ANNOTATED BIBLIOGRAPHY ON #510

Are you familiar with a #510 tale?

If you are curious about the quality and/or characteristics of published variants currently lining the shelves of bookstores and libraries alike - what follows is a small sampling of recognized "Cinderella" stories. The titles are offered as a device to remind you of tales you may have heard as a child or to serve as an inspiration to produce your own unique tale that could be classified as #510.

This survey of currently available Cinderella variants unveiled a propensity for published interpretations marketed as retellings, yet penned by anyone but an indigenous voice. "Multi-cultural" merchandise is thriving; its legitimacy however is questionable. Many of these authors lack the personalized experience to speak with authority as an indigenous voice might. They are not authentic representatives. Domestic Cinderella versions aim to capture regionalisms in an effort to bond with young readers. In the race to cash-in, the essence of an archetype fairy tale is nearly lost. The shelves of stores and libraries alike are filled with Cinderella variants- most are entertaining, though few are 'authentic.'

2004 Accessible Cinderella Variants - An Annotated Bibliography

Climo, Shirley. The Korean Cinderella. Illustrated by Ruth Heller. Mexico: Harper Collins Publishers, 1993.
Korea - Pear Blossom was born to parents who desired a child of their own for many years. They planted a pear tree in honor of her birth. Soon the elderly mother died and the father remarried a conniving and resentful woman who also had a daughter named Peony. The stepmother and sister, out of jealousy, tormented Pear Blossom relentlessly. Each time she was assigned impossible tasks, magical creatures came to her assistance enabling her to get the job done. A magistrate happened across her path. He discovered her sandal, which had been taken off to remove a pebble and left behind in Pear Blossom's hasty retreat. The magistrate's noblemen found her and to the dismay of Peony and her mother, Pear Blossom and the magistrate were married in the spring. (Based on three variations of a familiar Korean tale.)

Climo, Shirley. The Persian Cinderella. Illustrated by Robert Florczak. U.S.A: Harper Collins Publishers, 1999.
Persia (Iran), India, and Arabia - Settareh (Star) was given her name because of a star shaped birthmark on her left check. Her mother died immediately after her birth. While growing up, Settareh was primarily in the company of her stepmother and stepsisters, aunts, and female cousins- rarely seeing her father. As a result she was terribly lonely. Her female relations were jealous of her beauty and delighted in humiliating her whenever possible. One New Year the Prince Mehrdad invited all to the Palace for a celebration. Settareh's father gave each female coins to purchase cloth in the bazaar to make new cloths for the occasion. At the bazaar Settareh gave her coins to an old woman in need. With the few remaining coins she purchased a small blue jug that caught her eye. She felt bad that she would not be able to attend the Prince's celebration. She soon discovered that the blue jug had magical powers. She was able to obtain the proper clothing for the celebration by using the jug's magic. At the celebration no one recognized her. All the guests assumed she was a foreign princess. In her haste to leave before being discovered, a diamond bangle around her anklet slipped off and was left behind. The next morning a stable boy found the anklet and took it to his master, and so began the Prince's search for the owner of the anklet. Once he found her the inevitable marriage day was set. As the day approached the stepmother and sisters schemed to get rid of Settareh by using the magic of her blue jug. The pottery yielded six hairpins that they stabbed into her hair. Settareh was immediately turned into a turtledove. She flew to the Prince who noticed the hairpins and removed them. As the final pin was removed, breaking the spell, the turtledove was transformed into Settareh. The evil stepsisters were so filled with rage and jealousy that their hearts burst. The Prince and Princess were free to begin their lives together. (Based on a story from the Arabian Nights and a retelling entitled The Anklet.)

Coburn, Jewel Reinhart. Angkat The Cambodian Cinderella. Illustrated by Eddie Flotte. Fremont: Shen's Books, 1998.
Cambodia - Angkat (child of the ashes) lived in a Cambodian inlet with her father a fisherman. He married a widow across the pond who had a daughter named Kantok. The girls did not get along, each vying for the "number one" position. A fishing competition was waged between the girls. Kantok won by thievery and so Angkat was treated as the "number two" daughter in her father's house. A fish she released into the pond, after losing the contest, revealed itself to be magical. Angkat spent time with the fish daily. Kantok grew jealous and caught and cooked the fish. The Spirit of Virtue visited Angkat who was in despair over the loss of her friend. The spirit encouraged her to take the bones of the fish and place them under her mat. She was promised a surprise would await her in the morning. At dawn she found that the bones had been replaced with a pair of golden slippers. The spirit encouraged her to leave one slipper under the mat and place the other by her open window. A black bird took the slipper by the window and flew directly to the Palace grounds where it dropped the slipper directly into the hands of the Prince. The prince immediately sent for all the women to come to the Palace to try on the slipper in hopes of finding its owner. Angkat's stepmother scattered rice over a field and demanded that every grain be picked up, deterring Angkat from the palace grounds. Magically, a flock of chickens appeared to assist in collecting all the rice into a basket. That done, she set off for the Palace where soon it was discovered the slipper was rightfully hers. She and the Prince were married. The stepmother, sister and her own father were consumed with jealousy and plotted to kill her and replace her with Kantok. After killing her, the three were surprised to discover a red-leafed banana plant appeared at the murder location. Her father took a machete and chopped the plant into pieces, then dragged the stalks deep into the forest. As soon as he set the bundle down, a massive bamboo appeared. The Prince was in the forest; he was taken with the bamboo and ordered it taken to his Palace. The Prince sat in his new bamboo grove and mourned the loss of his wife. The Spirit of Virtue blessed the return of Angkat. Kantok was terrified by what she thought she witnessed and ran screaming from the Palace. Ultimately Kantok, her mother, and Angkat's father were banished forever. Angkat and the Prince brought happiness and prosperity to the people of Cambodia. (Based on an essay entitled Le Conte de Cendrillo Ches Les Cham by Adhemard Leclere, a French folklorist who lived in Cambodia in the late `1800s.)

