While Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella dates back to 1957, did you know that the ‘Lost Slipper’ motif is much, much older? Stories containing many of the elements we associate with Cinderella appear in folklore and oral tradition from around the world, dating back over 1,500 years. 

At their core, these stories tell of an oppressed but virtuous young woman who overcomes adversity, often with the help of a magical force, and achieves a magical transformation leading to love, status, or happiness. In the process of evolving from its earliest known origins into the versions we grew up with, it picked up the classic elements we know and love today: Glass Slippers, Pumpkin Carriage, A Fairy Godmother, and more.

Check out our interactive timeline of the Lost Slipper and its evolution into the Cinderella story below!