Cinderella
Okay, I'll admit it. I love Cinderella. What little girl doesn't empathize with her on cleaning day? At least, I did. I may still, if I hadn't read the Grimm version of the fairy tale.
The mother dies, telling the daughter to "remain pious and good."
Apparently, the husband made no such promise, as he let himself be blinded by beauty and remarries: an unkind woman with unkind daughters. The daughters give "Cinderella" her name (hey--at least someone gave her one!), and decide she's their personal slave. The father does nothing.
Let me repeat that. The father does nothing.
The father goes to town, and asks what the girls want.
Step Sisters: Dresses! Pearls! Jewels!
Cinderella: A stick.
He brings what they request.
Step Sisters: Dresses! Pearls! Jewels!
Cinderella: A stick.
He brings what they request.
Wait. A stick? He couldn't add a surprise necklace so the gifts wouldn't seem quite so unbalanced?
Cinderella plants the stick, and it becomes a tree.
That's not how trees work...
There is a ball, and Cinderella is told she can go if she picks the lentils out of the ash.
Okay, who put beans in the fireplace? Oh, yeah. The step mother did. Why does she care?
Cinderella completes the task, but still isn't allowed to go. She does anyway.
What happened to being pious and good? Not saying the step mother was being fair, but...
The tree (or a bird in it) gives her a dress for each of the three balls.
I may need to start planting some sticks...
No one recognizes her.
No one.
I'm seriously questioning this father.
I'm seriously questioning this father.
The prince paints the steps with pitch, and Cinderella loses a shoe.
At least it makes more sense than the "Oops, my perfectly fitting shoe randomly came off" version.
[Insert some less than delightful scenes with step sisters and feet.]
Um...enough said.
Cinderella's foot fits. They're married. Oh, and the step sisters are blinded.
Ick.
I suppose being beautiful and good at dancing is enough for a spouse.
Of course, it could be said that Austen was being sarcastic...
I suppose being beautiful and good at dancing is enough for a spouse.
"To be fond of dancing was a certain step towards falling in love."
- Pride and Prejudice
Of course, it could be said that Austen was being sarcastic...
What fairy tales make you giggle?
Well done once again Jansina!!!! Yes, I once watched the Grimm's version in fairy tale format...needless to say I should have stuck to the Disney version or just read the Grimm one. I mean seriously!!!! What the sisters did to their feet...and the creepy doves cooing "There is blood in the shoe"...yeah it was weird. However I need to go plant me some sticks...
ReplyDeleteThank you! Ohh... that is not something I would want to see. Uffda!
ReplyDeleteHehe, yes. :)
You forgot to specify where she planted the stick. It wouldn't have grown if hadn't been planted on her mother's grave!
ReplyDeleteI actually separate this from the better-known version of Cinderella by its other name "Achenputtal" (or something like that.
Those Grimm brothers liked to be a bit ... shall we say, grim?
Ah, I'm sorry it took me so long to respond to you, Kendra!
ReplyDeleteOhh...I suppose that makes some sense. In a fairy tale sort of way. :)
I don't think I've read that one...I'll have to look it up. I like All Fur (Allerleirauh) best...it's not Cinderella, but there are similar elements so I connect the two in my mind.
Hehe...yes.
Achenputtal is the Cinderella variant where she has a tree on her mother's grave rather than a fairy godmother.
ReplyDeleteOh, yes, Allerleirauh is fun too! (Although my personal favorite of that variant is Katie Woodengown. It skips the balls - he keeps meeting her at church instead!)