Coburn, Jewell Reinhart. Domitila A Cinderella Tale from the Mexican Tradition. Illustrated by Connie McLennan. Freemont, CA: Shen's Books, 2000.
Mexico - Domitila's mother always said, "Remember, my daughter, what my mother told me and her mother told her. Do every task with care, and always add a generous dash of love." Domitila's family (farmers and craftsmen) in dire need of financial assistance sent her to work at the Governor's mansion. She soon became respected by the head cook who asked her to prepare a meal for the eldest son of the Governor. Domitila was diligent in preparing Nopales a family favorite. However, the arrogant son Timoteo had no appreciation for the meal and was extremely rude.
After chastisement from his Grandmother he discovered that the "desert weeds" were delicious. Domitila was called home that evening, as her mother was very ill. Upon arrival she learned that her mother had passed away. Her mother's spirit came to comfort the girl and remind her to always include love when performing any task. At the mansion, Timoteo was angry that the new cook had disappeared. All that remained of Domitila was a strap from her sandal, an example of the finely carved leatherwork of her family. With the strap in hand Timoteo set off across the desert to find her. Malvina (who married Domitila's father) seized the opportunity to marry off her lazy daughter to Timoteo through trickery at the expense of Domitila. In the meantime, Timoteo in his search for Domitila discovered she was beloved for her heart; bit-by-bit he was transformed from the arrogant man who began his search. Upon finding her they were married and eventually she was able to pass on her mother's wisdom to children of her own.

Coburn, Jewell Reinhart. with Lee, Tzexa Cherta (adapted by) Jouanah a Hmong Cinderella. Illustrated by Anne Sibley O'Brien. Arcadia: Shen's Books, 1996.
Thailand - (pronounced GO-NAH) A farmer was tricked from buying a cow. His wife was magically turned into a cow and the family prospered from her hard work. The father became greedy and remarried rather than allowing the original wife to return to her previous state. The stepmother was devious and eventually the cow died of a broken heart. The spirit of the mother lived on in a swatch of cowhide hidden in the girls sewing basket. The girl, through the magic of the departed mother, met the Son of the village's elder at a Festival. She lost her slipper trying to get home before her stepmother. The young man eventually found Jouanah and they set out for a life of happiness.

de la Paz, Myrna J. Abadeha The Philippine Cinderella. Los Angeles: Pazific Queen Communications, 1991.
Philippines - When Abadeha was 13 her mother died. The following year the father married a woman with three daughters. The new wife was jealous and enslaved Abadeha in her own home. Abadeha prayed to the God of Earth for help. From that moment on the Spirit of the Forest continually came to her assistance. The spirit gave the girl a precious and magical chicken that the stepmother immediately killed. Abadeha planted the dead chicken feet at her Mother's graveside. An enchanted tree grew on the site bearing many beautiful gifts. A prince came along and recognized that the garden was sacred. He offered a prayer and picked a ring from the tree. He was later unable to remove the ring and becomes delirious. It was revealed to him in a dream that the girl who could remove the ring from his finger would become his bride. Abadeha was soon revealed to be that girl. They were married the following day and lived a long happy life together.

Jackson, Ellen. Cinder Edna. Illustrated by Kevin O'Malley New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books, 1994.
USA - Cinderella and Cinder Edna are neighbors. Cinder Edna had a comparable situation to her neighbor BUT she chose to capitalize on the skills she had acquired to turn a profit. While Cinderella was dependent upon the well wishes of a fairy godmother, Cinder Edna was self-sufficient and didn't believe in fairy godmothers. Cinderella was shown to be a crybaby in need of handholding while Cinder Edna was practical. She bought her own dress, wore loafers to dance in for the sake of comfort and rode the bus to the big dance. At the ball Cinderella and prince (Randolph) were suited for one another and Cinder Edna was charmed by Randolph's environmentally conscious brother- Rupert. Both girls loose their shoes; both boys did their best to find them. Together, the boys devised a plan to search for the girls. In the end each prince discovered and married his princess through strategies of his own. They shared a double wedding ceremony but lived entirely different lifestyles- each to their own!

