Cinderella on the Palace Staircase coloring page

About this coloring page

Cinderella on the stairs, racing the clock at midnight, is one of the best known moments in any fairy tale. Stories about a mistreated girl who makes it to the royal ball turn up in cultures all over the world, but the version most Americans know traces back to Charles Perrault, who published it in France in the late 1600s.

Perrault gave the story many of the details we now take for granted: the fairy godmother, the pumpkin that becomes a coach, mice turned into horses, the midnight deadline and the glass slipper. The Brothers Grimm told a much darker version with no fairy godmother and a far less forgiving ending for the stepsisters.

Disney released its animated Cinderella in 1950, drawing mostly on Perrault. It was a huge hit and gave the studio a much needed boost after some tough years. Jaq and Gus the mice, Lucifer the cat and the fairy godmother's magic song all became instant favorites.

Cinderella still stands for hope. Her story is a reminder that kindness and patience can pay off, and that luck can turn around when you least expect it.

• cinderella
• disney princess
• castle
• fairy tales
• pumpkin coach