Why Does the Slipper Stay?

I did mention in my last post that I’ve been watching a lot (and I do mean a lot) of fairy tales lately, right?

There’s something that’s always bothered me about Cinderella. In every version I’ve read or seen (except Ella Enchanted and maybe Ever After) it’s made very clear that the magic allowing Cinderella to attend the ball will only last until midnight. And as soon as the clock strikes twelve, poof! Everything is turned back to it’s original form.

So why does the glass slipper get left behind?

Is it because she’s not wearing it anymore? Is it all part of the fairy godmother’s plan to get Cinderella her happily ever after? Is it simply plot convenience?

Well, not exactly.

I can’t speak for all the versions of the story, but if you look at Charles Perrault’s version (which is the version most adaptations are based on, featuring a fairy godmother instead of a magic tree), then the wording tips you off.

“Her godmother then touched her with her wand, and, at the same instant, her clothes 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.”

Did you catch that? The fairy godmother transformed Cinderella’s clothes, but gave her the glass slippers. So when midnight came and went, the slippers remained. In fact, in that version, Cinderella has the second slipper when the prince finds her, further proving that she was his mystery lady.

So at least with the original, we know why the slipper didn’t disappear.

What’s your favorite version of Cinderella and how does it handle the glass slipper?

Until next time, word nerds!