Hickox, Rebecca. The Golden Sandal A Middle Eastern Cinderella Story. Illustrated by Will Hillenbrand. New York: NY Holiday House, 1998.
Iraq - A widowed fisherman lived with his daughter Maha. A neighbor (also a widow) came to care for Maha and her father. The neighbor had a daughter. Maha begged her father to marry the woman. The Father although skeptical, worried that stepmothers become jealous, did marry the neighbor. Over time his worst fears materialized, Maha was treated poorly and forced to do all the work. One day a fish asked her to spare it's life and as she did it remarked, "Allah says a kindness never goes unrewarded. Call for me any time and ask what you will." The fish remained faithful to its word. When the master merchant was to be married, all the girls gathered for the women's henna celebration. Maha was not allowed to go. Her fish encouraged her to go and provided her with a silk gown, pearl comb and golden sandals. No one recognized her and she made it home prior to the return of her stepmother and stepsister; but not without incident. She lost a slipper in her race to get home. The groom's brother Tariq found the slipper the following morning. He announced to his mother that he would like to marry the owner of the slipper. With that his mother set out to find his bride. She tried the slipper on all the unmarried women throughout the city. Maha's stepmother hid her and tirelessly fought to slip the sandal onto her own daughter's foot. As Tariq's mother was leaving, a rooster let her know that Maha was hidden and the real owner of the shoe. The stepmother was given payment for the betrothal of Maha to Tariq. Bitter still, the stepmother had a perfumer prepare a recipe meant to be foul smelling that would make Maha's hair fall out. She applied the potion to Maha herself on the eve of the wedding. The potion produced the opposite effect. Traiq's brother asked for the hand of Maha's stepsister and the stepmother was given payment for the second betrothal. She used the perfumer's recipe on her daughter who lost all her hair and was immediately covered in blisters. The stepsister was sent home in disgrace while Maha and Tariq began a life filled with joy, fortune and seven children. (Based on The Little Red Fish and the Clog of Gold by Inea Bushnaq's Arab Folktales.)

Hooks, William H. Moss Gown. Illustrated by Donald Carrick. New York: Clarion Books Ticknor & Fields: A Houghton Mifflin Company, 1987.
Appalachia/Carolinas - A tale likened to King Lear- An old southern man with three daughters wanted to divide up his plantation based upon the degree of love received from each child. The youngest and most sincere was misunderstood and misrepresented by the older sisters. They banished the young Candace from the homeland in the midst of a storm. The wind picked her up and carried her deep into the swamp onto a bed of Spanish moss. She awoke to a black gris-gris (spell casting) woman sitting at her side with a gossamer gown of magic. The woman soon disappeared and the beautiful gown turns to rags and moss. Candace left the swamp to work as kitchen help in a plantation home. Eventually a frolic was held and anyone who had a gown could attend. Candace called upon the black magical woman for assistance who activated the magic held in the moss gown; "only till the morning star shines." Candace met the young master at the dance. He was smitten with her. She made a narrow escape before the arrival of the morning star. The Young Master searched for Candace for weeks. She saw how unhappy he was. She had the dress reactivated and went to him. They talked all night and past the morning star's arrival. He saw her for who she really was. They married within the week. Both the black woman and Candace's father attended the wedding. The greedy sisters turned the father out of his home. The old man was invited to live with the happy couple.

Jaffe, Nina. The Way Meat Loves Salt A Cinderella Tale From the Jewish Tradition. Illustrated by Louise August. New York: Henry Holt and Company, Inc. 1998.
Poland - (Combines Cinderella and King Lear themes.) A rabbi had three daughters each had very precious talents. However, the youngest daughter's (the favorite) value was hidden. The rabbi was determined to assess the love his children had for him. The two older girls proclaimed their abundant love for him, while the youngest, Mireleh, said "Father, I love you the way meat loves salt." For her words she was banished from her father's home. Lost in the woods, she was befriended by an old man who directed her to seek shelter at the home of another rabbi. The old man also gave her a wish granting magic stick. "All you have to do is tap it on the ground three times and anything you wish for will appear. You have heard my words and you have my blessings." Rabbi Yitskhok and his wife took in the homeless girl. The following day theYitskhok family traveled to Cracow for a wedding feast, leaving Mireleh behind. She used the magic stick for the first time to gain the most beautiful dress and shoes to attend the feast. The strange girl intrigued the guests at the wedding feast. Rabbi Yitshok's son immediately asked her to dance. She would not speak a word. The young man devised a scheme to catch the girl. He covered the steps with pitch. As Mireleh left, her slipper was stuck in the pitch. In order to escape she used the magic stick once again leaving her shoe behind. The son vowed to marry the girl who could wear the slipper. He searched from town to town. When he returned home with the slipper and explained the situation to his family, Mireleh presented him with the mate to his prized shoe. That night Rabbi Yitskhok and his wife dreamed of an old man who demanded that their son keep his vow OR misfortune would follow. Mireleh showed the rabbi's son the magic stick and it's power. He told his parents they would be married. Prior to her own wedding feast she asked all of the cooks to refrain from using salt in the food. The ceremony and dance were exceptional. When the guests sat down to the feast, a voice declared that the food was terrible, lacking salt. The voice belonged to Mireleh's father. She reminded him of her vow of love for him: "the way meat loves salt." Father and daughter were reunited in love. An old man appeared- Elijah the Prophet (who descends from heaven to help those in need), and waved his staff over the newly married couple. Later when they had children, Mireleh broke her magic stick in half and gave one half to each of her daughters to share the good fortune.

