History Literature / TheEgyptianCinderella

''The Egyptian Cinderella'' is a 1989 children's book written by Shirley Climo and illustrated by Ruth Heller. It is an [[AdaptationExpansion liberally expanded retelling]] of the Ancient Greek fairy tale of Rhodopis, which is the earliest known version of Literature/{{Cinderella}} (hence the title). According to Creator/{{Herodotus}}, Rhodopis was a historical person, namely a Thracian freedwoman of the 6th century B.C. who made a fortune as a courtesan in the Egyptian city of Naucratis; later a legend arose (first recorded by the historian and geographer Strabo in the first century B.C.) that Rhodopis became the wife to the Pharaoh of Egypt after an eagle had dropped one of her slippers into his lap.

* HistoricalDomainCharacter: The Pharaoh is named Amasis, and the author's note at the end indicates that he is meant to be [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amasis_II Amasis II]], the last native Egyptian pharaoh before the Persian occupation.

* HistoricalDomainCharacter: The Pharaoh is noted to be [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amasis_II Amasis II]], the last native Egyptian pharaoh before the Persian occupation.

* TheGirlWhoFitsThisSlipper: A falcon snatches one of the rose-red slippers of Rhodopis and drops it into the lap of the Pharao, who orders the whole of Egypt searched for the woman who owns the slipper so he can marry her. Despite many other girls trying it on, the slipper only fits Rhodopis.

''The Egyptian Cinderella'' is a 1989 children's book written by Shirley Climo and illustrated by Ruth Heller. It is an [[AdaptationExpansion liberally expanded retelling]] of the Ancient Greek fairy tale of Rhodopis, which is the earliest known version of Literature/{{Cinderella}} (hence the title). According to Creator/{{Herodotus}}, Rhodopis was a historical person, namely a Thracian freedwoman of the 6th century B.C. who made a fortune as a courtesan in the Egyptian city of Naucratis; later a legend arose (first recorded by the historian and geographer Strabo in the first century B.C.) that Rhodopis had been taken to wife by the Pharao of Egypt after an eagle had dropped one of her slippers into his lap.

* NiceShoes: Rhodopis's rose-red gold slippers.

* CinderellaCircumstances: Rhodopis is captured by pirates and sold to Egypt where she is not only forced to work as a slave, but also mocked by her fellow slaves for her foreign looks.

!! "The Egyptian Cinderella" by Shirley Climo provides examples of:

* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: Rhodopis is mocked for her light skin and her perpetual sunburns by her Egyptian fellow servants.

* TheGirlWhoFitsThisSlipper: A falcon snatches one of the rose-red slippers of Rhodopis and drops it into the lap of the Pharao, who orders the whole of Egypt searched for the woman who owns the slipper so he can marry her. Despite many other girls try it on, the slipper only fits Rhodopis.

''The Egyptian Cinderella'' is a 1989 children's book written by Shirley Climo and illustrated by Ruth Heller. It is an [[AdaptationExpansion liberally expanded retelling]] of the Ancient Greek fairy tale of Rhodopis. According to Creator/{{Herodotus}}, Rhodopis was a historical person, namely a Thracian freedwoman of the 6th century B.C. who made a fortune as a courtesan in the Egyptian city of Naucratis; later a legend arose (first recorded by the historian and geographer Strabo in the first century B.C.) that Rhodopis had been taken to wife by the Pharao of Egypt after an eagle had dropped one of her slippers into his lap.

Rhodopis is a Greek girl kidnapped from her home and sold into slavery in Egypt. Her master, an old man, is kind to her but spends most of his time sleeping, while the servant girls in his household bully and discriminate against her because of her fair complexion. She finds friends with the animals, however, and takes up singing and dancing to them. Her master sees her performing such a dance one day, and decides that such a gift deserves a reward. He gives her a pair of rose-red gold slippers (sandals in other variants), which becomes another excuse for the other servant girls to tease her out of envy.

!! "The Egyptian Cinderella" by Shirly Climo provides examples of:

* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: None of the other servant girls like Rhodopis.
* CinderellaCircumstances: The titular character is subjected to this; specifically, being a slave in a foreign country.
* TheGirlWhoFitsThisSlipper: The rose-red slippers only fit Rhodopis.
* HairOfGoldHeartOfGold: Rhodopis, who is depicted as kind and pure-hearted, is described as having curly, golden hair.

* AllOfTheOtherReindeer: None of the servant girls like Rhodopis.

* FairyTale: One of the oldest written, and a variant on a more famous one, ''Literature/{{Cinderella}}''.

* EveryoneCallsHimBarkeep: In most variants, the Pharaoh is merely referred to as "the Pharaoh". When he's given a name, he's usually known as Amasis II.

!! "The Egyptian Cinderella" provides examples of:

* CharacterTitle: The story is called ''Rhodopis'', like Rhodopis herself.

Can be read [[http://litscribbles.wordpress.com/fairy-tales/rhodopis-the-egyptian-cinderella/ here]].

'''"Rhodopis"''' is a Greek FairyTale recorded by the historian and geographer Strabo in the first century B.C. It is considered the oldest known version of "Literature/{{Cinderella}}". The fairy tale is an embellished version of a story told by Creator/{{Herodotus}} as a true one, according to which Rhodopis was a Thracian freedwoman of the 6th century B.C. who made a fortune as a courtesan in the Egyptian city of Naucratis.

Eventually, news arrives that the Pharaoh (Amasis II, if his name is given) is holding court in Memphis, and all are invited to celebrate. The servant girls, however, leave Rhodopis behind with more chores to do while they go off to enjoy themselves, one of which is washing the laundry. As she does this, she accidentally splashes water onto her shoes and takes them off to let them dry. When she does, a falcon (the god Horus from Myth/EgyptianMythology in one of his forms) swoops down and flies away with one of her slippers. Her response is of awe, knowing who it really is, and then to tuck the other into her tunic and go back to work.

!!''Rhodopis'' provides examples of: