wouldn't even think that they would find frightening. They make up things to be scared of. Like, when I was a kid, I.

[Faith Moore]

Had to check under my bed for years to make sure that a character.

[Summer Session Host]

From a John Candy comedy movie wasn't hiding under there.

[Faith Moore]

Okay? It was a comedy. Part of being a child is having fear.

[Summer Session Host]

You know that. That's why you're asking me if we should read these stories to kids. You're worried, understandably, that they will be frightened. Because getting frightened is a thing that kids do. And as parents, we don't want to inflict that on them. And we also don't want to be, like, woken up in the middle of the night over and over again because they're terrified of whatever they think is under the bed or in the closet or wherever. But Chesterton isn't saying, oh, it's fine to read these stories to kids because kids are already scared anyway. That's not the point. It's deeper and more meaningful than that.

[Faith Moore]

Here's another quote from that same essay.

[Summer Session Host]

He says, fairy tales do not give.

[Faith Moore]

The child his first idea of bogey.

[Summer Session Host]

So bogey, as in, like, the bogeyman, right? An amorphous, scary thing. So fairy tales do not give the.

[Faith Moore]

Child his first idea of bogey. What fairy tales give the Child is his first clear idea of the possible defeat of Bogey. The baby has known the dragon intimately ever since he had an imagination. What the fairy tale provides for him is a St. George to kill the dragon.

[Summer Session Host]

Okay, meaning that, yes, fairy tales offer.

[Faith Moore]

Children a world in which their fears are real.

[Summer Session Host]

The fears they already have, Remember?

[Faith Moore]

They offer us a world in which.

[Summer Session Host]

Our fears are real.

[Faith Moore]

And they show us that it's possible.

[Summer Session Host]

To defeat those fears.

[Faith Moore]

Okay, here's another quote.

[Summer Session Host]

It says exactly what the fairy tale does is it accustoms him for a.

[Faith Moore]

Series of clear pictures to the idea that these limitless terrors had a limit.

[Summer Session Host]

That these shapeless enemies have enemies in.

[Faith Moore]

The knights of God.

[Summer Session Host]

And there is something in the universe more mystical than darkness and stronger than strong fear.

[Faith Moore]

Okay, so what Chesterton is saying, and.

[Summer Session Host]

What I believe as well, is that these stories are actually reassuring to kids.

[Faith Moore]

They show kids that the evils that.

[Summer Session Host]

Are out there in the world, that kids know are out there in the.

[Faith Moore]

World, those evils can be faced and even faced by them. A child that's empowering.

[Summer Session Host]

Remember when Bose was talking about who the heroes and heroines of fairy tales are? He told us it's the Everyman, right? It's not King Arthur or Achilles or whoever.

[Faith Moore]

It's you.

[Summer Session Host]

It's me.

[Faith Moore]

It's the little guy. The little guy goes forth into the.

[Summer Session Host]

World of monsters, and somehow, by hook or by crook, he makes it through. Here's one more quote from that Chesterton essay. He says, at the four corners of.

[Faith Moore]

A child's bed stand Perseus and roland, Sigurd and St. George. If you withdraw the guard of heroes, you are not making him rational. You are only leaving him to fight the devils alone for the devils. Alas, we have always believed in.

[Summer Session Host]

Okay. Children believe in things that aren't real. They always have and they always will. They believe in witches and monsters under the bed and dolls coming to life. They get scared by comedy movies and inanimate objects and the way that the shadow of a bathrobe cast on the wall kind of looks like Frankenstein's monster, with which was also me.

[Faith Moore]

Fairy tales show them that world of.

[Summer Session Host]

Supernatural fear, and then they show them.

[Faith Moore]

That they, yes, they can survive it.

[Summer Session Host]

Okay, C.S. lewis, the British writer and theologian and the author of the Narnia books, he wrote an essay in 1952 called On Three Ways of Writing for Children.

[Faith Moore]

And in it he writes this.

[Summer Session Host]

Okay, this is a quote from C.S. lewis.

[Faith Moore]

And I think it is possible that by confining your child to blameless stories, of child life in which nothing at all alarming ever happens. You would fail to banish the terrors.

[Summer Session Host]

And would succeed in banishing all that can ennoble them or make them endurable.

[Faith Moore]

For in the fairy tales, side by side with the terrible figures, we find the immemorial comforters, and protectors, the radiant ones. And the terrible figures are not merely terrible, but sublime.

[Summer Session Host]

It would be nice if no little boy in bed hearing or thinking he hears a sound, were ever at all frightened.

[Faith Moore]

But if he is going to be.

[Summer Session Host]

Frightened, I think it is better that.

[Faith Moore]

He should think of giants and dragons than merely of burglars. And I think St. George or any bright champion in armor is a better.

[Summer Session Host]

Comfort than the idea of the police. So this is basically what Chesterton was saying.

[Faith Moore]

Kids are already afraid. Fairy tales give them the tools they need to face their fears.

[Summer Session Host]

Here's one last quote from Lewis.

[Faith Moore]

He says, since it is so likely.

[Summer Session Host]

That they will meet cruel enemies, let.

[Faith Moore]

Them at least have heard of brave knights and heroic courage. Otherwise, you are making their destiny not brighter, but darker.

[Summer Session Host]

Okay, all of this is essentially what Julie was pointing out in her letter when she said, it seems that fairy tales are a safe way for children to deal with the very dark parts of life.

[Faith Moore]

The world actually has darkness in it. Okay? We might wish that it didn't.

[Summer Session Host]

We might want desperately to shield our children from it. And we do our best, I hope.

[Faith Moore]

But they're going to encounter scary things, things that don't go their way, people.

[Summer Session Host]

Who are cruel, situations that frighten them.

[Faith Moore]

This is going to happen to them because it happens to all of us. We know this.

