Once Upon a Time….
Actually, scratch that. While Cinderella was a tale spun long ago, it’s origins and true meaning grow even deeper.
In fact, did you know that the original story may have even been meant as Prophecy?
Cinderella was a story told by Pagans. Cinderella was “Ella” or, Hel. Hel, as in the daughter born of Mother Earth.
Also known as Helle, who’s fires of renewal would reduce one to “Cinders”. Hence the name, Cinder -Ella.
The Nasty Stepmother was code for the “New” Church. The “Ugly Stepsisters” were really the powers behind the throne– the Aristocracy and Clergy supporting the New Church by way of Military and other means.
The tale went like this….
Cinderella’s mother, the Earth, gave her daughter a “Fairy Tree”, which would later become spun as a Fairy Godmother. The tree gave Cinderella Golden Apples– Apples being a VERY important part of Pagan lore— and various other gifts. Beautiful garments, the slippers. You get the idea.
The Prince was actually symbolic for “Mankind”. With the gifts from the Fairy Tree, Cinderella was beautiful and like the story we know today, this enchanted beauty won the love of the Prince — the love of mankind.
Did this mean the New Church would lose it’s favor and the ways of the Goddess would find itself anew, would survive the powers attempting to crush her and remain beloved of the people? That’s my own personal speculation. Nothing written in stone.
Now, back to it….
Where did the glass slipper come into play? Well, that was actually a ritual in days of old, a sexual innuendo, if you will. The entire thing represented the Union. In certain cultures, working a phallic object into a woman’s shoe signified a sacred marriage.
Some theorize that the “glass” slipper was symbolic of the “Crystal” Cave. Men, or heroes, would enter the underworld — this Cave– which again, had great meaning. In fact, Ill have to type up another article soon on, Cave– yep, that much meaning behind it.
There were many Prophecies in Medieval times which spoke of the rich and powerful being tossed off their high horses. Overthrown by the very people feeling the grunt of their blows. Having the Great Mother reach beyond the Underworld, ridding them of these awful threats. Aiding them from the beyond. Having her own Daughter as a Champion– well, you can imagine the attractiveness of it all.
And Pagans learned long ago, in order to protect and hide their message, it was easier to create a fictional story– a deeply-seeded symbolic one– to hide it’s truth and camouflage it, if you will, within colorful imagery.
Do you think they knew it would survive such a long test of time or are we doomed to repeat ourselves — an old history bleeding into our present one. Are there lessons to be learned that apply to us today? How far would this prophecy go?
Just something to think about.
Sources:
- The Women’s Encyclopedia of Myths & Secrets by Barbara G. Walker
- Jung & von Franz
- G.M. Graves
- Tuchman
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