PAPALLUGA;[1](#xd31e473) or, the GOLDEN SLIPPER
by Unknown · from Serbian Fairy Tales
 or, the GOLDEN SLIPPER](/library-files/english/unknown/serbian_fairy_tales/papalluga_1_xd31e473_or_the_golden_slipper/images/cover/cover_001.png?v=1773763950524)
Adapted Version
Once, there was a kind girl. She lived in a small village. An Old Man came to the girls. He had a long white beard. "Be safe!" he said. "Do not drop your spindle!"
But the girl dropped her spindle. It fell down, down, down. Her mother turned into a cow. The girl was very sad.
Her father married a new woman. The stepmom was not kind. She had a daughter too. The stepmom made the girl work very hard. She called the girl "Palla."
The stepmom gave Palla too much work. "Spin all this!" she said. Palla was sad. But the Magic Cow helped her. The cow ate the thread. Good thread came out. The work was done!
But stepsis saw them. She ran home. "Mom! The cow helps Palla!"
The stepmom wanted the cow to go away. The Magic Cow was sad. She gave Palla a special flower. "Bury this behind the house," she said. "Need help? Come here." Magic Cow went away.
Palla buried the flower. She was very sad. Very sad. But she thought of her mother's words.
One day, the stepmom went to church. "Clean all this!" she told Palla. She threw seeds on the floor. "Make dinner too!" It was too much work.
Palla ran to the special spot. A big box was there! Two Doves sat on top. "Put on these clothes," they said. "Go to church. We will help." Palla put on silk clothes. She was so pretty!
At church, all looked at her. The Prince saw her. "Who is she?" he said. But Palla ran away fast.
The stepmom came home. The house was clean! Dinner was ready! She was very surprised.
Next Sunday, it happened again. Palla wore silver clothes. The Prince looked and looked. ""I must find her!" She ran again."
On the third Sunday, Palla wore golden clothes. She was so pretty! The Prince followed her. But she ran too fast. One golden slipper fell off her foot. The Prince picked it up.
"I will find this girl," the Prince said. He went to each house. He tried the slipper on each girl. But it did not fit anyone.
Then he came to Palla's house. The stepmom hid Palla. "Try my daughter!" she said. But the slipper did not fit stepsis.
"Is there a new girl here?" the Prince asked. "No!" said the stepmom. But a Rooster jumped up. "Cock-a-doodle-doo! Palla is under the wash-trough!"
The Prince looked. There was Palla! She wore her golden clothes. She had one slipper on. Prince put slipper on her foot. It fit! It was perfect!
The Prince took Palla to his palace. They got married. Palla was happy. So very happy.
Goodness and kindness always win.
Original Story
PAPALLUGA;1 OR, THE GOLDEN SLIPPER
As some village girls were spinning whilst they tended the cattle grazing in the neighbourhood of a ravine, an old man with a long white beard—so long a beard that it reached to his girdle—approached them, and said, “Girls, girls, take care of that ravine. If one of you should drop her spindle down the cliff, her mother will be turned into a cow that very moment.”
Having warned them thus, the old man went away again. The girls, wondering very much at what he had told them, came nearer and nearer to the ravine, and leant over to look in; whilst doing so one of the girls—and she the most beautiful of them all—let her spindle fall from her hand, and it fell to the bottom of the ravine.
When she went home in the evening she found her mother, changed into a cow, standing before the house; and from that time forth she had to drive this cow to the pasture with the other cattle.
In a little time the father of the girl married a widow, who brought with her into the house her own daughter. The stepmother immediately began to hate the stepdaughter, because the girl was incomparably more beautiful than her own daughter. She forbade her to wash herself, to comb her hair, or to change her clothes, and sought by every possible way to torment and scold her. One day she gave her a bag full of hemp, and said, “If you do not spin all this well and wind it, you need not return home, for if you do I shall kill you.”
