In Search of Cinderella -- Shel Silverstein

(Poem #1182) In Search of Cinderella From dusk to dawn, From town to town, Without a single clue, I seek the tender, slender foot To fit this crystal shoe. From dusk to dawn, I try it on Each damsel that I meet. And I still love her so, but oh, I've started hating feet. -- Shel Silverstein

I've always loved fairytale retellings - the stories are so much a part of our
cultural heritage, and have shaped the canon in so many ways, that it's
fascinating to explore their universes in greater depth. What sort of person
was Sleeping Beauty when she was awake? Didn't the Ugly Stepsisters have
their own stories to tell? And, perhaps most intriguingly of all, what *did*
happen after 'happily ever after'? Surely all those tales didn't just taper
off into uninterestingness once we got past the 'wedding in the last reel'.

Luckily, there has been no shortage of excellent retellings, whether
exquisitely serious (Robin McKinley and Gregory Maguire, to name but two
authors whose work has never disappointed me) or sidesplittingly funny
(Roald Dahl's "Revolting Rhymes", Pratchett's "Witches Abroad"). And, apart
from the sheer delight in seeing a favourite playground returned to, these
stories and poems are intriguing for the unexpected - indeed, often
startling - perspectives they bring to bear on the old, familiar material.

Today's poem is one such example - hilarious, yes, but relying for its
humour on a genuine "wow - that's certainly plausible! Why didn't I think of
that?" reaction on the reader's part. Just another of the sparkling little
gems that Silverstein seems to have produced so effortlessly and in such
great quantity - once again, I wish I'd discovered him as a child.

martin

Links:
  I found today's poem in the wonderful collection at
    http://littlecalamity.tripod.com/Poetry/Parodies.html

  Several other poets have enjoyed exploring the canonical folk-universe of
  fairy tales, fables, nursery rhymes, etc. - see, for example, the rather
  Tintinesque duo of Carroll and Carryl:
    [broken link] http://www.cs.rice.edu/~ssiyer/minstrels/index_poet_C.html