Every little girl grows up listening to fairy tales told by their mothers, fathers, grandmothers, and grandfathers. Fairy tales spark the imaginations of little girls and let them dream. As a little girl one of my fondest memories is my father reading me fairy tales before I went to bed. Therefore, I decided to do my storybook over a classic fairy tale that everyone is familiar with. A favorite fairy tale to every little girl is the famous story of Cinderella. There are several different versions of the classic Cinderella fairy tale. One of the most popular versions that most people recognize is the version by Charles Perrault. Written in 1697, this version of Cinderella introduced the fairy-godmother, the pumpkin, and Cinderella's glass slippers. This version is the version closest to the popular Disney film. Another well-known version is the one recorded by two brothers, Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, in the 19th century. Unlike the Perrault version, which was literary, the Brothers Grimm version was not written down until recorded by the Grimm brothers. The reason is because the brothers used mostly oral sources. This version is a little different than Perrault's version because Cinderella's help does not come from a fairy godmother, but from a wishing tree that grows on her mother's grave. In addition to these French and German versions of the Cinderella fairy tale, there are many more versions from all around the world that are all different and unique. 

 

Along with versions from France and Germany, there are also versions of the fairy tale from Russia, Greece, Scotland, and even Denmark. My storybook will focus on the versions from France and Germany. These Cinderella stories from around the world all have some things in common, but each story is different because each reflects the cultural details of the country that it comes from. My storybook will contain two of these versions of the Cinderella fairy tales from different parts of the world. In addition to the French and German versions of the story, another version of the Cinderella fairy tale that is one of my favorites, but is not retold in my storybook, is from Vietnam, and it is called The Story of Tam and Cam. Vietnam is located in East Asia and The Story of Tam and Cam is one of my favorites because it has some very different elements than the French and German versions of the fairy tale. Instead of a fairy godmother, the Vietnamese version contains the Goddess of Mercy who helps Cam, the heroine who is Cinderella. Cam does not go to an extravagant ball, but instead she goes to an Autumn Festival.   

 

Now let me explain how I will tell these new versions of the classic fairy tale: there are three friends, who are all stewardesses for three different airlines. Each girl is from a different part of the world and they have become friends by their flights all switching over at Airport Luxiva in Dallas, Texas. The girls have all become really close friends and whenever they get a chance to eat dinner and get a drink at the Airport Luxiva's Bar & Grill, they never pass it up. It is always fun for the friends to catch up on each other's lives and see what is going on. Anne-Laure is from France and works for Belle Airlines out of France. Adal is from Germany and works for Bis Bald Airlines out of Germany. Kim is from Vietnam and works for Chi Airlines out of Vietnam. On a chilly winter day, the three friends' flights have all been canceled due to the winter weather so they all meet up at Airport Luxiva's Bar & Grill for a girls night out. Which girl is newly single and recently graduated with her master's degree? Who is about to have a baby? You will soon find out....but until then let me give you a little insight about the friends' conversation: the friends begin talking about their childhoods in their different countries. One of the girls just found out she is pregnant and is telling her friends that she wants to do her nursery in a Cinderella theme. The girls all agree that their favorite fairy tale growing up was definitely Cinderella and that a nursery in a Cinderella theme is a creative idea. Along with telling each other what is going on in their lives, the friends also tell a version of their own Cinderella story from their countries that they heard growing up.

(Anne Laure is giddy with excitement for the surprising news her friends are about to hear)

(Adal is smiling from ear to ear with happiness)

Go to find out just what the special news is....

Go to find out why Adal is so happy...

Image Information: Image of Cinderella. Web Source: Cinderella Games.
Image Information: Image of Disney's Cinderella. Web Source: Cinderella Movie.
Image Information: Image of Stewardesses. Web Source: Vintage Airlines.