Jones, Patricia (retold by). Fair, Brown and Trembling An Irish Fairy Tale. Illustrated by Jan B. Balet. New York: Rand McNally and Container Corporation of America, 1956.
Ireland - Fair, Brown and Trembling lived with their widowed father. Trembling was the beauty and resented by the others. After seven years the prince came to town in search of a wife. The henwife was a kind old woman, who possessed magical powers and was fond of Trembling. The old woman conjured up clothes and a beautiful horse for her to ride to the church but cautioned her that she must not go in the church and must return as soon as the mass is over. The sisters demanded to be dressed in clothes as fine as the strange woman at the entrance to the church. On the second Sunday, Trembling lost a shoe in her haste to leave the churchyard at the end of mass when the Prince grabbed her foot and would not let go even as the horse sped off. Several princes searched for the girl whose "foot will fit the shoe." Upon discovering her, they had a fistfight for her hand. After four days of fighting the marriage was arranged. The wedding was extended over nine days. The two jealous sisters stole the hen wife's dark magical cloak. Fair used the powers to transform her image to that of Trembling to fool the husband. Fair pushed Trembling into the sea; who was immediately swallowed by a whale. A herd boy delivered the news to the prince; who had to kill the whale to retrieve the real Trembling. In the end, the couple adopted the herd boy as their own and had 14 additional children. Their first daughter married the herd boy.

Kroll, Steven. Queen of the May. Illustrated by Patience Brewster. New York: Holiday House, 1993.
England (?) - Sylvie lived with her stepmother and stepsister. She was not allowed to participate in the May Day Festivities. While Sylvie was made to work, her sister gathered flowers for the May Day bouquet and several animals within the forest seek her help. Gundrun (the step sister) turns each animal away with disrespect. After Sylvie's chores were completed she went to gather a bouquet and stumbled upon the same helpless animals. She immediately helped them. They all swore allegiance to assist her if she should ever be in need. At the edge of the woods she was caught in an old hag's snare. The hag had befriended Gundrun and took her to the village leaving a tied up Sylvie behind. The animals freed and supported Sylvie. She arrived at the festival in a beautiful dress and was crowned the Queen. The animals chased off the stepmother and stepsister. The Hag disappeard into the mountains forever and Sylvie was happy "for the rest of her life."

Louie, Ai-Ling (retold by). Yeh-Shen A Cinderella Story from China. Illustrated by Ed Young. New York: Putnam & Grosset Group, 1982.
China - a nasty stepmother who was very jealous of her beauty raised Yeh-Shen. Yeh-Shen's only friend was a fish she had caught and raised; who grew to be enormous. The stepmother discovered that Yeh-Shen had this pet and plotted to kill it. An old man befriended Yeh-Shen and broke the news to her about the death of her pet. He also told her that the bones of the fish were filled with a powerful spirit. Yeh-Shen retrieved the bones. Her basic needs were met by the powers inherent in those bones. When the festival approached, she asked the bones for clothing suitable to wear in place of her rags. She received beautiful clothes as well as tiny slippers woven into the pattern of fish scales. The soles of these shoes were solid gold. The spirit warned her not to lose the shoes. At the festival, the girl realized her stepmother was onto her and she ran down the mountain, loosing one shoe in route. The fish bones were disenchanted at the loss of the shoe. In time the shoe was found, sold and ultimately given to a King. The King searched for the rightful owner of the shoe throughout the kingdom. The shoe was displayed in a pavilion allowing all the women to pass by and try it on for size. Yeh-Shen did not dare go until the thick of night. The hidden King's men allowed her to take the shoe and followed her. The King arrived to see for himself that the shoe fit. The couple was soon married. The stepmother and sister were not welcome in the palace. They lived out their days in their cave.

Lunn, Janet. Charlotte. Illustrated by Brian Deines. Plattsburgh: Tundra Books of Northern New York, 1998.
New Brunswick - 1783 Charlotte heard that her cousins (Loyalists) are going to be taken to the Novia Scotia wilds and left with their families. Disobeying her father Charlotte went to say goodbye to the girls; her slippers were soaked in the rain. Her father discovers her actions and called her a traitor and turns her out of his house. Charlotte was forced to flee with her cousins to Canada. She never saw her family again.

