Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China

Sometimes fairy tales can be strange, and they’re not always easy to read aloud. Take the Cinderella tale ofYeh-Shen, for example. In it you’ll find a chief with two wives, several untimely deaths, and magical fish bones. So…not your average modern-day story.

As adults, we may worry our kids will find these tales too weird and scary. In our experience, though, this doesn’t tend to happen. We’re the ones squirming in our seats as we read, while the kids hardly bat an eye.

But we don’t just think fairy tales are fine to read to kids. We actually believe they are important to share with your children because they give us glimpses of greater things. (The real ones, that is…not modernized re-tellings.)

This ancient version of Cinderella retold by Ai-Ling Louie actually predates the oldest known European version of the classic tale. Kids who are familiar with the European tale will recognize many familiar story elements. (Magical fish bones aside.) It’s fun to compare versions!

Recommended Age: 5+

Leslie Says: