Ranger Steve:

Somewhat debunked at This Site
One reads on occasion that the slipper was mis-translated from Charles Perrault's original tale which formed part of his Mother Goose tales. (Contes de ma mere l'oye -1697). But Perrault writes clearly of a pantoufle de verre (glass slipper). So it appears that Perrault knew of what he wrote: Glass (verre) not fur (vair).

Rawson in his book Devious Derivations says that the word, vair, was not used when Perrault was spinning tales. So, he says, it is doubtful that it was a mis-translation from some oral account of the story. Which doesn't mean that Perrault didn't know of the fur connection. If he did he was having a grand time playing a word game.

CHEERS

Nigel