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Cinderella Cat (La Gatta Cinderella)

Link to Tale (not the best version but all I could find)

Quick Summary: Zezolla is the only daughter of a widowed prince who married again. The stepmother treated Zezolla badly, and she found comfort in her teacher, Carmosina. Zezolla loved her and told her she would like her as a mother instead. Carmosina suggests Zezolla kills her stepmother by dropping a crate lid on her head and breaking her neck. Then she could become her mother. Zezolla agrees and kills her stepmother, just as Carmosina instructed. Some time later, she suggests to her father the idea of marrying the teacher, and he agrees to please her.

During the wedding celebration, Zezolla is on the balcony when a dove approaches her. She tells the child that if she needs anything, she can ask the dove of the fairies from the island of Sardinia.

For six days Carmosina treats Zezolla lovingly, but on the seventh she reveals that she has six daughters.

From then on she worms the girls into her husband’s heart until he no longer cares for Zezolla. Soon the girl finds herself in rags and living in the kitchen. From then on, everyone called her "Cinderella Cat.”

One day, her Father has to go to the island of Sardinia and asks all seven of his daughters what they desire. All Zezolla asks is that her father go to the fairies and ask them to send her something. However, she warns that should he forget, his ship will not leave the harbor of the island.

Sure enough, he forgets, and his ship is stuck until the captain is visited in his dream by a fairy who tells him the deal. After being reminded of his promise, the Father goes to the fairies where a fairy in the form of a lovely young girl gives him a date tree, a hoe, a watering can of gold and a silk napkin.

The Father is able to return home and Zezolla is delighted with the gifts.

She plants the tree and cares for it until it grows to the size of a woman. From the tree steps a fairy who asks Zezolla her wish. Zezolla states she wishes to be able to leave the house without her sisters knowing. The fairy tells her that whenever she wishes to leave, come to the tree and say a spell.

When “Feast Day” arrived and a grand party was held.

Wishing to attend, Zezolla waits until her family is at the party, then goes to her tree.

After reciting the spell, she is dressed as fine as a Queen and given a horse and pages.

She goes to the celebrations, and the King—no relation to the Prince—is enchanted. He sends a servant to follow her when she leaves, but Zezolla drops gold coins to distract him, much to the anger of the King.

A party is held the next two days and thanks to her tree she is able to attend. The king tries to have her followed and while the servant fails the second time, the third time he is able to catch her golden slipper.

The king, who makes a long, romantic speech, then declares that he will hold a festival and a banquet to which all the women are to come.

At the party, the king tries the shoe on everyone, and his despair grows. He asks if there are any maidens left, and the Prince announces he has a daughter, but she stays to mind the hearth, for she is a “sorry, worthless creature.” The king ordered him to bring her anyway.

He brings her with her stepsisters the next day, and the shoe jumps out of the Prince’s hand and onto her foot. He takes her in his arms and crowns her right away.

The sisters go home in tears and cry to their mother, quietly confessing, “He is mad who would oppose the stars.”

Note: Above was just a quick summary and only covered the basics. I suggest you read the tale I linked before continuing otherwise my thoughts won’t make any sense.

So, how many Cinderella stories can you say Cinderella is a murderer? Yeah, she killed someone. I did not expect that. I think we can all agree that this story has the second most shocking Cinderella opening, that’s for sure. (The first being Saddleslut, imo.)

Aside from that surprising turn, the tale itself is entertaining.

It’s interesting that there was a connection between Zezolla and Carmosina before she married into the family and how they basically plotted together to kill the first stepmother. In all other stories, the Cinderella character is a victim of circumstances. Here, it’s karma for first-degree murder. It’s still tragic as all Cinderella wanted was a mother that loved her, only for it all to be for naught. Not only end up with another stepmother that mistreated her, but she also got six sisters that mistreated her and lost all her fathers affection. All because of an act she was manipulated into when she was a six years old and didn’t know any better.

I have no idea why the dove came to Zezolla, but all in all, I love how it and the fairies were utilized. I like how they forced the Father to keep his word, their gifts, and the date tree, namely how it was used as a door for the fairies, which I thought was an interesting take.

And segwaying to the father, I’m sad that he lost affection for his child, but if he discovered she killed her second wife, I can understand why. It’s interesting to note that he was referred to as “the Prince” in the tale, meaning he might be a Duke.

The King and his servant are just like their counterparts in “The Italian Cinderella,” only I found their interactions more comedic in this version for some odd reason. I thought it was especially silly how he burst into a long poem about how fair the shoe was.

Speaking of which, I love the fact that the shoe jumps onto Zezolla’s foot at the end. It’s a very whimsical touch snd proves to everyone that the shoe is hers.

I found it odd that Zezolla seemed more wary of her stepsisters as opposed to Carmosina, who tricked her into murder. The sisters do nothing in the tale worth mentioning, so it’s weird they get the final line in the tale. It's mentioned they're jealous at the ball, but that’s it. Speaking of the final line, I felt it out of place. The sisters never tried to compete with Zezolla in the story and Zezolla's virtues were never mentioned. So why was that line there?

I also don’t get why this story is called “Cat Cinderella” when the name is brought up once (maybe thrice). It would have been better to call it “Zezolla’s Magical Date Tree,” or something.

All in all, this is a very wild take on the Cinderella story and fun to read. There were a surprising number of twists, and I liked the date tree greatly.

But that’s my take; what’s yours? Do you like this version of the tale or not? And if you know of other versions, please share and help me expand my Cinderella Collection.

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