Popularly known through the1950 Disney film of the same name, Cinderella has become a childhood classic all over the world. But different versions of her story can be traced all the way from Asia to Africa and beyond. These variants provide a snapshot of the history and cultures from which they emerge, providing clues to the tale’s longevity. In this episode Sandra Kanthal asks: Why is Cinderella such a popular story to tell.

Guests: Gessica Martini – PhD Student, Durham University Juwen Zhang – Professor of Chinese, Willamette University Rym Tina Ghazal – Author and Journalist Ousseina Alidou – Professor of African Languages and Literatures, Rutgers University Dee Dee Chainey – Author and Co-founder of Folklore Thursday

Editor: Richard Knight Producer: Tural Ahmedzade

Photo: Cinderella About to Try on the Glass Slipper by Richard Redgrave Credit: Historical Picture Archive/Corbis via Getty Images