Re: Cinderella

From: Julian Lord <julian.lord_at_...>
Date: Mon, 25 Feb 2002 18:14:32 +0100


Nick :

> Bryan :

> > The French version of the girl's name was (again may be spelled
> > wrong) Cendrillion, again refering to sleeping in the ashes.

Yep.

> > Also there was the translation mistake on the slipper.
>
> Check my last post's URL -- it's unlikely a Frenchman would have made
> a mistake translating a French word into French.

Given that these stories were originally told viva voce around proverbial fireplaces, it's actually quite likely.

It's a very common linguistic phenomenon.

> Perrault is the ur-
> source for "verre" (glass) slippers. "Vair" (fur) had been in disuse
> for a long time when he wrote. Apparently.

So, the reinterpretation preceded the written version of the tale.

Oh, and "souliers de vair" = "squirrel fur slippers" BTW : cute, or what ? :-)

> Overenthusiastic etymologists aside, there may never have been a fur-
> slippered version of the story. I am of course ready to be corrected.

Never heard any squirrel-fur-slippered version, but the explanation is about 92% likely to be true, IM-non-overenthusiastic-O.

cheers,

Julian

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