I looked up the term ‘Cinderella syndrome’ and found a theory from a 1981 book that claims that the Cinderella complex is ‘a fear some women have of being independent that causes an unconscious desire to be taken care of by others.’

I sniff my nose at this idea being applied specifically to Cinderella: the theme of being cared for by someone else is a theme that runs through almost all fairy tales across the world that include a young woman and a wealthy man and a happily ever after.  

Yet, of all the fairy tales, it’s Cinderella’s that raises the most questions for me, money-wise.*

She went from sitting in cinders, ashes and rags to the royal splendour of a palace and I can’t help but wonder – how did she cope?

Did she struggle when food went to waste or if she was served an overly large portion, guilt-stricken by the memories of her former poverty?

Did she miff off the maids when they caught her cleaning her own clothes?

Did she embarrass by insisting that every part of a pumpkin could be used, for curries, casseroles and coaches?

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