[Summer Session Host]

We know that the world isn't all sunshine and roses. I know that what I'm about to say may be controversial, but I'll say it anyway. And you are of course allowed to disagree with me. I. I believe that art should depict the world as it is. Not in the sense that everything has to be like, hyper realistic, but in.

[Faith Moore]

The sense that it should include within.

[Summer Session Host]

It the reality of human experience. And the reality of human experience is.

[Faith Moore]

That there is evil in the world. Fairy tales are a way for children.

[Summer Session Host]

To encounter that evil in a safe and empowering way. And they give children the mental and.

[Faith Moore]

Emotional tools to start to believe that.

[Summer Session Host]

They can face the world as it is with courage and integrity and honesty and all the things that we want to impart to them. So that's essentially my answer to the question of why we shouldn't shield our.

[Faith Moore]

Kids from fairy tales.

[Summer Session Host]

And we'll actually be talking a bit more about this later in the summer with a guest. So that's exciting. But I want to make sure that I'm clear here, because you are the parent of your own child and not me. So I'm not at all advocating that you sit your kids down right now and like, force them to read or listen to the gruesomest fairy tale that you can find. No, you know your kids. You know your values as a parent. You are in charge in your family, not me. Okay, I've made my case. But you need to make your own.

[Faith Moore]

Decisions about what you want to share.

[Summer Session Host]

Or not share with your kids. I will say that since we have limited time on summer session, I've had to pick and choose a few fairy tales from the literally thousands upon thousands that exist.

[Faith Moore]

And the ones that I've picked are.

[Summer Session Host]

Not these super gruesome ones like we.

[Faith Moore]

Won'T be reading the Juniper Tree, for.

[Summer Session Host]

Example, the one that Bose was talking about in our interview. And some of the stories we read will have some, I guess you would call it violence, but I wouldn't go so far as to say there will be anything gruesome. It's largely kind of violence toward the bad guys when they get their comeuppance. Okay. Some of the stories we read will.

[Faith Moore]

Hint at sex, but nothing will be explicit.

[Summer Session Host]

So do with that information what you will. But mostly I just wanted to make the case for reading fairy tales and to address some of your concerns.

[Faith Moore]

And I would love to know what.

[Summer Session Host]

You think about what I just said. Right.

[Faith Moore]

Did I change your mind?

[Summer Session Host]

Did I raise more questions? Do you still have objections? Whatever it is, feel free to write to me. I would love to know your thoughts. Faithkmoore.com and click on Contact. Okay, let's move on from that and get into the topic of today's episode, which is Cinderella. So today we're gonna really start digging into some fairy tales. We're gonna have some story time. Like I said, I'm gonna read to you. But before I do that, I just want to talk a little bit about some things to look out for as you listen. And this is kind of going to be what we do when we have a storytime episode during the summer session. I'm going to talk a little bit about what we're gonna hear, what to look out for as you listen, and then I'll read. So I want to begin delving into those allegorical elements that I was talking about last week. And I thought it would make sense to begin with what is arguably the most popular Fairy tale of all time, which is Cinderella. Okay, so Cinderella is a story that goes back thousands of years. Almost every culture in the world has a Cinderella story.

[Faith Moore]

And there are records of Cinderella stories.

[Summer Session Host]

Dating back to 4,000 or possibly even 5,000 years. So in a lot of ways, this is kind of like the OG Fairy tale, if you will. And when you strip it down to.

[Faith Moore]

Its most basic elements, it is the.

[Summer Session Host]

Plot of, like, so many stories, classic stories and modern stories. There are so many that you kind of can't even count them all. Although next week we will be talking about one story in particular that is based on Cinderella, so stay tuned for that.

[Faith Moore]

But essentially, this story of a poor.

[Summer Session Host]

Put upon young woman who finds herself elevated to the level of a princess via true love, it's just everywhere. Okay, so today we're going to read three different versions of Cinderella.

[Faith Moore]

And as I said last week, we're.

[Summer Session Host]

Going to be sticking this summer to the European tradition of fairy tales. And so the versions we're going to read are the ones that come to us from France and Germany and Italy and that inform our notion of this story or the version that is most recognizable as Cinderella to most people listening. I would imagine the first version we're going to read is the first known written down version of this version of the Cinderella narrative, the one that we.

[Faith Moore]

Know here in the West.

[Summer Session Host]

Remember, these stories were passed down orally for centuries and centuries. They changed as they went.

[Faith Moore]

Some details stayed the same, some changed.

[Summer Session Host]

And on they would go without anyone ever writing them down. And then people did start writing them down. And so we have these little kind of snapshots of different versions. And that's what we're going to discover today. We're going to discover some of these snapshots. So the first one comes from Giambattista Basil. Remember, he was the Italian guy from the 1500s who was writing down fairy tales, but no one kind of remembered him until much later.

[Faith Moore]

So we're going to start with his version.

[Summer Session Host]

Then we're going to read Charles Perrault's version. And this is the one I think you'll very quickly see, that was the basis for, like, the Disney version of Cinderella. So this will be the one that probably feels the most familiar to you. Remember, Perrault was writing in France in the late 1600s, and he was inspired.

[Faith Moore]

By the folktales people were telling, but.

[Summer Session Host]

He was also very clearly giving them his own spin. Okay, and the last version we're going to read today is the Brothers Grimm version they were writing in the early to mid-1800s, remember? And they're ostensibly just writing down the stories that they were being told when they were asking people to tell them their oral folk tale. But they were also rewriting them and editing them to take out sexual stuff and add in violent comeuppances for the bad guys. So those are the three versions that we're going to read today. But before we do that, I want.

[Faith Moore]

To talk to you about what I.

[Summer Session Host]

Mentioned at the very end of last week's episode, which is what Cinderella is actually about. Okay.

[Faith Moore]

Remember, we discussed that these stories are not just stories.

[Summer Session Host]

We're not meant to take them literally.