Martin, Rafe. The Rough-Face Girl. Illustrated by David Shannon. New York: G. P. Putnam's Sons - a division of The Putnam & Grosset Group, 1992
Ontario, Canada - Algonquin Indian - A handsome, powerful and Invisible Being shared a home with his sister. No one but his sister was able to see him. Many wanted to marry him. The requirement to marry was: the ability to see him. In the same village a poor man lived with his three daughters. The older girls made the younger sit at the fireside and tend the fire. As a result her hands, arms, and face were scarred and hair was charred. They nicknamed her the Rough-Face Girl. The older sisters begged for fine clothes and preened throughout the village, sure that one of them would marry the Invisible Being. His sister drilled the sisters about what her brother's bow was made of etc. She tested them further and finally sent them home in defeat. When the Rough-Face Girl asked her father for beads and buckskin to prepare to meet the Invisible Being, he had nothing but worn out used items to offer her. She fashioned a new dress and leggings from birch bark and set off to meet the Invisible Being with confidence because she could see him. As she walked across the village all the neighbors ridiculed her but she was not deterred. When the Invisible Being's sister tested her knowledge and ability to see her brother it was apparent that the Rough-Face Girl had indeed seen him. The sister provided her with buckskin robes and a necklace of perfect shells and told her to bathe in the lake. All the scars were washed away and the Rough-Face Girl was beautiful. The couple was married and never parted.

Munsch, Robert. The Paper Bag Princess. Illustrated by Michael Martchenko, Toronto: Annick Press Ltd., 1980.
Canada - Playmates Elizabeth (a princess) and Ronald (a prince) were typical royalty with all the finery. They would one day marry. However, one day a dragon smashed her castle, burned all her belongings and carried off Ronald. Elizabeth had no clothes so she donned a paper bag and went in search of Ronald. When she reached the home of the dragon, she capitalized on his very large ego and had him demonstrate his powers until all his strength (and fire power) was spent. Triumphant she went to rescue Ronald. Ronald, having no appreciation for her labor, criticized her attire and demanded that she return when she was "dressed like a real princess!" Elizabeth, in turn, complimented his looks and clothes and said he looked like a real prince "but you are a bum!" She skipped off into the sunshine. They never marry.

Nimmo, Jenny (retold by). The Starlight Cloak. Illustrated by Justin Todd. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers - a division of Penguin Books, 1993.
Ireland - Princess Oona's mother died. The King sent her away to a foster family. The foster mother was very loving but when Oona was 14 her father demanded her return. Her older sisters were charged with her care as her father went off to war. The sisters were spiteful jealous girls who made life miserable for Oona. The King sent for the foster mother to come stay as well. Mother Brigid arrived with a small boy (her grandson) in tow. The boy and Oona became fast friends. The older sisters remained spiteful. Mother Brigid had some magical talents and provided a white dress, cloak and sky-blue shoes for Oona to wear to church. She also provided a white mare for transportation. Oona was required to leave before the congregation came out. The following week she rode to church in a dress of gold and emerald green shoes. As she was about to speed off the Prince grabbed her foot and was left with one of the emerald shoes. After a full year of seeking the owner of the shoe- the Prince arrived at Oona's father's palace. (This prince had been betrothed to one of the elder sisters but escaped the loveless marriage; inciting the King.) The sisters shoved Oona into a chest to hide her from the Prince. The boy revealed the whereabouts of Oona and the Prince discovered his bride to be. After the wedding Oona, the boy and the Prince left for Ermania where they lived a great happy life for a full year. The Prince had to lead troops to battle and was not heard of for 3 long years. One of the conniving sisters came to live with Oona. Soon she threw Oona over a cliff who was then swallowed by a great whale. The boy returned to Mother Brigid who produced a blazing horse for the Prince. The Prince had to pierce the whale's flesh with silver to release Oona. Once returned, Oona and the Prince lived happily. The boy returned to care for Mother Birgid who presented him with the starlight cloak and all of it's magic.

Onyefulu, Obi (retold by). Chinya A West African Folk Tale. Illustrated by Evie Safarewicz. New York: Viking- a division of Penguin Books, 1994.
West Africa - Chinye lived with her stepmother and stepsister, who forced her to do all the chores. One night the stepmother sent Chinye into the forest in the thick of night for water. In the forest she met an old woman who directed her to a hut. The woman told her to beware of certain gourds on the hut floor. She told her which to take home and break open. There was no time to break the gourd that night. The following morning she broke the gourd and valuable treasures were released into the room. The greedy stepmother sent her own daughter that night into the forest hoping for more treasure from the strange woman. The stepdaughter didn't obey the old woman and the pair lost all of their belongings. Stepmother and daughter left the village in shame. Chinye used her acquired wealth to aid the people of her village and lived a happy life.

Perkal, Stephanie. Midnight A Cinderella Alphabet. Illustrated by Spencer Alston Bartsch. Arcadia: Shen's Books, 1997.
Global - Each letter of the alphabet is used to illustrate the different variations of the Cinderella story from around the world.

