Another Cinderella Story

Within society, as well as the pages of every novel, we find diversity amongst books. This diversity is not categorized by one's beliefs or geographical background, but by the story's plot, its characters, and their actions. Some stories feature mystical creatures such as fairies, elves, mermaids, and giants. Others, with omnipotent and omniscient beings with extraordinary gifts given or stolen from those who are just men of mediocre like you and me. And, some ... fabricated from the mind of adults which are told to their children in hopes that their grandchildren will too share this tale amongst their offspring. Although many legends and myths are told throughout the world in order to teach us about our culture, and its customs, one tale (which has over 700 different versions) tells us more about our way of life as well as to why we have mannerism and religious exercises. That tale is Cinderella, and its versions: Oochigeaskw (The Rough Faced Girl), "When the Clock Strikes Twelve," and "Seven Foals."

Oochigeaskw
"Oochigeaskw" is a Native American narrative passed down by the Algonquians. The whole time, Oochigeaskw is treated cruelly by her eldest sister as she burns her with cinders and the prince is visible only to his sister, so when she brought a bride over for him, she asked them two things: Whether they saw his bow string and his sled's rope. Yet, when answered wrong, she'd take them to see him as a way to test their honesty and validity. However, it was to no avail. So when Oochigeaskw, The Scared One, decides to meet with him for the first time, she makes all her clothing from wood and places on her father's shoes and continues on her mission, to see the Invisible One even though the people laughed at her. And in the end, both the sister and her brother kindly accepted her into their family as she accepted him and her choice.

The Algonquin's story of Cinderella contains the ideals of perseverance, misjudgment by appearances, kindness, and independency throughout the whole story. Perseverance as well as independency is displayed when Oochigeaskw makes the wooden dress and other ornaments for her gown by herself and goes to the Sister's household where the Invisible One lives regardless of the peoples' jeering and her oldest stepsister's abuse. Kindness is shown when the sister of the prince lets her in whilst ignoring her wounds. And, the classical quote, "Beauty is within the Eye of the Beholder" is made known through the accepting of her as a wife by the prince whom was later revealed as the Milky Way and Rainbow. The Rough Faced Girl is a good short story for those to learn about individuality which one of many societal codes we follow as a community.

When the Clock Strikes Twelve
Besides the Native American story of Cinderella, Tanith Lee offers to us another version of Cinderella's outcome in a darker, mystical, and spiritual perspective called "When the Clock Strikes Twelve." In this story (that takes place prior to the plague of 1400s), there is a clock with figures symbolizing time's interval. From realistic to magical, yet the strangest of all these resemblances is the twelfth hour, death. As the tale begins, a duke works to dethrone those of another noble family, he misses Cinderella and her mother. Her new father, whom depicts another religious sect, Catholicism, accepts both her and his new wife. Whilst making voodoo dolls and sacrifices to their lord, they manage to sicken the king. And after her mother's death, Cinderella works to end both the life of the prince and the king through the practice of Satanism and a curse. In the end, the prince falls prey to insanity and dies and Cinderella disappears.

Inside this tale are the morals of injustice, good karma against bad, and the strength of women. For unfairness, there are constant preparation and attacks against the king for his deceit and mass murders of her family. The influence of women is portrayed as Cinderella's physical power and beauty alter into something more elegant and dominant due to her mother's teachings and love for her safety. Karma is shown by how the king dies: experiencing the same horrible pains as the ones he caused the rivaling factions to suffer as he sought to destroy eliminate all of them from his palace. When The Clock Strikes delivers great themes for women of all ages, yet how it pertains to our time will soon be revealed.

Seven Foals
Like the Algonquians and Tanith Lee, Andrew Lang also produced a tale similar to Cinderella. Yet, similar to Tanith Lee, the author changes the main character's appearance. To Tanith Lee, Cinderella was a heroine and was best seen as a magic user working to defy the duke's plan to assassinate her. While for Andrew Lang, the literary critic and Scottish journalist, his hero is best signified as a male in order to suggest role modeling for youngsters.