[Faith Moore]

They are allegories.

[Summer Session Host]

They're meant to convey universal truths that go beyond the ele of the story itself and speak to something bigger.

[Faith Moore]

So I want to talk first about.

[Summer Session Host]

What universal truth Cinderella is trying to convey to us. And then as you listen to the three versions, you can have that in mind. And, of course, you should then write to me and tell me what you think. So I want to be very clear, and I actually meant to say this last week, but I forgot. So I want to be very clear that I am not like a fairy tale scholar or a fairy tale historian or anything like that. I say that this summer session is like a college class because I'm not actually a college professor. I'm just someone who really loves literature and stories and has spent kind of a long time thinking about all of this. So it's important to note that what I'm going to say now about Cinderella is my take. It's my interpretation of the story based on my readings of these various stories, but also based on reading that I have done about this story and about fairy tales more broadly. So it's my take, but it's not like a random take. And I'm not the only one who says this about Cinderella, by the way. A really interesting book to read if you're interested in learning more about interpreting fairy tales. There are lots of books to read like that. But one that I really like is called Spinning Straw Into Gold. It's by Joan Gould, and her interpretations often ring true to me. I disagree with her sometimes, but I like a lot of what she says. So that's one place that you could go if you're interested in learning more on your own. But I just want to be clear that other people might say other things about Cinderella. So this is not, like, definitive or the only thing that Cinderella is about, but it's also not completely random either. And I definitely think that what I'm going to say really is there in the story and really is part of what was trying to be conveyed by the people who were passing these stories down and the people who ended up writing their own versions as well. And through this take, I hope to.

[Faith Moore]

Begin to show you some of the.

[Summer Session Host]

Recurring themes and ideas that come up in these stories and also the way in which these stories can be read sort of beyond the literal events in the narrative. I could talk about Cinderella probably forever. There is so much to say about it. But I'm going to try to keep it fairly brief and just give you kind of the broad strokes here, because I know that we've already talked a lot at the beginning of this episode, and this episode is quite long. So I'm going to try to be brief. And we'll come back to all of these ideas in other episodes. Episodes, because these same ideas will come back in other stories. So one thing that you're going to see from the versions that we're going.

[Faith Moore]

To read today is that there are.

[Summer Session Host]

Certain elements that say the same throughout. And since these elements stay the same from version to version, even though the other elements change, it makes sense to take a look at these elements because they probably hold the key to, like.

[Faith Moore]

The heart of the story.

[Summer Session Host]

Also, when you see these elements pop up in other fairy tales, it is likely, although not definitely, that they mean.

[Faith Moore]

The same thing or something similar.

[Summer Session Host]

So they mean the same thing in that story as they do in this one. I am assuming, by the way, that you are at least vaguely familiar with the general plot of Cinderella here. So there will be a few spoilers in what I'm about to say. So here are just. Here's like a list of the elements that remain the same throughout the three versions that we're going to look at today. Okay. The father who neglects his own child. The stepmother who elevates her own children and condemns Cinderella to the ashes. Cinderella having to do menial tasks even though she's actually highborn. A fairy or a fairy godmother who helps Cinderella. Cinderella going to the ball where no one recognizes her as Cinderella.

[Faith Moore]

The king or prince falling in love with her at first sight. The lost slipper.

[Summer Session Host]

No one being able to fit into the slipper but Cinderella. The king or prince wanting Cinderella, even when he finds out she's not really a princess. Okay, so those are the elements.

[Faith Moore]

What do these elements mean?

[Summer Session Host]

Okay, well, there are a variety of things that they might mean, but here's what I tend to think and what I think will most help us Moving forward this summer for me, Cinderella is a story about inner beauty staying true to yourself and doing the right thing.

[Faith Moore]

Okay?

[Summer Session Host]

This, by the way, is what I.

[Faith Moore]

Mean about universal truths.

[Summer Session Host]

Inner beauty, staying true to yourself and doing the right thing are applicable to everyone, everywhere, and they go far beyond the specifics of any one story. Okay, but what am I talking about? Well, this is a story about someone whose true self, her beautiful highborn self, is forcibly hidden away. Instead of the beautiful princess or highborn lady that she actually is, Cinderella is forced to be like a dirty servant dressed all in rags. In fairy tales, physical beauty is often, although not always, it's often a symbol of goodness. Okay? And ugliness is often a symbol of wickedness. Not because beautiful people are inherently good.

[Faith Moore]

Okay?

[Summer Session Host]

This is really important. Not because beautiful people are inherently good and not because ugly people are inherently evil. It's actually the other way around.

[Faith Moore]

Beauty is the symbol for good. Like, it could be something else.

[Summer Session Host]

It could be anything else. Like, it could be the name Hannah, right? It could have been that every time there's a character named Hannah, you know, that she's the good guy, okay? Or it could be, like, eggs. Every time you see someone eating eggs, you know they're evil, whatever it is. Not that, obviously. So please don't write to me about the symbolic resonance of eggs or whatever. But my point is, it's not that fairy tales are saying only beautiful people are good in real life. It's that they're saying that beauty is.

[Faith Moore]

Often symbolic of goodness in a fairy tale. Okay? Same with princes and princesses.

[Summer Session Host]

A prince in a fairy tale is.

[Faith Moore]

The symbol for perfect man. Good man.

[Summer Session Host]

If he's a prince, he's a good guy. Okay? A princess in a fairy tale is the symbol for perfect woman.

[Faith Moore]

Good woman.

[Summer Session Host]

Queens are different, okay? But princesses are the perfect woman. Good, kind, virtuous.

[Faith Moore]

True.

[Summer Session Host]

The whole package, okay? Most of the time.

[Faith Moore]

Okay?

[Summer Session Host]

Because, as I say, there are exceptions. But I think it's still fair to say that this is true, at least broadly.

[Faith Moore]

Most of the time.