The poor girl walked behind the cattle and spun as fast as possible; but at mid-day, seeing how very little she had been able to spin, she began to weep. When the cow, her mother, saw her weeping she asked her what was the matter, and the girl told her all about it. Then the cow consoled her, and told her not to be anxious. “I will take the hemp in my mouth and chew it,” she said, “and it will come out of my ear as thread, so that you can draw it out and wind it at once upon the stick”; and so it happened. The cow began to chew the hemp and the girl drew the thread from her ear and wound it, so that very soon they had quite finished the task.
When the girl went home in the evening, and took all the hemp, worked up, to her stepmother, she was greatly astonished, and next morning gave her yet more hemp to spin and wind. When at night she brought that home ready the stepmother thought she must be helped by some other girls, her friends; therefore the third day she gave her much more hemp than before. But when the girl had gone with the cow to the pasture, the woman sent her own daughter after her to find out who was helping her. This girl went quietly towards her stepsister so as not to be heard, and saw the cow chewing the hemp and the girl drawing the thread from her ear and winding it, so she hastened home and told all to her mother. Then the stepmother urged the husband to kill the cow. At first he resisted; but, seeing his wife would give him no peace, he at last consented to do as she wished, and fixed the day on which he would kill it. As soon as the stepdaughter heard this she began to weep, and when the cow asked her why she wept she told her all about it. But the cow said, “Be quiet; do not cry. Only when they kill me take care not to eat any of the meat, and be sure to gather all my bones and bury them behind the house, and whenever you need anything come to my grave and you will find help.” So when they killed the cow the girl refused to eat any of the flesh, saying she was not hungry, and afterwards carefully gathered all the bones and buried them behind the house, on the spot the cow had told her.
The real name of this girl was Mary, but as she had worked so much in the house, carrying water, cooking, washing dishes, sweeping the house, and doing all sorts of housework, and had very much to do about the fire and cinders, her stepmother and half-sister called her “Papalluga” (Cinderella).
One day the stepmother got ready to go with her own daughter to church, but before she went she spread over the house a basketful of millet, and said to her stepdaughter, “You Papalluga! If you do not gather up all this millet and get the dinner ready before we come back from church, I will kill you.”
When they had gone to church the poor girl began to weep, saying to herself: “It is easy to see after the dinner; I shall soon have that ready; but who can gather up all this quantity of millet!” At that moment she remembered what the cow had told her, that in case of need she should go to her grave and would there find help, so she ran quickly to the spot, and what do you think she saw there? On the grave stood a large box full of valuable clothes of different kinds, and on the top of the box sat two white doves, who said, “Mary, take out of this box the clothes which you like best and put them on, and then go to church; meanwhile we will pick up the millet seeds and put everything in order.” The girl was greatly pleased, and took the first clothes which came to hand. These were all of silk, and, having put them on, she went away to church. In the church everyone, men and women, wondered much at her beauty and her splendid clothes, but no one knew who she was or whence she came. The king’s son, who happened to be there, looked at her all the time and admired her greatly. Before the service was ended she stood up and quietly left the church. She then ran away home, and as soon as she got there took off her fine clothes and again laid them in the box, which instantly shut itself and disappeared.
“On the grave stood a large box of valuable clothes of different kinds”
Then she hurried to the hearth and found the dinner quite ready, all the millet gathered up, and everything in very good order. Soon after the stepmother came back with her daughter from the church, and was extremely surprised to find all the millet picked up and everything so well arranged.
Next Sunday the stepmother and her daughter again dressed themselves to go to church, and, before she went away, the stepmother threw much more millet about the floor, and said to her stepdaughter, “If you do not gather up all this millet, prepare the dinner, and get everything into the best order, I shall kill you.” When they were gone the girl instantly ran to her mother’s grave, and there found the box open as before, with the two doves sitting on its lid. The doves said to her, “Dress yourself, Mary, and go to church; we will pick up all the millet and arrange everything.” Then she took from the box silver clothes, and, having dressed herself, went to church. In the church everyone, as before, admired her very much, and the king’s son never moved his eyes from her. Just before the end of the service the girl again got up very quietly and stole through the crowd. When she got out of church she ran away very quickly, took off the clothes, laid them in the box, and went into the kitchen. When the stepmother and her daughter came home they were more surprised than before; the millet was gathered up, dinner was ready, and everything in the very best order. They wondered very much how it was all done.