Phinney, Margaret Yatsevitch. Baba Yaga- A Russian Folktale. Illustrated by Lydian Green. Greenvale: MONDO Publishing, 1995.
Russia - Baba Yaga was a witch who lived in the Russian forest. Whenever the father was away from home, the housemaid tormented Katrina. The housemaid sent Katrina into the woods on an errand hoping that the girl would be seized by Baba Yaga. Along the way she befriended many who needed a helping hand and each promised to help her in return. Katrina was captured by Baba Yaga but with the help of friends' escaped to her waiting father. The housemaid was fired and Katrina and her father happily shared all the chores.

Pollock, Penny (retold by). The Turkey Girl A Zuni Cinderella Story. Illustrated by Ed Young. New York: Little, Brown and Company, 1996.
Native American - Zuni - The young orphan girl was a turkey herder; paid with corn and cast-off clothes. The Dance of the Sacred Bird was to be held and the Turkey Girl knew she was not welcome. She talked about the dance relentlessly to the turkeys. On the day of the dance the turkeys asked for her rags. She spread her clothes on the ground and the turkeys transformed the garments. They then brought her trinkets and beads and other treasures that they had collected in appreciation for the kindness she had always shown them. They asked that she return from the dance before the Sun-Father returns. The lock to their cage would remain open and if she broke her word they would seek their freedom. The turkey girl had such a good time she did not return on time and the turkeys vanished. To this day they remain separated from their "Tall brothers" because she failed to keep her word.

Roberts, Lynn (retold by). Cinderella An Art Deco Love Story. Illustrated by David Roberts. New York: Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2001.
England - Greta's Mother died a long time ago and she lived with her Father. He remarried. His new wife had two daughters both "dim." The stepsisters treated her poorly and nick named her Cinderella. The stepsisters attended the Prince's ball and left Greta/Cinderella behind. A kind woman transformed a rat, a large leek, four white mice, and two glowworms into a limo and chauffeur, a gorgeous gown and the glass slippers. The prince fell in love immediately but at midnight Greta ran off loosing a slipper. Upon the Prince's arrival at the family home, the Father encouraged Cinderella to try on the slipper. Greta kept her new name and the Prince. The stepsisters nearly behaved at the wedding. (de Lempicka, and the wallpaper, furniture, and pottery are all based on actual Art Deco designs.)

San Souci, Robert D. Callie Ann and Mistah Bear. Illustrated by Don Daily. New York: Dial Books for Young Readers - a division of Penguin Putnam Inc., 2000.
Louisiana (derivative of African, Caribbean and American South tales) - Callie - Ann lived with her mother. Her father died and Callie thought Mose would make a fine step daddy. One day a strange man arrived at the house. The stranger ate her and her mother out of house and home. Callie Ann followed him into the woods and discovered the stranger was Mistah Bear in disguise! Although she told her mother she was not believed. The following day the bear returned and his identity was exposed. Mose unchained the dogs and ran the bear off the property. When Mose had to leave the farm unattended for a few days, the bear returned with a new disguise, another bear, and a plan to get Callie into the woods. Callie escaped up a tree and the dogs chased away the bears. Callie Ann, however, took a wrong turn and was lost in the woods. She came across the home of the bears and pretended to be a Bigger Bear. The quick thinking girl outsmarted the bears and made a fast retreat. When Mose returned Callie Ann's Mother and Mose married, eventually bearing two more children. The family and the farm prospered.

San Souci, Robert D. Cendrillon- A Caribbean Cinderella. Illustrated by Brian Pinkney. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 1998.
Creole - When a young girl's mother died she was left with a magical wand of mahogany. The girl grew up to be a washerwoman (blanchisseuse). She worked for a family who had a child named Cendrillon. She was asked to be the godmother of Cendrillion. The mother died and shortly after the father remarried. Soon a new child was born. The godmother soon discovered that Cendrillion had become a serving girl within her own home. A ball was held that Cendrillion had no hope of attending. The Godmother provided transportation and a ball costume for Cendrillion via the magic wand. The magic vanished after midnight. Cendrillion and the Godmother escaped in time but a slipper was lost. The handsome man from the ball arrived at the home of Cendrillion with the missing shoe. The shoe fit and they were married!

San Souci, Robert D. Cinderella Skeleton. Illustrated by David Catrow. New York: Silver Whistle * Harcourt, Inc., 2000.
USA - (rhyme) Cinderella Skeleton lived in a bone yard with terrible stepsisters.
Cinderella sought the aid of a good witch to attend the Prince's Ball. The Prince was smitten and easily disappointed when she raced away. The Prince grabbed her foot breaking it right off. The Prince searched everywhere for the match to slippered foot which he carried in a velvet case. Once he found her and they were married, all enemies "shriveled with envy and shrank to dust."