[Summer Session Host]

Beauty means good. Princess means good woman. Prince means good man. Ugliness means evil. Most of the time, it's like a symbol, like a code, like a equals one or whatever, okay? So her true goodness is hidden, and no one sees her for who she truly is, but she keeps acting like who she truly is. You'll see when you listen that she has these opportunities to be mean to.

[Faith Moore]

The people who are mean to her.

[Summer Session Host]

And she doesn't take them. Okay? So the story is telling us to Be kind.

[Faith Moore]

Don't go into revenge.

[Summer Session Host]

Turn the other cheek, essentially. So she keeps acting like a princess, like a good woman, even though everyone.

[Faith Moore]

Sees her as a servant.

[Summer Session Host]

And until, through magical intervention, she's allowed to go to the ball looking like a princess. Okay, See, this is the pivotal moment in the story because it's the moment.

[Faith Moore]

When Cinderella gets to wear her inner.

[Summer Session Host]

Goodness on the outside. Suddenly, the inner beauty she's always had.

[Faith Moore]

Is made manifest on the outside as outer beauty.

[Summer Session Host]

And that is why the prince falls madly in love with her right away, because she's wearing the entire force of herself symbolically on her body for all to see.

[Faith Moore]

The fairy tale prince, the perfect man.

[Summer Session Host]

Sees Cinderella's fairy tale princessness, and he's like, yep, she's the girl for me.

[Faith Moore]

And the slipper is a little piece.

[Summer Session Host]

Of that magical outfit that the fairy gives to Cinderella, the outfit that displays.

[Faith Moore]

Cinderella's inner self to the world. And that's why it only fits her.

[Summer Session Host]

Okay. I mean, most of us could probably fit our foot into a shoe that's like, one size too big or one size too small. And there are probably lots of people in the world who wear the exact same shoe size that we do. So there ought to be lots of ladies whose feet basically fit. But that would be if we were taking this story literally, which we shouldn't do. Okay? Instead, we have to look at it symbolically and realize that the shoe only fits Cinderella, like her and no one else, not even a little bit, because the shoe is Cinderella.

[Faith Moore]

It's a piece of who she truly is.

[Summer Session Host]

And that's why it's the thing that.

[Faith Moore]

Alerts the prince to the fact that Cinderella is the woman from the ball and the prince, because he's a prince.

[Summer Session Host]

In a fairy tale, and therefore we know he's good and honest and true and everything that a good man should be.

[Faith Moore]

He doesn't care that she's a servant girl.

[Summer Session Host]

Okay? He scoops her right up then and there and takes her for his wife. Okay, we'll talk more in another episode about the role of the prince. Prince in a princess fairy tale. But I think the important thing to.

[Faith Moore]

Note about Cinderella, the central idea of this story, is about inner goodness, inner.

[Summer Session Host]

Beauty made manifest for all the world to see, which is something that can.

[Faith Moore]

Only happen through magic. Right? None of us can truly wear our.

[Summer Session Host]

Inner experience, our inner self on the outside.

[Faith Moore]

And that's part of the tragedy of.

[Summer Session Host]

Being human in a lot of ways.

[Faith Moore]

We all want to be seen, to.

[Summer Session Host]

Be known, and there's a way in which we never really can be, right? Not fully. There can be people who know us really well, but no one can really truly know what it is to be you.

[Faith Moore]

Well, this is a story about being suddenly truly known.

[Summer Session Host]

And of course you can make like.

[Faith Moore]

Biblical connections here too.

[Summer Session Host]

There are lots of parallels between the story of Cinderella and the story of Jesus. And you can connect the magical elements of Cinderella with. With the supernatural elements, meaning like the elements of the divine that are in the Bible. And you can make tons of other connections as well. And I hope that you will. And then I hope that you'll write to me and next week we'll talk a bit more about this story because I'll read some of your letters. And also we're going to talk more about Cinderella in next week's episode. Just we're going to come at it from a slightly different angle that time, but for now let's stop there and let's get into the stories. And as you're listening, watch for the way that the three stories have these similar elements, but that they change a little from story to story, because this will give you a sense of how these stories might have changed as they were passed down from teller to teller.

[Faith Moore]

And see what you can pick up.

[Summer Session Host]

About the story's symbolic resonance. And then write to me, okay? Write to me with your thoughts and questions and we'll talk more about Cinderella next time. Alright, let's get started with three versions of Cinderella.

[Faith Moore]

It's story time. Sennerantola, which means little ash girl, written by Giambattista bazille, published in 1634 in a book called Pentameron la cunto delle cunti, which means the tale of tales in the sea of malice. Envy frequently gets out of her depths depth. And while she is expecting to see another drowned, she is either drowned herself or is dashed against a rock, as happened to some envious girls, about whom I will tell you a story. There once lived a prince who was a widower. He had an only daughter so dear to him that he saw with no other eyes than hers. And he kept a governess for her, who taught her chain work, which is a kind of weaving and knitting, and to make point lace, and showed her such affection as no words can tell. But she was very lonely. And many a time she said to her governess, oh, that you had been my mother, you who show me such kindness and love. And she said this so often that at last the governess, having a bee put into her bonnet, said to her.

[Summer Session Host]

One day, if you will do as.

[Faith Moore]

This Foolish head of mine advises, I shall be mother to you, and you will be as dear to me as the apple of my eye. She was going to say more when Zezolla, for that was the name of the princess, said, pardon me if I stop the word upon your tongue. I know you wish me well. Therefore hush. Enough. Only show me the way. Do you write, and I will subscribe. Well then, answered the governess, open your ears and listen, and you will get bread as white as the flower. You know well enough that your father would even coin false money to please you.

[Summer Session Host]

So do you entreat him when he.

[Faith Moore]

Is caressing you to marry me and make me princess?

[Summer Session Host]

Then bless your stars, you shall be.

