I'm going to discuss fairytales, an exciting favourite subject of mine. It borders on myth and legend. Fairytales are said to be older than the myths of the gods themselves. We don't know enough about their origins except where the modern versions came from, and as you search further before Brothers Grimm, Hans Christian Anderson and others, you'll find older roots.
Cinderella is one of the most popular princess stories for girls.
Did you know there was a darker side? You will never find that in any fairytale book about Cinderella. In one old version, before the Brothers Grimm, the step mother was actually cruel to her own daughters who were the so called "ugly sisters". She tortured them and mutilated their feet so that they could wear the small glass slipper. The prince noticed in horror at seeing so much blood.
And in another older version of Cinderella, (not sure if there was a step mother) the sisters are tortured at the wedding of Cinderella and the prince. The magic pet birds belonging to Cinderella pecks out the sisters eyes.
Then in another old version of Cinderella it's even more freaky. Cinderella kills her step mother by breaking her neck! She wanted her father to marry the old house maid but after that, unknown to Cinderella, six new stepsisters arrive. They all bully Cinderella.
Another version doesn't have a fairy godmother in it. Instead, Cinderella often talks to her mother's grave and speaks to her ghost, learning how to create magical ingrediants.
How different she is to the gentle Disney princess in a tiara!
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