The Golden Slipper: An Ancient Egyptian Fairy Tale (Once Upon a World) [Library Binding]

Saviour Pirotta (Author), Alan Marks (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 7 and up | Grade Level: 2 and up | Series: Once Upon a World

'The Golden Slipper' is a tale first told in ancient Egypt about a slave girl who marries a pharaoh, just as 'Cinderella' marries a prince, because only her foot will fit into a special slipper.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

This title in the Once upon a World series pairs an Egyptian variation of the Cinderella story with a less detailed version of its European counterpart. The former centers on Rhodopis, a Greek slave girl living in Egypt who is bullied by her fellow slaves and left behind when the pharaoh summons all the young women in the land. But the golden slippers given to her by her kind master catch the eye of a thieving falcon, who drops one of them into the lap of the pharoah. Marks contributes numerous, airy watercolors to Rhodopis’ story, as well as a few sillhouetes in muted colors to the more familiar version. Context for the stories is provided in an introduction and in the book’s end matter, which offers several activities and discussion topics. While Pirotta cites Charles Perrault in discussing Cinderella’s Western characteristics, no sources are provided for the Egyptian version. That omission aside, these serviceably written tales for the early-chapter-book crowd will appeal to Cinderella fans, and offer an intriguing first encounter with comparative literature. Grades 3-5. --Bina Williams

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 7 and up
  
• Library Binding: 48 pages
• Publisher: Sea to Sea Publications (January 2008)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1597710776
• ISBN-13: 978-1597710770
• Product Dimensions: 8.6 x 6.2 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 0.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,113,824 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Saviour Pirotta was born on the island of Malta but emigrated to the UK in his early twenties. He grew up speaking three langauges, English, Maltese and Italian.

Before taking up writing full time, he was a postman, a chef and a storyteller. His retellings of myths, legends and folk tales have been published around the world and translated into twenty three languages to date. He lives in Saltaire, West Yorkshire.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4.0 out of 5 stars "My Wife Shall be the Woman Whose Foot Fits this Slipper...", April 21, 2010

By 

R. M. Fisher "Raye" (New Zealand = Middle Earth!) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Golden Slipper, the (Once Upon a World) (Hardcover)

The "Once Upon a World" series bring together two stories from around the world into one volume; two stories that that are similar in particulars but which originate from different parts of the globe. The first story (always the more oblique one) is given more pages and illustrations, whereas the second story is told in just a couple of pages with simple silhouettes to illustrate it.

In this case "Cinderella" is the chosen theme, and Egyptian legend of "The Golden Slipper" may well be the oldest version of the familiar tale that we have (along with the Chinese version).

Rhodopis is a young Greek dancer who is kidnapped by pirates and taken to Egypt as a slave, and bought by a kindly master called Charaxus. Unfortunately, he is away on business most of the time and Rhodopis is left to the mercy of three other slave girls who are jealous of her favouritism with their master; especially when she is given a pair of golden slippers.

When the Pharoah Amasis the Second (a real historical figure) announces an open court in his palace in the attempt to find a suitable wife, Rhodopis is left behind to dance by herself. The interesting twist in the story beyond the change in setting occurs when one of Rhodopis's golden slippers is snatched by a falcon and dropped on the lap of the Pharoah on his throne. Although Rhodopis never actually makes it to the court, it is the Pharoah that begins the search for the woman who fits the golden slipper.

This is followed by the more familiar Charles Perrault version of the story; as well as an introductory segment and study questions at the back of the book. The illustrations are provided by Alan Marks: evocative watercolours that capture Greek and Egyptian culture, as well as the lovely, lithe Rhodophis who is favourably compared with the heavily made-up slaves girls in their kohl and wigs.

The "Once Upon a World" books are an ingenious way of introducing children to the wide variety of myths and fairytales around the world, and how all of them are intrinsically connected in theme and plot. Be sure to check out the rest in the series.