[Faith Moore]

The mistress of my life. Okay. So the governess is saying that if Zezolla can get her father to agree to marry her, the governess, Then the governess will be her mother. When Zezala heard this, every hour seemed to her a thousand years until she had done all that her governess had advised. And as soon as the mourning for her mother's death was ended, she began to feel her father's pulse and beg him to marry the governess. At first the prince took it as a joke, but Zezala went on shooting so long past the mark that at length she hid it, and he gave way to her entreaties. So he married the governess and gave a great feast at the wedding. Now, while the young folks were dancing and Zezolla was standing at the window of her house, a dove came flying and perched upon a wall and said to her, whenever you need anything, send the request to the dove of the fairies in the island of Sardinia, and you will instantly have what you wish. For five or six days the new stepmother overwhelms Azala with caresses, seating her at the best place at table, giving her the choicest morsels to eat, and clothing her in the richest apparel. Carol. But ere long, forgetting entirely the good service she had receivedwoe to him who has a bad master, she began to bring forward six daughters of her own. For she had never before told any one that she was a widow with a bunch of girls, and she praised them so much, and talked her husband over in such a fashion that at last the stepdaughters had all his favor, and the thought of his own child went entirely from his heart. In short, it fared so ill with the poor girl, bad today and worse to morrow, that she was at last brought down from the royal chamber to the kitchen, from the canopy of state to the hearth, from the splendid apparel of silks and gold, to dishclouts from the sceptre to the spit, the spit being the thing in the kitchen that you put the meat on over the fire and turn it so that the meat cooks. And not only was her condition changed, but even her name, for instead of Zezola, she was now called Sennerintola. It happened that the prince had occasion to go to Sardinia upon affairs of state. And calling the six stepdaughters, he asked them one by one what they would like him to bring them on his return. Then one wished for splendid dresses, another to have head ornaments, another rouge for the face, another toys and trinkets. One wished for this and one for that. At last the prince said to his.

[Summer Session Host]

Own daughter, as if in mockery, and.

[Faith Moore]

What will you have, child? Nothing, father, she replied, but that you commend me to the dove of the fairies and bid her send me something. And if you forget my request, may you be unable to stir backwards or forwards. So remember what I tell you, for it will fare with you accordingly. Then the prince went his way and did his business in Sardinia and procured all the things that his stepdaughters had asked for. But poor Zazala was quite out of his thoughts and going on board a ship. He set sail to return, but the ship could not get out of the harbor. There it stuck fast, just as if held by a sea lamprey. A sea lamprey is an eel like creature with suckers on its mouth. The captain of the ship, who was almost in despair and fairly tired out, laid himself down to sleep. And in his dream he saw a fairy who said to him, Know you the reason why you cannot work the ship out of port? It is because the prince, who is on board with you has broken his promise to his daughter, remembering every one except his own child. Then the captain awoke and told his dream to the prince. Prince, who in shame and confusion at the breach of his promise, went to the grotto of the fairies, and commending his daughter to them, asked them to send her something. And behold, there stepped forth from the grotto a beautiful maiden, who told him that she thanked his daughter for her kind remembrances and bade him tell her to be merry and of good heart, out of love to her. And thereupon she gave him a date tree, a hoe and a little bucket, all of gold, and a silken napkin chicken, adding that the one was to hoe with and the other to water the plant. The prince, marveling at this present, took leave of the fairy and returned to his own country, and when he had given his stepdaughters all the things they had desired, he at last gave his own daughter the gift which the fairy had sent her. Then Zezolla, out of her wits with joy, took the date tree and planted it in a pretty flower pot, hoed the earth round it, it, watered it, and wiped its leaves morning and evening with the silken napkin. In a few days it had grown as tall as a woman, and out of it came a fairy who said to Zezola, what do you wish for? And Zezola replied that she wished sometimes to leave the house without her sister's knowledge. The fairy answered, whenever you desire this, come to the flower pot and say, my little date tree, my golden tree, with a golden hoe, I have hoed thee With a golden can, I have watered thee with a silken cloth, I have wiped thee dry. Now strip thee and dress me speedily, and when you wish to undress, change the last words and say, strip me and dress thee. When the time for the feast was come and the stepmother's daughters appeared, dressed out so fine, all ribbons and flowers and slippers and shoes, sweet smells and bells and roses and posies, Sessolla ran quickly to the flower pot, and no sooner had she repeated the words as the fairy had told her, then she saw herself arrayed like a queen, seated upon a palfrey. A palfrey is a kind of elegant horse, and attended by 12 smart pages, all in their best clothes. Then she went to the ball and made the sisters envious of this unknown beauty. Even the young king himself was there, and as soon as he saw her, he stood magic bound with amazement and ordered a trusty servant to find out who was that beautiful maiden and where she lived. So the servant followed in her footsteps. But when Zazala noticed the trick, she threw on the ground a handful of crown pieces, meaning a bunch of coins, which she had made the date tree give her for this purpose. Then the servant lighted his lantern and was too busy picking up all the crown pieces that he forgot to follow the palfrey. And Zazala came home quite safely and had changed her clothes as the fairy told her before the wicked sisters arrived, and to vex her and make her envious, told her of all the fine things they had seen. But the king was very angry with the servant and warned him not to miss finding out next time who this beautiful maiden was and where she dwelt. Soon there was another feast, and again the sisters all went to it, it leaving poor Zazala at Home on the kitchen hearth. Then she ran quickly to the date tree and repeated the spell. And instantly there appeared a number of damselsone with a looking glass, another with a bottle of rose water, another with the curling irons, another with combs, another with pins, another with dresses, and another with capes and collars. And they decked her out as glorious as the sun and put her in a coach drawn by six white horses. Horses. And attended by footmen and pages in livery. And no sooner did she appear in the ballroom than the hearts of the sisters were filled with amazement, and the king was overcome with love. When Zazala went home, the servant followed her again. But so that she should not be caught, she threw down a handful of pearls and jewels. And the good fellow, seeing that they were not things to lose, stayed to pick them up. So she had time to slip away and take off her fine dress as before. Meanwhile, the servant had returned slowly to the king, who cried out when he saw him. By the souls of my ancestors, if you do not find out who she is, you shall have such a thrashing as was never before heard of. And as many kicks as you have hairs in your beard. When the next feast was held and the sisters were safely out of the house, Zazala went to the date tree and once again repeated the spell. In an instant she found herself splendidly arrayed and seated in a coach of gold with ever so many servants around her, so that she looked just like a queen. Again the sisters were beside themselves with envy. But this time, when she left the ballroom, the king's servant kept close to the coach. Zezolla, seeing that the man was ever running by her side, cried, coachman, drive on quickly. And in a trice the coach set off at such a rattling pace that she lost one of her slippers, the prettiest thing that ever was seen. The servant, being unable to catch the coach, which flew like a bird, picked up the slipper and carried it to the king and told him all that had happened. Whereupon the king, taking it in his hand, said, if the basement indeed is so beautiful, what must the building be? You, who until now were the prison of a white foot, are now the fetter of an unhappy heart. Then he made a proclamation that all the women in the country should come to a banquet. Banquet for which the most splendid provision was made of pies and pastries and stews and ragouts, macaroni and sweetmeats, enough to feed a whole army. And when all the women were assembled, noble and ignoble, rich and poor, Beautiful and ugly. The king tried the slipper on each one of the guests to see whom it should fit to a hair, and thus be able to discover, by the help of the slipper, the maiden of whom he was in search of, but not one foot could he find to fit it. So he examined them closely whether indeed everyone was there. And the prince confessed that he had left one daughter behind.

