Today was the Bethlehem Halloween parade. My son marched in the parade, and my husband drove the support van for the band. Logistically, this required that my husband drop our daughter and me off downtown to amuse ourselves until the parade started.
On the way downtown, the girl was asking how Cinderella’s real mom died, and then how her dad died. I told her the story doesn’t say but that I could pretty easily write a story where the stepmother poisoned everyone — except not Cinderella because the stepmother liked having a servant. (The girl is now referring to this story as basic fact — “in your story.” I guess this means I should start outlining it.)
Then we got to downtown, where as I said, we had to amuse ourselves. Given that the Moravian Book Shop (the world’s oldest bookstore) is there, this was not hard. We looked at books, ate lunch at the cafe, and bought her a small coloring book to amuse her while we waited outside.
I also bought myself an aspirational pin:
Then we went out and found a tiny unclaimed wedge of sidewalk in front of a pair of parking meters, and the girl settled in to color her ballerinas. I pulled out a notebook and pen and started writing about the discovery of a dead body at a parade. I’m sure it’s just as well that the people around me didn’t know I was sizing them up as potential victims and suspects.
All in all, not a bad afternoon. Few hours of fun with my daughter, a couple of new story ideas, and a pin to remind me of one of my down-the-road goals.
How’s your Sunday afternoon been?
Not as exciting as yours. I worked on the jigsaw puzzle (the one that’s been on the table since August and will probably be there until Christmas, or whatever holiday others may be celebrating) for a couple hours. Then, tried doing a wet-on-wet background with a sea sponge. Needs more work. It was the first attempt.
You didn’t start the Cinderella story? The mom was poisoned by the witch. The bad ogres dragged the dad off into the forest to be their slave, etc, etc, etc. I know you can do two or more tales at a time. Maybe there were no ‘people’ who fit the categories you needed for Before the Glass Slipper around you. I can understand that.
Jigsaw puzzles are always fun, and the painting sounds interesting.
No, I didn’t start the Cinderella story yet, but it will get written. “Before the Slipper” — I like that!
(People? They ain’t people!)
I also came up with several other ideas for Before the Slipper, Glass Slipper, whatever. But, then, it’s your story for The Girl who wants to know: who, what, where, when and how, isn’t it?
I forgot ‘why’. Sorry about that.
And why is the number one question for a curious little girl, isn’t it? š
Thanks for the input!
Perrault and the Grimms did their version in similar styles. One had the mom dying of an illness. The dad remarried, but the step-mom and sisters were also beautiful. A magic tree over the grave gave Cinderella the gown(s). The dad treated her as badly as the steps did. I didn’t remember it like that, but I do remember the hacking off of toes and heels.
Why? Jealousy, maybe. You’ll figure it out.
Yes, I love the original stories, little Ella crying to the little nut tree to shower down silver and gold, and the birds that pecked out her stepsisters’ eyes. The endings for the villains were always delightfully bloodthirsty and vengeful.