San Souci, Robert D. Little Gold Star A Spanish American Cinderella Tale. Illustrated By Sergio Martinez. Singapore: Tien Wah Press, 2000.
New Mexico - Tomas's wife had died. He had one child, Teresa. When a widow with two daughters moved close by she convinced Tomas to marry. He did not love her and stayed with the flocks in the hills as long as he could. Teresa suffered at the hands of the stepmother and stepsisters. Tomas gave Teresa a lamb, which was immediately killed by the stepmother; who made her take the fleece to the river to wash. At the river Teresa was met by a woman who took the fleece promising to return it if Teresa would care for an old man and child in a mountain shack. Teresa cared for them without knowing that the woman was the Blessed Mary, the old man Saint Joseph, and the child the baby Jesus. The woman touched Teresa's forehead leaving a gold star. The stepmother was angry and tried to wash away the star with no luck. The stepmother sent one stepdaughter to the river. Her behavior towards the holy family was so disrespectful horns grew from her head. The second stepdaughter grew donkey's ears for her actions at the river. The stepsisters hated Teresa's gold irremovable star. A fiesta was held and Don Miguel was attracted to Teresa. The stepmother forced Teresa to leave the fiesta. Miguel searched for her. When he arrived at her house, she touched the gold star and wished he could see her- the housecat informed Miguel that she was in the house. Miguel asked to marry Teresa. The stepmother demanded that Teresa perform three impossible tasks. The Blessed Mother assisted Teresa with each task. The pair was married. The stepmother and daughters realized that Teresa was blessed and eventually became less disagreeable.

San Souci, Robert D. (retold by). Sootface An Ojibwa Cinderella Story. Illustrated by Daniel San Souci. New York: Delacorte Press Bantam Doubleday Dell Publishing Group, Inc., 1994.
Native American - Ojibwa An Ojibwa widow raised three daughters. The older two girls were mean. They smeared the younger girl's face with ashes. Across the lake lived a warrior with the ability to become invisible. He announced that he would marry a woman who could see him. The older sisters were rejected because they could not see the warrior. When Sootface decided to try, she scrubbed up and made new clothes from birch bark. The sisters and villagers all made fun of her. Nonetheless she made the journey. Sootface did see the warrior and his sister treated her to new clothes and magically combed new length into her burned and scorched hair. The warrior renamed her Dawn-Light. They were married and all were happy; except the lazy elder sisters.

San Souci, Robert D. (retold by). The Talking Eggs A Folktale from the American South. Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. New York - Dial Books for Young Readers a division of Penguin Books, 1989.
American South - Creole - A widow with two daughters lived on a poor farm. Rose was ill tempered but beloved. Blanche was sweet and smart but forced to do all the chores. One day Blanche was sent for water. She met an old woman who she was kind to. Upon returning home, she was abused by the mother and sister and ran off into the woods. The old woman found Blanche and took her in. She informed Blanche that she would witness many odd things and not to laugh. Inside the woman's cabin Blanche saw her take her head off and put it in her lap to comb out the braids. More strange episodes occurred, including a rabbit square dance with all participants in fancy costumes. The old woman offered eggs to Blanche when she sent her home. As she threw the eggs over her shoulder (as she was instructed) a carriage, clothing etc appeared. Her mother plotted to reap additional rewards and sent the mean sister in search of the old woman. The old woman took her in but said that Rose could not laugh at what she would see along the way. Rose laughed her self sick. When the old woman took off her head the mean girl put it on the porch and went to get the magic eggs. She deliberately took the eggs she was instructed to leave alone. When she threw them over her shoulder they turned into frogs, snakes, yellow jackets and a gray wolf all chasing her. In the meantime Blanche had moved to the city to live a much better life. The mother and Rose continued to search for the old woman but never did find her.

Scott-Mitchell, Clare (retold by). Cinderella. Illustrated by Gordon Fitchett. New York: Phyllis Fogelman Books- an imprint of Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers, 2001.
USA - This is a traditional Cinderella story with the twist that all the main characters are dogs. (The fairy Godmother is a beautiful white duck.)

Sierra, Judy. The Gift of the Crocodile A Cinderella Story. Illustrated by Reynold Ruffins. New York: Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, 2000.
Indonesia - Damura was very close to her mother. When Damura's mother became very ill she implored her to respect all wild creatures. After her mother died Damura would talk to the lorikeet and parrot perched on the nutmeg trees. A widow in the village pursued Damura's father while lavishing kindness on Damura. Damura encouraged her father to marry the widow. Once married, the woman and her own daughter soon made Damura their servant. While doing the family's laundry a crocodile confronted her. Remembering her mothers words that "Creatures of the wild, help…" she was not afraid. The crocodile entrusted its own baby to Damura while retrieving a sarong for her. The sarong that the crocodile presented was not hers but a beautiful one. "The one you deserve" according to the crocodile. The stepmother was jealous of the sarong and demanded to know where Damura got it. The next morning the stepsister was sent to see the crocodile. Overcome with greed, the stepsister did not fool the crocodile, who produced a sarong full of leeches for her. Some years later the prince invited all the young women to a dance. He would choose his bride from among them. The stepsister stole and wore Damura's sarong, the crocodile's gift. Damura went to the crocodile, who gave her a sarong and blouse of gold with shoes to match to wear to the dance. Her instructions were to leave the dance at the first rooster crow and to return all to the river prior to going home. She was also provided with a white carriage. At the dance when the rooster crowed she ran for the carriage. The prince managed to get one of her slippers. The following day all the women were summoned to return to try on the slipper. Dressed in rags, Damura went along with the young women. When the slipper fit only her, the prince's counselor advised him not to marry her. The prince married her just the same. Damura's stepmother and sister were outrageously jealous. They convinced Damura that they were eager to be friends with her. They then pushed her into the river where she was swallowed by a crocodile. The stepmother and sister hoped that the prince would then marry the evil sister. The prince went to the river to Damura's crocodile. He
demanded that the crocodile confess and spit her out immediately. The friendly crocodile further orders the others to eat the stepmother and sister on sight. The evil pair heard the order and ran into the forest never to return. The happy couple raised their children to respect all wild creatures.