[Summer Session Host]

But, said he, she was always on.

[Faith Moore]

The hearth and is such a graceless simpleton that she is unworthy to sit and eat at your table. But the king said, let her be the very first on the list, for so I will. So all the guests departed. The very next day they assembled again, and with the wicked sisters came Zezolla. When the king saw her, he had his suspicions, but he said nothing. And after the feast came the trial of the slipper, which as soon as ever it approached Zezolla's foot, it darted on to it of its own accord, like iron flies to the magnet. Seeing this, the king ran to her and took her in his arms, and seating her under the royal canopy, he set the crown upon her head. Whereupon all made their obeisance, meaning they bowed, an homage to her as their queen. When the wicked sisters saw this, they were full of venom and rage, and not having patience to look upon the object of their hatred, they slipped quietly away on tiptoe and went home to their mother, confessing in spite of themselves that he is a madman who resists the stars. Cinderella or the Little Glass Slipper, written by Charles Perrault, published in 1697 in a book called Histoire ou conte du temps passer avec des moralit contes de maumaire loy, which translates to stories or tales from past times with morals, Mother Goose tales. 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, meaning they had her same temperament, 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 mother in law 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, meanest, meaning the most menial. She scoured the dishes, tables, etc. And scrubbed madam's chamber and those of Mrs.

[Summer Session Host]

Her daughters.

[Faith Moore]

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, meaning he would have scolded her for complaints, 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 cinder wench. But the youngest, who was not so rude and uncivil as the eldest, called her Cinderella. However, Cinderella, notwithstanding her mean apparel, meaning her dirty ragged clothes, was a hundred times handsomer than her sister 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 to the ball, 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 for Cinderella, for it was she who ironed her sister's linen and plaited their ruffsplatted means braided. 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. A manteau is a kind of cloak, and a stomacher is a decorative cloth worn over the chest and stomach that formed part of a dress. They sent for the best tire woman they could get to make up their headdresses and adjust their double pinners.

[Summer Session Host]

A tire woman is like a lady's.

[Faith Moore]

Maid, and they had their red brushes and patches from Mademoiselle de la Poche. So red brushes and patches were a kind of fashion fashionable makeup in France in the 1600s. Red brushes were like rouge, and pashes.

[Summer Session Host]

Were painted on beauty marks.

[Faith Moore]

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.

[Summer Session Host]

It would make the people laugh to.

[Faith Moore]

See a cinder wench at a ball. Anyone but Cinderella would have dressed their heads awry, but she was very good and dressed them perfectly, well, meaning anyone else would have given them bad hairstyles out of spite. But Cinderella was too good to do.

[Summer Session Host]

That, even though they were treating her so bad.

[Faith Moore]

They 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.

[Summer Session Host]

I wish I could.

[Faith Moore]

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 mother. Not being able to imagine how this pumpkin could make her go to the ball, her godmother scooped out all the inside of it, 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 trap door. 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 single six horses of a beautiful mouse, coloured dapple gray. Being at a loss for a coachman, I will go and see, says 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 beer, 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 her, 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. Again her horses, mice, her coachman a rat, her footman, 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 newcomer. 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.

[Summer Session Host]

Have some made next day after the.

[Faith Moore]

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. Her. A fine collation was served up, meaning the food was put out, 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 11¾, whereupon she immediately made a curtsy to the company and hastened 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.

[Summer Session Host]

Stretching herself as if she had been.

[Faith Moore]

Just wakened out of her sleep. She had not, however, any manner of inclination to sleep since they went from home.

[Summer Session Host]

If thou hadst been at the ball.

[Faith Moore]

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. I, to be sure, cried Miss Charlotte, lend my clothes to such a dirty cinder, wench as thou art. I should be a fool. Cinderella indeed expected well such answer, and.

[Summer Session Host]

Was very glad of the refusal, for.

[Faith Moore]

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 12 when she took it to be no more than 11. 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, 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.

[Summer Session Host]

Princess go out, who said they had.

[Faith Moore]

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 12, 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 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 meaning they teased 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, 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.

[Summer Session Host]

They had made her undergo.