In the story, Boots, our protagonist along with his older brothers are searching for a job to his liking; they each individually meet the king and are favored to tell him of the seven sheep's meal. The two eldest fail once the elderly lady delays them from their work, and Boots succeeds by informing the King of their food and drink and their true identity (7 princes). To Andrew Lang, the morals of Obedience, confidence, and cunningness are all intertwined in the pages of Seven Foals. For instance, Boots followed precisely as the King instructed. Secondly, he never doubted the foals' commands when he had to return them to normal by arranging their heads chronologically by age. And thirdly, he wisely and seldom deceitfully spoke to the King as though he was able to complete the task without any difficulty at all.

Comparisons
Like the Cinderella story which passes down its meanings from the characters' interactions within the tale to its audience, our society too does the same, through our various forms of literature like folktales, myths, legends, parables, and our physical demonstrations of role modeling. We express independence through our ability to choice what we want and how we get it, in short strategy just as Boots did when encountering the King and his difficult task by following the eldest foal to where he would find the clues to their meal and how to save them.

Similar to Boots and the value of growing up, it was Oochigeaskw's decision in creating a dress for meeting with the prince. The ideal for discrimination and karma, however are played out by the court's right to hold a fair trial by jury by which the people decide how the fault should be punished similar to When The Clock Strikes, but with no witnesses. Kindness is shared all around when we as a community bestow upon others large amounts of food, clothes, and material items like schools supplies and toys. We also tend to hold the doors for someone, donate a little piece of money or advice to the troubled person. Yet, little do we know is that in Tanith Lee's version, the merchant whom wasn't Cinderella's real father, took her in as his own once he wedded her mother. So, he displayed his kindheartedness from the heart.

Now for courage which was shown in all three altercations, this is given away as we face this head on. For example, in sports like football, wrestling, running and any other physical activity, the participant makes contact with the obstacle whether it be a high mountain, stronger opponent, long road to the finish line, our courage is showing and shining as we drive through that objective with sheer strength and will power from inside our motivations, influential figures, and outside of actions like voluntary work and their accomplishments. One tale's principles though not expressly mentioned deal with the issue of social coding, this tale is 'The Maiden, The Frog and The Chief's Son", an African version of story Cinderella, where mannerisms are given greater weight. For example, when Cinderella is crooked, the Frog sets her back upright. This gesture is the symbolism for greeting someone and likewise the way to speak politely as is by custom to eat with the writing hand. As for these side stories there are more standards for all to see.

All the subjects inside the various comparisons of Cinderella help one to learn about the diverse principles by society which the authors enjoy. For Andrew Lang, one can see that through following orders without loopholes and the working to aid another in peril like the foals who were spellbound by a troll will provide one with a sense of obedience and courage. For Tanith Lee, prejudice against another and the just reward for that cruel intention done, and the value of parenthood, Cinderella and her mother's teachings towards becoming a more influential adolescent. And soon, the reader and listener will come to acknowledge the significance of doing the right thing: stopping evil from emerging before it gets worse. the judicial system and likewise the government, and protective services best stand for this theme. Alongside Tanith Lee and Andrew Lang, both Frank Edgar who published the African version and The Algonquians come to value the importance of inner-beauty and inner-strength as Oochigeaskw did by determined to get to the prince's home and meet with him for the first time. Just as we as humans marry someone for their personality and positive uprightness in the face of group wronging done to another being of lower status.

From China to the rest of the world, folk stories tell a tale, a tale of love, betrayal, wonders and mysteries, and origin. But most of all these parables tell a tale... a tale of life and implications to societies' principles and standards. Similar to the way, humanity does once it displays these values through their actions.

For young boys, the value of cunning, courage, and doubtlessness come into play as they play chess, rescue or a stray animal. Later in their lives, they'll partake in a perilous profession (the police, firefighter, rescue squad, and the military) that'll display the value of courageousness more clearly.

As for women, the value of inner-peace and independence starts once they become lawyers, help another in need of aid as a scout, follow their hearts regardless of others opinions. Also, these values occur once the youngsters reach the age of ten or enroll in school and decide upon the life they want to live based on what they've learned and experienced through their parents, mentors, and themselves.

To the world of reality, Cinderella is always welcome in the hearts of millions and to children worldwide. For within the writing of this beloved classic, a big lesson is to be learned; the value of diversity and acknowledgment towards not just another's ideas and opinions, but to their work in divulging a message so inspirational and influential that it moves both the mountains and the hearts around the world.