On the third Sunday the stepmother dressed herself to go with her daughter to church, and again scattered millet about on the ground, but this time far more than on the other Sundays. Before she went out she said to her stepdaughter, “If you do not gather up all this millet, prepare the dinner, and have everything in order when I come from church, I will kill you.” The instant they were gone the girl ran to her mother’s grave and found the box open with the two white doves sitting on the lid. The doves told her to dress herself and go to church and to have no care about the millet or dinner.
This time she took clothes all of real gold out of the box, and, having put them on, went away to the church. In the church all the people looked at her and admired her exceedingly. Now the king’s son had resolved not to let her slip away as before, but to watch where she went. So, when the service was nearly ended, and she stood up to leave the church, the king’s son followed her, but was not able to reach her. In pushing through the crowd, however, Mary somehow in her hurry lost the slipper from her right foot and had no time to look for it. This slipper the king’s son found, and took care of it. When the girl got home she took off the golden clothes and laid them in the box, and went immediately to the fire in the kitchen.
The king’s son, having determined to find the maiden, went all over the kingdom, and tried the slipper on every girl, but in some cases it was too long, in others too short, and, in fact, it did not fit any of them. As he was thus going about from one house to the other, the king’s son came at last to the house of the girl’s father, and the stepmother, seeing the king’s son coming, hid her stepdaughter in a wash-trough before the house. When the king’s son came in with the slipper and asked if there were any girl in the house, the woman answered, “Yes,” and brought out her own daughter. But when the slipper was tried it was found it would not go even over the girl’s toes. Then the king’s son asked if no other girl was there, and the stepmother said, “No, there is no other in the house.” At that moment the cock sprung upon the wash-trough and crowed out “Cock-a-doodle-do!—here she is under the wash-trough!”
The stepmother shouted “Go away! may the eagle fly away with you!” But the king’s son, hearing that, hurried to the wash-trough, and lifted it up, and what did he see there! The same girl who had been in the church, in the same golden clothes in which she had appeared the third time there, but lying under the trough, and with only one slipper on. When the king’s son saw her he nearly lost his senses for the moment, he was so very glad. Then he quickly tried to place the slipper he carried on her right foot, and it fitted her exactly, besides perfectly matching with the other slipper on her left foot. Then he took her away with him to his palace and married her.
Story DNA
Moral
Goodness and kindness will eventually be rewarded, even in the face of cruelty and adversity.
Plot Summary
A girl's mother is magically turned into a cow, and her father remarries a cruel stepmother who abuses the girl, named Papalluga. The cow-mother secretly helps Papalluga with impossible chores until the stepmother forces its death, but the cow instructs Papalluga to bury her bones for future aid. Using the magical grave, Papalluga secretly attends church three times in increasingly splendid clothes, captivating the king's son, but loses a golden slipper while fleeing. The king's son uses the slipper to find her, despite her stepmother's attempts to hide her, and they marry, ending Papalluga's suffering.
Themes
Emotional Arc
suffering to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
This story is a variant of the 'Cinderella' archetype, found in many cultures, often reflecting common social structures and family dynamics of pre-industrial societies.
Plot Beats (17)
- Village girls are warned by an old man that if a spindle falls into a ravine, their mother will turn into a cow.
- One beautiful girl drops her spindle, and her mother transforms into a cow.
- The girl's father remarries a cruel widow with a daughter, who abuses the girl and renames her Papalluga.
- The stepmother gives Papalluga impossible spinning tasks, but the cow-mother magically helps her complete them.
