#GRIMMread2019 Challenge Week 6

I'm on day 12 of the worst sinus infection turned into bronchitis ever. It's worse because I've got kids running through the house and can't sleep through it the way I would prefer! It's not the kids' fault. It's just life.

So, knowing that, you can probably imagine why I skipped Week 5 of the challenge entirely and, unfortunately, I've read exactly ONE of the Week 6 tales. Oh, illness, you have completely wrecked my routine!

But that ONE story is...

Cinderella

First off, Grimm's version is nothing like Disney. Point #1 -- in the Disney versions, Cinderella's father is dead. In the Grimm version, daddy is very much alive and has allowed his second wife to abuse his daughter.

How horrible is that!

Point #2 -- Cinderella goes to the ball every night for three nights, each time in a more beautiful dress than the night before. No one recognizes her, but her father is there and continually thinks, "Could it be Cinderella?"

Thankfully he doesn't actually say these thoughts aloud to his second wife...

Source: https://pixabay.com/photo-1652568/

Point #3 -- there is no fairy godmother. Is it odd that I'm the most disappointed about that fact? Instead of a fairy godmother we see a magical tree that grants Cinderella's wishes and, when the mean step-sisters try to take her spot as bride, sing out the truth.

Point #4 -- there is a SINGING TREE!!!!!! Okay, technically the birds that live in the tree do the singing, but still.... I'm in love with this idea for a retelling.

Point #5 -- what happens to the step-sisters, both what they do to themselves to fit into the shoe and what occurs at the wedding, are gruesome. Grimm's version of Cinderella is more about righting injustice than anything else. Cinderella may get a happily ever after with the prince, but that's not what the step-sisters get.

Despite all of these differences, I love BOTH versions of Cinderella. My favorite is the live-action Disney Cinderella because it's so funny and opulent (and because I got to sit in a replica of the carriage at Disney World), but, truthfully, I thoroughly enjoy the story and its many versions. 

If you are a Cinderella fan and want to read/watch some great versions of it, I've put some options below for you to enjoy. The button below is a link to where you can read Grimm's Cinderella for FREE on the University of Pittsburg's site. Below the black button are a series of links to various movies and books available at Amazon (or your local library) -- these links are affiliate links. I have read or watched all of these and definitely recommend them wholeheartedly!

Grimm's Cinderella Tale

I hope you get hours of enjoyment out of those books and movies. All are kid appropriate. I've watched or read them with my kids -- well, except The Real Cinderella which was simply too long of a read.

Links to previous posts about the #GRIMMread2019 Challenge here:
#GRIMMread2019 Week 1
#GRIMMread2019 Week 2
#GRIMMread2019 Week 3
#GRIMMread2019 Week 4
#GRIMMread2019 Week 5 -- Does not exist

Please consider checking out the details at these other blogs participating in the #GRIMMread2019 Challenge.