Bippity, Boppity, Boo

Photo by The Curated Feast

Have you ever wondered why it was a pumpkin stagecoach that Cinderella used to go to the ball? 🔮

Sure, the visual of the pumpkin sounds appealing and it's clever, but this plot element was not included until the 1697 version of the tale. That version, by French author Charles Perrault, remains most closely linked to our contemporary ideas of Cinderella.👠👗💍

But in Perrault's version, he embellished on a story much deeper in its origins. In fact, it is an archetypal tale, embodying the long-storied themes of unjust oppression and triumphant reward. In the thousands of versions of "Cinderella stories", cultures have adapted this persecuted heroine as their own. 🙍🏼💁🏼

But what was the pumpkin doing in 17th century France?🎃 It had arrived from the New World not long before, and was considered poor man's fare. The earliest European recipes for pumpkin pie were also from the 1600s, around when Perrault wrote his version, but they were not given much culinary praise.

So why did the pumpkin, above all other plot elements, persist to today? One modern author imagines that symbolically, the pumpkin represents "feminine containment, the moon, witches, and a charm against evil spirits."😈

🎃 Also, happy pumpkin spice latte time! Enjoy this tale next time you sip. ☕️