[Faith Moore]

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. Ashputtel, which translates to little ash girl. Written down by the brothers Grimm in 1812 in a book called Children's and Household Tales. The wife of a rich man fell sick, and when she felt that her end drew nigh, she called her only daughter to her bedside and said, always be a good girl and I will look down from heaven and watch over you. Soon afterwards, she shut her eyes and died and was buried in the garden. And the little girl went every day to her grave and wept and was always good and kind to all about her. And the snow fell and spread a beautiful white covering over the grave. But by the time the spring came and the sun had melted it away again, her father had married another wife. This new wife had two daughters of her own that she brought home with her. They were fair in face, but foul at heart. And it was now a sorry time for the poor little girl. What does the good for nothing want in the parlour? Said they. They who would eat bread should first earn it away with the kitchen maids. Then they took away her fine clothes and gave her an old gray frock to put on and laughed at her and turned her into the kitchen. Meaning they sent her to the kitchen where the servants work. There she was forced to do hard work, to rise early before daylight to bring the water, to make the fire, to cook and to wash. Besides that, the sisters plagued her in all sorts of ways and laughed at her. In the evening when she was tired, she had no bed to lie down on, but was made to lie by the hearth among the ashes. And as this, of course, made her always dusty and dirty, they called her Ashputtel. It happened once that the father was going to the fair and asked his wife's daughters what he should bring them. Fine clothes, said the first. Pearls and diamonds.

[Summer Session Host]

Cried the second.

[Faith Moore]

Now, child, said he to his own daughter, what will you have? The first twig, dear father, that brushes against your hat when you turn your face to Come home with, said she. Then he bought for the first two the fine clothes and pearls and diamonds they had asked for. And on his way home, as he rode through a green copse, a hazel twig brushed against him and almost pushed off his hat. So he broke it off and brought it away. And when he got home, he gave it to his daughter. Then she took it and went to her mother's grave and planted it there and cried so much that it was watered with her tears. And there it grew and became a fine tree. Three times every day she went to it and cried. And soon a little bird came and built its nest upon the tree and talked with her and watched over her and brought her whatever she wished for. Now it happened that the king of that land held a feast which was to last three days. And out of those who came to it, his son was to choose a bride for himself. Ashputtel's two sisters were asked to come. So they called her up and said, now comb our hair, brush our shoes and tie our sashes for us, for we are going to dance at the king's feast. Then she did as she was told. But when all was done, she could not help crying, for she thought to herself she should so have liked to have gone with them to the ball. And at last she begged her mother, very hard, to let her go. You, Ashputtel, said she, you who have nothing to wear, no clothes at all, and who cannot even dance, you want to go to the ball. And when she kept on begging, she said at last, to get rid of her, I will throw this dish full of peas into the ash heap. And if in two hours time you have picked them all out, you shall.

[Summer Session Host]

Go to the feast too.

[Faith Moore]

Then she threw the peas down among the ashes. But the little maiden ran out the back door into the garden and cried out, 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. Hasty, hasty. Pick, pick, pick. Then first came two white doves flying in at the kitchen window. Next came two turtle doves. And after them came all the little birds under heaven, chirping and fluttering in. And they flew down into the ashes. And the little doves stooped their heads down and set to work. Pick, pick, pick. And then the others began to pick, pick, pick. And among them all they soon picked out all the good grain and put it into a dish, but left the ashes long before the end of the hour. The work was quite Done. And all flew out again at the windows. Then Ashputtle brought the dish to her mother, overjoyed at the thought that now she should go to the ball. But the mother said, no, no, you slut. Meaning in this context a dirty, dishevelled woman, not a promiscuous woman, as it means today you have no clothes and cannot dance. You shall not go. And when Ashputtle begged very hard to go, she said, if you can in one hour's time pick two of those.

[Summer Session Host]

Dishes of peas out of the ashes.

[Faith Moore]

You shall go too. And thus she thought she should at least get rid of her. So she shook two dishes of peas into the ashes. But the little maiden went out into the garden at the back of the house and cried out as before, hither, hither, through the sky Turtle doves and linnets fly Blackbird, thrush and chaffinch gay Hither, hither, haste away, one and all come help me quick, Hasty, hasty. Pick, pick, pick. Then first came two white doves in at the kitchen window. Next came two turtle doves. And after them came all the little birds under heaven, chirping and hopping about. And they flew down into the ashes. And the little doves put their heads down and set to work. Pick, pick, pick. And then the others began pick, pick, pick. And they put all the good grain into the dishes and left all the ashes. Before half an hour's time all was done, and out they flew again. And then Ashputtle took the dishes to her mother, rejoicing to think that she should now go to the ball. But her mother said, it is of no use.

[Summer Session Host]

You cannot go.

[Faith Moore]

