Shoe symbolism

What is it with shoes and fairy tales? shoes and folklore? I read somewhere that the Cinderella story originally came from China, which makes sense since they still bind their feet over there. Apparently small feet are desirable on women. Or a good woman must have small feet. Which ever came first. Cinderella’s step sisters had feet too big. I also read somewhere that a woman’s shoe is symbolic of sex. The argument is that it a shoe looks like a vagina, so portraying a shoe would be a discreet way of portraying female sexuality. Whether sexual or not, there is definitely an obsession with shoes in fairy tales and I’d like to learn more about it. Anyone know anything?.