When one thinks of "Cinderella," they think of a fairy godmother, pumpkin carriage, and glass slipper. However, these elements mainly come from Charles Perrault's 1697 version, which inspired Disney's 1950 version. Instead, the Grimm Brothers' "Cinderella" ("Aschenputtel" in German) involves a magic tree and a gold, rather than glass, slipper.
Spiritual Elements
The Grimm Brothers' version, first published in 1812, is often dismissed as being "violent" or "gory" (this is, perhaps, why Walt Disney went with Charles Perrault's version). There is definitely some violence: the stepmother cuts off the stepsisters' toes to fit them into the shoe and birds peck out their eyes. However, there is spiritual significance to these events.
The blood in the stepsisters' shoes is the reason the birds send them back home before Cinderella, finally, tries it on herself. The birds here represent guardian angels sent by God to protect the innocent. Plus, the blinding of the stepsisters serves as a punishment for their wickedness, which represents what will happen to nonrepentant sinners during the Final Judgment. Cinderella's marriage to the prince, in contrast, represents her entry into Heaven.
There is more spiritual significance in the Grimm Brothers' "Cinderella." Before her mother dies at the beginning of the story, she commends Cinderella to God; she tells her to "be pious and good, and then the good God will always protect you." Her mother also tells her she will "look down upon you from Heaven" (Grimm 86). That, alongside Cinderella planting the tree on her mother's grave, might imply the white birds represent her mother. This seems pagan, but the birds could also have been sent from God.
The Deal with Perrault's/Disney's Versions
Charles Perrault's (and Disney's) "Cinderella" also has spiritual elements; she endures the abuse in her household until her fairy godmother (implacably an angel from God) rewards her. It is unfortunate, though, that Perrault's Cinderella is more passive than other versions of the character: putting up with abuse. Disney's version makes it worse; while Perrault's version actually involves two balls and then a few days before marriage, Disney's Cinderella dances with the prince at one ball before marrying him.
I agree that Perrault and Disney's Cinderella serves as an outstanding model for optimistic faith. However, I do not believe faith alone will make dreams come true. The book of James in the English Standard Version of the Holy Bible makes it clear: "So as faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead" (James 2:17). This being said, while having faith is important, it is also important to turn it into action.
Of course, fans of Disney's Cinderella have other reasons for defense; they might say it is not known whether she waited a few days or married the prince shortly after trying on the glass slipper. An older child, teenager, or adult might assume that, but children under six (a lot of whom watch such movies on repeat) do not understand that other actions have taken place during a transition between scenes. The animated film does not even mention how much time passed between Cinderella trying on the slipper and her marriage to the prince. Hence, a young child sees Cinderella marry a man she just met.
For this reason, I believe fairy tales are better introduced in literary form; while moving visuals can confuse them, the spoken words allow young children to imagine the story. There is more room for content discussion (if an adult reads it) and less for overstimulation.
The Grimm Brothers' "Cinderella" makes a great read-aloud choice; it has a lot of positive aspects, besides the spiritual aspects mentioned above, that parents can point out.
Cinderella's Agency
The main reason I prefer the Grimm Brothers' "Cinderella" over Charles Perrault's or Disney's is the agency they gave to Cinderella.
First, when Cinderella's father offers to bring gifts for his daughters, he includes Cinderella in the discussion. She requests the first branch that knocks against his hat. Cinderella gets what she asked for, and the tree paves the way for more agency.
A white bird regularly visits the tree; if Cinderella asks for something, she gets it. The bird represents God answering her prayers; Jesus says in Matthew 6:27, "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you" (Holy Bible, English Standard Version). Because she asks the bird, Cinderella receives dresses for all three balls.
Not only does Cinderella ask for dresses, but she also gets to and from the ball on her own; she has no need for a pumpkin carriage. There is not even a midnight curfew; Cinderella leaves each ball whenever she feels like it (an emergence of adult freedom).
Even before the first ball, Cinderella actively calls on the birds to help her sort out the lentils. It might seem as if she's worshipping the birds, but, as stated, they also represent God's angels. As with even the mice in Disney's version, the birds' service also sends a message about the importance of friendship. Cinderella's relationships with the birds also implies harmony between humankind and nature.
Cinderella's agency stops there, but she has much more of it than her Perrault and Disney counterparts. Female agency appeals to secular and religious readers alike.
Conclusion
People may commonly associate the "Cinderella" story with a passive princess, but reading the Grimm Brothers' version might change their perspective. I have only seen a few picture books based on the Grimm Brothers' tale in children's libraries, and want to see more in the future. With more parents seeking positive role models for their young girls, there is hope for the tale's increasing popularity.
However, you do not need a picture book to check out the underrated version. If you are interested, you can read the story here. If you are interested in a film adaptation, a few are free to watch on YouTube, including the 2010 German film.
Works Cited:
Grimm, Jacob and Grimm, Wilhelm. "Cinderella." Grimm's Fairy Tales, edited by Elizabeth Dalton, Barnes and Noble Classics, 2003, pp. 86-93.
Holy Bible. English Standard Version, Crossway, 2016.
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