This week, on the Myths and Legends podcast, we're telling a Cinderella story from Chinese folklore,

and you'll see how cow vomit can help you stay organized.

And just how many seconds you should wait before proposing marriage to a stranger.

Then, on the creature of the week, we'll meet a creature who will sneak into your house at night,

shave your beard, and give your children dreadlocks.

This is the Myths and Legends podcast, Episode 42. You only live Thrice.

This is a podcast where I tell stories from folklore. Some are incredibly popular stories you think

you know, but with surprising origins, like today's story. Other stories you probably haven't

heard, but really should. The Cinderella story is a well-known one.

A girl is stuck with a cruel and abusive stepmother. She's not allowed to go to the ball,

and so help comes in the form of supernatural aid for her to go to the ball,

lose a shoe, and find love in the form of a prince.

You know the story. There are a lot of variations on the story, though. Today, I'm going to be

tying some Chinese variations. In fact, the story of Yi Qian might be the earliest written version

of the Cinderella story, predating written western versions by 1000 years. There's no telling

how much the story influenced the western versions, but as you'll see, there are some very clear

parallels. That will be the much shorter second story I'll tell today. The first story will be

yet another Chinese variation of Cinderella. I haven't been able to date this one reliably,

but a lot of elements seem very middle ages to me. It's the story of Beauty and Pockface.

There was a beautiful, yet persecutive young woman, a rich merchant who married when he was younger,

had a daughter, and then tragically lost his wife. He called this first daughter Beauty,

and right off the bat, the name Beauty is fairly common in folklore, so you should not think of

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