The Real Cinderella *
Margarete’s Story
But who was the real Cinderella? Was she just a fictional character, or was there a real woman behind the famous tale?
Many believe that the story of Cinderella is based on the life of a woman named Margarete von Waldeck. Margarete was born in 1533 in Bad Wildungen, Germany, the daughter of Count Philip IV of Waldeck-Wildungen. She was known for her beauty and kind nature, but her life was far from a fairytale.
At the age of 15, Margarete’s father sent her to live with her stepmother, Katharina of Hatzfeld. Katharina was known for her cruelty and treated Margarete as a servant in her own home. She was forced to do menial tasks and was often ridiculed by her stepsisters, who were jealous of her beauty.
Life took a drastic turn for Margarete when her father passed away, leaving her with a large inheritance. Her stepmother and stepsisters saw this as an opportunity to get rid of her and take her wealth for themselves. They forced her to work even harder and made her sleep in the attic with the mice and rats.
One day, Margarete met a young prince who was travelling through the town. They fell in love, but Margarete’s stepmother and stepsisters did everything in their power to keep them apart. They spread rumours about her, saying she was a witch and that she used magic to make the prince fall in love with her.
Despite their efforts, the prince was determined to find Margarete and marry her. But before he could, she mysteriously died in her sleep. Some say it was from exhaustion and a broken heart, while others believe she was poisoned by her stepmother.
The prince was heartbroken and ordered a grand funeral for Margarete. As her coffin was being carried to her final resting place, a flock of white doves flew down and perched on top of it as if to pay their respects.
Years later, the prince married another woman, who was said to bear a striking resemblance to Margarete. She also had a fondness for glass slippers, which led many to believe that the real Cinderella wore them as well.
But Margarete’s story didn’t end there. In the early 19th century, the Grimm brothers heard about her tragic tale and incorporated it into their collection of fairytales. They added elements like the fairy godmother and the pumpkin carriage to make the story more magical, but the heart of the tale remained the same — a young girl who overcame adversity and found true love.
The real Margarete may not have had a fairy godmother or a happy ending, but her story has lived on for centuries, inspiring countless versions of the fairytale we know and love today.
Another theory suggests that the story of Cinderella is based on the life of a Chinese woman named Ye Xian. She lived during the Tang dynasty and was also known for her beauty and kind heart.
Ye Xian’s mother passed away when she was young, and her father remarried a woman with two daughters. Her stepmother and stepsisters were jealous of her beauty and treated her like a servant. They forced her to sleep in the kitchen and gave her the nickname “Cinderella” because of the ashes that constantly covered her.
But, unlike the traditional tale, Ye Xian’s fairy godmother was not a fairy but a magical fish. Whenever she was in trouble, Ye Xian would go to the lake, and the fish would help her. One day, the fish gave her a beautiful silk dress to wear to the spring festival. She caught the eye of the prince, and they fell in love, but Ye Xian had to leave before he could find out who she was.
In a rush to leave, she lost one of her precious golden slippers, which the prince used to find her and make her his bride. But just like Margarete’s story, Ye Xian’s had a tragic ending. Her stepmother killed her and fed her to the fish, but the prince found out and punished her.
Ye Xian’s story was also passed down through generations and eventually became the basis for the Cinderella story we know today. The Chinese version has its own unique elements, such as the magical fish and the spring festival, but the message of hope and triumph over adversity remains the same.
These are just two of the many real-life stories that may have inspired the tale of Cinderella. From ancient Greece to 16th century Germany to Tang dynasty China, the story has evolved and adapted to different cultures and time periods. But at its core, it remains a story of resilience, kindness, and the power of true love.
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