- The stepmother's daughter spies on Papalluga and the cow, revealing the secret.
- The stepmother insists the father kill the cow; the cow tells Papalluga to bury her bones and seek help there.
- Papalluga buries the cow's bones and refuses to eat its meat.
- The stepmother gives Papalluga an impossible task of gathering millet and preparing dinner while she and her daughter go to church.
- Papalluga goes to the grave, where two doves and a box of silk clothes appear; the doves clean the house while she attends church.
- At church, Papalluga's beauty and clothes are admired, especially by the king's son, but she leaves before the service ends.
- The stepmother is surprised to find all tasks completed upon her return.
- The same scenario repeats on a second Sunday with silver clothes, and the king's son is even more captivated.
- On the third Sunday, Papalluga wears golden clothes, and the king's son follows her, but she loses a golden slipper in her haste to escape.
- The king's son takes the slipper and searches the kingdom for the maiden it fits.
- He arrives at Papalluga's house; the stepmother hides Papalluga and presents her own daughter, but the slipper doesn't fit.
- A cock reveals Papalluga's hiding place under a wash-trough, where she is found in her golden clothes with one slipper.
- The king's son tries the slipper, it fits perfectly, and he takes her to his palace to marry her.
Characters
Mary (Papalluga)
Slender and graceful, with a delicate build. Despite her hard work, she maintains a natural beauty that shines through her neglected state. Her movements are quick and efficient from years of housework.
Attire: Initially, she wears simple, worn peasant clothes, likely a coarse linen shift and skirt, perhaps a dark, practical color, always covered in cinders and dust. When she goes to church, she wears three distinct outfits: first, a silk dress, likely in a rich, flowing style with subtle embroidery; second, a silver dress, shimmering and elegant; and third, a magnificent golden dress, radiant and eye-catching, possibly adorned with intricate patterns or jewels, reflecting a royal aesthetic of the region.
Wants: To survive her stepmother's cruelty, to honor her mother's memory, and to find a moment of peace or escape.
Flaw: Her passive nature and initial inability to stand up to her stepmother directly. Her deep sorrow can overwhelm her.
Transforms from a downtrodden, weeping servant into a radiant princess, finding love and escaping her cruel life through her mother's magical aid and her own inherent worth.
Kind, obedient, resilient, resourceful, and deeply sorrowful. She endures hardship without complaint but is quick to weep when overwhelmed.
The Stepmother
Likely a woman of average height and build, but with a stern and unyielding presence. Her features would be sharp, reflecting her harsh personality. She might carry herself with an air of self-importance.
Attire: Practical, respectable, but not luxurious village attire. Perhaps a dark wool skirt, a plain linen blouse, and a tightly tied apron. Her clothes would be neat and well-maintained, contrasting with Mary's neglected state.
Wants: To elevate her own daughter and diminish Mary, driven by envy and a desire for social standing.
Flaw: Her overwhelming jealousy and short-sighted cruelty, which ultimately lead to her downfall.
Remains static in her cruelty, never learning or changing, ultimately being outsmarted and losing her position.
Cruel, jealous, demanding, manipulative, and relentless. She harbors deep resentment towards Mary's beauty.
The King's Son
A handsome young man, befitting a prince, with a noble bearing. He would be well-groomed and possess an athletic but refined physique.
Attire: Rich, formal attire suitable for a prince attending church. This would include fine fabrics like velvet or silk, possibly in deep blues, reds, or greens, with subtle embroidery or gold accents. He would wear a tunic or doublet over breeches, with polished boots.
Wants: To find the mysterious, beautiful maiden who captured his heart at church.
Flaw: His initial inability to keep track of Mary, allowing her to slip away twice.
From an admiring observer to a determined suitor, successfully finding his true love.
Observant, determined, persistent, and captivated by beauty. He is not easily deterred from his goals.
The Cow (Mary's Mother)
A large, gentle cow, likely a common breed found in Serbian villages, perhaps with a brown and white or solid brown coat. Her eyes are kind and intelligent, reflecting her human consciousness.