You have no clothes and cannot dance. And you would only put us to shame. And off she went with her two daughters to the ball. Now, when all were gone and nobody left at home, Ashputtel went sorrowfully and sat down under the hazel tree and cried out, shake, shake, hazel tree, gold and silver over me. Then her friend the bird flew out of the tree and brought a gold and silver dress for her and slippers of spangled silk. And she put them on and followed her sisters to the feast. But they did not know her and thought it must be some strange princess. She looked so fine and beautiful in her rich clothes. And they never once thought of Ashputtle taking it for granted that she was safe at home in the dirt. The king's son soon came up to her and took her by the hand and danced with her and no one else house. And he never left her hand. But when anyone else came to ask her to dance, he said, this lady is dancing with me. Thus they danced till a late hour of the night. And then she wanted to go home. And the king's son said, I shall go and take care of you to your home. For he wanted to see where the beautiful maiden lived. But she slipped away from him unawares and ran off towards home. And as the prince followed her, she jumped up into the pigeon house and shut the door. Door. Then he waited till her father came home. And told him that the unknown maiden who had been at the feast. Had hid herself in the pigeon house. But when they had broken open the door, they found no one within. And as they came back into the house, Ashputtle was lying, as she always did in her dirty frock by the ashes. And her dim little lamp was burning in the chimney. For she had run as quickly as she could through the pigeon house and on to the hazel tree. And had there taken off her beautiful clothes and put them beneath the tree tree that the bird might carry them away. And had lain down again amidst the ashes in her little grey frock. The next day, when the feast was again held and her father, mother and sisters were gone. Ashputtle went to the hazel tree and said, shake, shake, hazel tree, gold and silver over me. And the bird came and brought a still finer dress than the one she had worn the day before. And when she came in it to the ball, everyone wondered at her beauty. But the king's son, who was waiting for her. Took her by the hand and danced with her. And when anyone asked her to dance, he said, as before, this lady is dancing with me. When night came, she wanted to go home. And the king's son followed her as before. That he might see into what house she went. But she sprang away from him all at once into the garden behind her father's house. In this garden stood a fine large pear tree full of ripe fruit. And Ashputtle, not knowing where to hide herself. Jumped up into it without being seen. Then the king's son lost sight of her. And could not find out where she was gone. But waited till her father came home and said to him. The unknown lady who danced with me has slipped away. And I think she must have sprung into the pear tree. The father thought to himself, can it be Ashputtel? So he had an axe brought. And they cut down the tree. But found no one upon it it. And when they came back into the kitchen, there lay Ashputtle among the ashes. For she had slipped down on the other side of the tree. And carried her beautiful Clothes back to the bird at the hazel tree. And then put on her little gray frock. The third day, when her father and mother and sisters were gone. She went again into the garden and said, shake, shake, hazel tree, gold and silver over me. Then her kind friend the bird brought a dress still finer than the former one. One and slippers which were all of gold. So that when she came to the feast no one knew what to say. For wonder at her beauty. And the king's son danced with nobody but her. And when anyone else asked her to dance, he said, this lady is my partner, sir. When night came, she wanted to go home and the king's son would go with her and said to himself, I will not lose her this time. But however, she again slipped away from him him, though in such a hurry that she dropped her left golden slipper upon the stairs. The prince took the shoe and went the next day to the king his father and said, I will take for my wife the lady that this golden slipper fits. Then both the sisters were overjoyed to hear it. For they had beautiful feet and had no doubt that they could wear the golden slipper. The eldest went first into the room where the slipper was and wanted to try it on. And the mother stood by. But her great toe could not go into it. And the shoe was altogether much too small for her. Then the mother gave her a knife and said, never mind, cut it off. When you are queen, you will not care about toes. You will not want to walk. So the silly girl cut off her great toe and thus squeezed on the shoe and went to the king's son. Then he took her for his bride and set her beside him on his horse and rode away with her homeward. But on their way home they had to pass by the hazel tree that Ashputtle had planted. And on the branch sat a little dove singing, Back again, back again. Look to the shoe. The shoe is too small and not made for you. Prince, Prince, look again for thy bride. For she's not the true one that sits by thy side. Then the prince got down and looked at her foot. And he saw by the blood that streamed from it what a trick she had played him. So he turned his horse round and brought the false bride back to her home. And said, this is not the right bride. Let the other sister try and put on the slipper. Then she went into the room and got her foot into the shoe all but the heel, which was too large. But her mother squeezed it in till the blood came and took her to the King's son. And he set her as his bride by his side on his horse and rode away with her, her. But when they came to the hazel tree, the little dove sat there still and sang, back again, back again. Look to the shoe, the shoe is too small and not made for you. Prince, Prince, look again for thy bride, for she's not the true one that sits by thy side. Then he looked down and saw that the blood streamed so much from the shoe that her white stockings were quite red. So he turned his horse and brought her also back again. This is not the true bride, said he to the father. Have you no other daughters?

[Summer Session Host]

No, said he, there is only a.

[Faith Moore]

Dirty little ashputdle here, the child of my first wife. I am sure she cannot be the bride the prince told him to send her. But the mother said, no, no, she is much too dirty, she will not dare to show herself. However, the prince would have her come. And she first washed her face and hands, hands and then went in and curtsied to him. And he reached her the golden slipper. Then she took her clumsy shoe off her left foot and put on the golden slipper and it fitted her as if it had been made for her. And when he drew near and looked at her face, he knew her and said, this is the right bride. But the mother and both the sisters were frightened and turned pale with anger as he took Ashputtel on his horse and rode away with her. And when they came to the hazel tree, the white dove sang, home, home, look at the shoe, Princess, the shoe was made for you. Prince, Prince, take home thy bride, for she is the true one that sits by thy side. And when the dove had done its song, it came flying and perched upon her right shoulder and so went home with. Thank you so much for listening. Storytime will return in September with a new book read aloud in twice weekly episodes with a few notes along the way. Like an audiobook with built in notes. The new book will be revealed sometime in August. In the meantime, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode. Is there anything you'd like me to clarify? Did something particularly interest you? Please go to my website, faithkmoore.com, click on Contact and send me your questions and thoughts. Or you can click on the link in the Show Notes to contact me. I'll feature some of your thoughts as we go along. Speaking of links, please check out the other links in the Show Notes. You can learn more about me, pick up Storytime Merch or become a member.

[Summer Session Host]

Of our online community.

[Faith Moore]

Before I go, I'd like to ask a quick favor. This is an independent podcast. It's produced, recorded and marketed by me. So I need your help. Spread the word about the show by.

[Summer Session Host]

Posting about it on social media or.

[Faith Moore]

Texting a link to your friends. Subscribe, tap those five stars and leave a positive review wherever you're listening. If you are able to support the show financially, there's a link in the show notes to make a donation.

[Summer Session Host]

I would really, really appreciate it.

[Faith Moore]

Alright everyone, class is dismissed. I'll see you next week.