The timeless and magical tale of Cinderella is one we are all familiar with, but how well do we know the original story? Seven versions of the fairy tale from around the world are featured in this beautiful, illustrated volume. A tale of cruelty, love, and a touch of magic, Cinderella has always been one of the most popular fairy tales. Discover more about the wonderful story and take a tour around the globe with this volume from our Origins of Fairy Tales from Around the World series. Featuring beautiful illustrations, this fairy tale anthology includes seven versions of Cinderella, and is completed by an in-depth introduction to the fairy tale genre itself, as well as a look at the folkloric provenance of the story.

Discover the original macabre stories of your most beloved classics in this collection of disturbingly dark fairy tales. ‘Story-telling is one of the most ancient and universal of arts.’ – Laura F. Kready, A Study of Fairy Tales, 1916 ‘The instruments of darkness tell us truths.’ – William Shakespeare, Macbeth, 1623 This twisted treasury presents over forty of the world’s most wicked fairy tales, including the original versions of stories you thought you knew, such as ‘Cinderella’, ‘Sleeping Beauty’, and ‘Snow White’. Relish in the morbid darkness of these early classics, alongside many other tales you haven't heard before. From renowned storytellers of the fairy tale genre, this collection sources works from the Brothers Grimm, Charles Perrault, Hans Christian Andersen, and many more. Dark Fairy Tales is woven with themes of lost innocence, beastly bonds, and haunted hearts, aiming to inspire, caution, and illuminate valuable aspects of the human experience. Be warned, for these stories are not for the faint of heart and happy endings cannot be guaranteed.

Cinderella is one of the world's most beloved fairy tales thanks to the heroine's inspirational "rags to riches" story. The figure Cinderella has been known by many names, such as Aschenputtel in German, Cendrillon in French, and Cenerentola in Italian. Fairy tale scholars believe there may be over 1,000 versions of the Cinderella story from around the world. Fairytalez has gathered a wonderful collection of the beloved classic familiar Cinderella stories by Charles Perrault, and the Grimm Brothers, but also other tales from other corners of the world. Enjoy this wonderful collection of Cinderella stories from all over the world and find your own personal favorite Cinderella tale.List of stories, including author/editor and origin:Cinderella or the Little Glass Slipper, Charles Perrrault, FranceCenerentola, Giambattista Basile, ItalyAschenputtel, Brothers Grimm, GermanThe Hair of the Orphan Girl, Ferencz Aureliu Pulszky, HungaryThe Three Girls Who Went as Servants to the King ́s Palace, G.A. Aberg, SwedenRhodopis and Her Little Gilded Sandals, Olive Beaupre Miller, EgyptThe Wonderful Birch, Andrew Lang, Slavic RegionMdjaveig, Daughter of Mani, Jon Arnason, IcelandThe Green Knight, Andrew Lang, DenmarkThe Hearth Cat, Zófimo Consiglieri Pedroso, PortugalThe Indian Cinderella, Cyrus MacMillan, Canada

From wicked queens, beautiful princesses, elves, monsters, and goblins, to giants, glass slippers, poisoned apples, magic keys, and mirrors, the characters and images of fairy tales have cast a spell over readers and audiences, both adults and children, for centuries. These fantastic stories have travelled across cultural borders, and been passed on from generation to generation, ever-changing, renewed with each re-telling. Few forms of literature have greater power to enchant us and rekindle our imagination than a fairy tale. But what is a fairy tale? Where do they come from and what do they mean? What do they try and communicate to us about morality, sexuality, and society? The range of fairy tales stretches across great distances and time; their history is entangled with folklore and myth, and their inspiration draws on ideas about nature and the supernatural, imagination and fantasy, psychoanalysis, and feminism. In this Very Short Introduction, Marina Warner digs into a rich hoard of fairy tales in all their brilliant and fantastical variations, in order to define a genre and evaluate a literary form that keeps shifting through time and history. Drawing on a glittering array of examples, from classics such as Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, and The Sleeping Beauty, the Grimm Brothers' Hansel and Gretel, and Hans Andersen's The Little Mermaid, to modern-day realizations including Walt Disney's Snow White, Warner forms a persuasive case for fairy tale as a crucial repository of human understanding and culture. ABOUT THE SERIES: The Very Short Introductions series from Oxford University Press contains hundreds of titles in almost every subject area. These pocket-sized books are the perfect way to get ahead in a new subject quickly. Our expert authors combine facts, analysis, perspective, new ideas, and enthusiasm to make interesting and challenging topics highly readable.

“What would the world look like if girls grew up reading fairytales made from the magic they carry inside themselves? Breathtakingly beautiful, is what.” —Lidia Yuknavich, national bestselling author In her debut children’s book, Rebecca Solnit reimagines a classic fairytale with a fresh, feminist Cinderella and new plot twists that will inspire young readers to change the world, featuring gorgeous silhouettes from Arthur Rackham on each page. In this modern twist on the classic story, Cinderella, who would rather just be Ella, meets her fairy godmother, goes to a ball, and makes friends with a prince. But that is where the familiar story ends. Instead of waiting to be rescued, Cinderella learns that she can save herself and those around her by being true to herself and standing up for what she believes. “Being a princess is absolutely fine if that’s what you choose. It’s having those choices taken away from you that make for big problems. Cinderella in Solnit’s book is given that choice. She’s allowed to say what her dreams are, and then she goes out and attains them. And they’re not huge ridiculous dreams but small, happy, manageable ones. Ultimately, that’s the gift Ms. Solnit is giving kids with this book.” —School Library Journal “This is a reminder of hope and possibility, of kindness and compassion, and—perhaps most salient—imagination and liberty. Through the imaginations of our childhoods, can we find our true selves liberated in adulthood?” —Chelsea Handler “This is, hands down, a wonderful book—one that even the jaded reader will clasp upon completion with a contented sigh.” —The New York Times

The author draws from a variety of folk traditions to put together this version of Cinderella, including elements from Mexico, Iran, Korea, Russia, Appalachia, and more.