024. Cinderella

Marcus Speh's collaboration with his daughter has led to some deft myth-making in the retelling of fairy stories, and I picked his Day 13 post as today's inspiration; cheating slightly again by drawing on a Fairy Tale collection I did in 2010. Perhaps that is part of being a magpie, getting the shiny things out of the cupboard and looking at them again, maybe in a new light, maybe displaying them for new friends to see.

In the old days, they wanted me to make then look rich and pretty so they could catch the eye of someone rich, naive and influential. Simpler times, blonde ambition reached no further than catching their prince and having their dream day in the whitest frilliest of dresses with the envious crowds looking on.

It's easier for them now of course, the thirst for fame is as strong, if not stronger than the hunger for a fairytale wedding. Easier for me too, even those that still believe in me I send away from my door. 

I am getting too old to be moved by all of those bright eager faces, and besides the fad these days is for self-belief, not belief in magic. If they don't have that in spades the reality shows will grind them up anyway, just as surely as the days of domestic boredom drove the Cinderellas to become manipulative politicking courtiers.

Now, where's an old woman to get a nice cup of tea from? I call out to Charlotte, still as ugly as ever, to bring me refreshments and hand me the remote control. Britain's Got Talent is just starting...