Attire: None, as she is a cow.
Wants: To protect and aid her daughter, Mary, from the stepmother's cruelty.
Flaw: Her physical vulnerability as an animal, making her susceptible to being killed.
Transforms from human to cow, then provides magical aid even after her physical death, becoming a spiritual guide.
Loving, protective, wise, and magical. She retains her maternal instincts despite her transformation.
The Old Man with a Long White Beard
A very old man, likely thin and stooped with age. His most striking feature is his exceptionally long, white beard.
Attire: Simple, rustic clothing befitting an old man in a village, perhaps a coarse tunic and trousers, in muted earth tones. He carries no obvious possessions.
Wants: To warn the girls about the ravine's magical danger.
Flaw: Not applicable, as he is a magical catalyst.
Appears, delivers his warning, and disappears, serving as a catalyst for the story's main conflict.
Mysterious, prophetic, and cautionary. He delivers his warning with gravity.
The Half-Sister
Described as less beautiful than Mary, suggesting she might be plain or have less refined features. Her build would be average.
Attire: Similar to her mother's, but perhaps slightly more embellished, reflecting her favored status. Practical village dresses, but cleaner and newer than Mary's work clothes.
Wants: To please her mother and maintain her favored position.
Flaw: Her jealousy and lack of independent thought, making her a tool for her mother's cruelty.
Remains static, serving as an extension of her mother's cruelty.
Envious, obedient to her mother, and a tattletale. She lacks independent thought and is driven by her mother's agenda.
The Cock
A vibrant, proud rooster with bright, colorful plumage, likely red, green, and gold feathers, and a prominent red comb and wattles.
Attire: None, as he is an animal.
Wants: To reveal the truth about Mary's hiding place.
Flaw: None apparent.
Appears to deliver a crucial piece of information, acting as a magical helper.
Observant, courageous, and a truth-teller. He is not intimidated by the Stepmother.
The Two White Doves
Two identical, pristine white doves, graceful and ethereal in appearance.
Attire: None, as they are birds.
Wants: To assist Mary, likely acting on behalf of her deceased mother.
Flaw: None apparent.
Appear as needed to provide magical assistance to Mary.
Helpful, magical, and comforting. They act as guardians and facilitators.
Locations
Ravine near the village pasture
A deep, dangerous cliff edge adjacent to open grazing lands where village cattle are tended. The ground is likely uneven and potentially rocky near the drop-off.
Mood: Initially peaceful, then tense and foreboding due to the old man's warning and the subsequent accident.
The fateful moment when the most beautiful girl drops her spindle, triggering her mother's transformation into a cow.
Mary's humble village house
A modest, likely single-story dwelling typical of a Serbian village, possibly with a thatched or tiled roof, and simple wooden or plastered walls. The interior features a hearth for cooking and warmth, and a general sense of neglect and disarray due to the stepmother's cruelty. The exterior has a small yard or area behind the house.
Mood: Oppressive, sorrowful, and filled with drudgery for Mary; later, a place of miraculous transformation and order.
Mary's daily torment, her transformation into 'Papalluga', and the hiding place where the king's son eventually finds her.
Mother's grave behind the house
A simple burial spot located directly behind Mary's house, likely marked by a small mound of earth. It serves as a magical portal or source of aid for Mary.
Mood: Mysterious, hopeful, and magical, a sanctuary from her daily suffering.
Mary receives her magical gowns and assistance with her impossible tasks, allowing her to attend church.
The King's Church
A grand and ornate church, likely of Byzantine or Orthodox architectural style, with high ceilings, possibly frescoes or mosaics, and rich decorations. It is filled with a congregation of villagers and nobility.
Mood: Reverent and awe-struck, becoming a place of wonder and admiration as Mary appears in her splendid gowns.
Mary's three appearances, each more splendid than the last, culminating in her losing the golden slipper and catching the king's son's attention.