Steel, Flora Annie (retold by). Tattercoats An old English Tale. Illustrated by Diane Goode. New York: Bradbury Press, 1976.
England - A rich old lord had a granddaughter whom he vowed never to see in his life. He hated her. At her birth, his favorite daughter had died. He mourned his daughter
from that moment on. The granddaughter had no one to look after her. The servants called her "Tattercoats." Only a Nurse, occasionally, provided her with scraps of food or clothing. Her only friend was a crippled gooseherd. Tattercoats heard of a ball that the King was going to give for all the lords and ladies. When the old lord received an invitation he decided to go. He never thought to take his grand daughter, even when the nurse begged him to take her. The gooseherd took Tattercoats into town so they could watch everyone. On the way they met a handsome young man who liked their company. The gooseherd played a curious tune and soon the man couldn't see the rags Tattercoats wore. He only saw her beauty. The young man begged her and the gooseherd to come to the ball just as they were, saying he would dance with her before the King and present her as his bride; he was the prince. As the goose herd played his pipe her clothes were transformed into beautiful robes. The couple were married. The gooseherd disappeared and the old man continued to weep in his own palace.

Steptoe, John. Mufaro's Beautiful Daughters. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books a division of William Morrow & Company. Inc., 1987.
South Africa - Mufaro lived in a village with two daughters; Nyasha was a kind girl while her sister Manyara was ill tempered and jealous. Nyasha befriended a snake in her garden. Mufaro was unaware of Manyara's treatment of her sister. The King sought a wife and Mufaro wanted to take his girls to the city. Manyara left in the middle of the night- hoping to arrive before the others. In the forest, she came across a hungry boy. She would not share her food and treated him with disrespect. She then met an old woman who forewarned her of some strange experiences awaiting her. Rather than heed good advice- Manyara did exactly the opposite of her guidance. The following morning, Nyasha came across the same experiences as her sister- treating all with respect and dignity. Upon arrival at the King's palace Manyara rushed to her father and tried to deter him from allowing Nyasha in to see the King. She had been inside and found a monster. Nyasha while concerned about her sister, was not afraid to go in. What she found inside was the garden snake. The snake was transformed into the King and informed her that he had taken the shape of all she had met on the road as well. The couple soon married. Manyara became a servant in the Queen's household.

Takayama, Sandi. Sumorella. Illustrated by Esther Szegedy. Honolulu: Bess Press, 1997.
Hawaii - A family, including three brothers, made their living from growing and selling mango products. The two older brothers concentrated on sumo wrestling and left all the chores to the younger boy who everyone referred to as "mango boy." A stablemaster from Japan was coming for a sumo exhibition and mango boy really wanted to participate. He had no time, no sumo garb and was physically skinny compared to the other participants. He confessed his dream to a friend of his, the manapua man. The friend promised to do all of his work so he could go to the exhibition. Mango boy needed the proper clothing and his friend asked him to gather: a pumpkin, mice and a big rat. When the boy returns, the friend waves a manapua. Immediately, mango boy was dressed in a beautiful gown and glass slippers standing next to golden carriage complete with coachman. Clearly the friend had mixed his magic and needed to try again. He sent mango boy off for poi, rice and bananas. The boy dutifully gathered up the additional items (while dressed in Cinderella garb!). When he returned he was asked to eat all the food he had gathered. He did his best. His friend waved a manpua once again and mango boy was transformed to "Sumorella". He was warned that he had to return by kau-kau time or his mawashi (loin cloth) will fall off. Sumorella was the hit of the exhibition winning every match! But he was late and lost the mawashi. He raced home and was transformed back to mango boy. The Japanese stablemaster searched the village for a sumo wrestler who would fit into the skimpy mawashi. Sumorella was identified and moved to Japan to train as a sumo wrestler. While in Japan, he reached the pinnacle of success and was beloved by the Japanese population. Upon retirement, he returned to Hawaii and married a former Miss Hawaii. He became a very wealthy man who never had to deal with mangos again!