Barnett 1

Eric Barnett

Mrs. Ferkel

ENG 1050 FFD1

9 September 2009

Cinderella is not always set in Stone

It is no doubt, that “Ashputtle,” written by the Grimm Brothers, is a very different

variation than the one that was written by Charles Perrault. Many things happen in this story as

much as the things that didn’t happen. However, it never fails to share the universal plot of the

original variation. And no matter what changes are made to the story, this tale is one for the

records as it goes into the darker side of the wonder tale.

One of the most interesting changes that seemed to be evident would be the lack of the

godmother. Granted, there were godmother-like figures, but it still seems to stick out the most.

Doves would replace the fairy grandmother in Grimm’s variation, bending to Ashputtle’s will

when times were rough. Such events would occur as the doves swooped down after a clever

rhyme and help her pick out the lentils of the fireplace. Another instance of the dove’s aid is the

eccentric garb that they would throw down to her. But they were no actual human like figures to

represent the godmother. “Her godmother, who was a fairy to her…” (592:15)

The most obvious and dynamic change that would be made in the Grimm brother’s story

would be the name. In their story it is no longer Cinderella, it is Ashputtle. There are no cinder

blocks to be involved with young Ashputtle, just a mere bed of ashes in the fireplace.
 Barnett 2

Taking this into a darker nature, a serious change would be made as the Grimm brothers

would go into detail of how exactly the prince would meet his bride to be. There was no talk of

how the prince slipped on the slipper to the sisters and Cinderella, and automatically saw that

Cinderella was his bride to be. No, the Grimm brothers would take it into a much more realistic

scenario. Not to mention a gorier one as well. The sisters, being desperate enough to become the

prince’s bride, took a knife in hand and carved their appendages to be able to fit their foot into

the slipper. If it weren’t for the doves that would call out to the prince, one of the sisters would

have gotten the fate that so rightfully belonged to Ashputtle. The prince would come back after

both sisters had done said carving, and placed the shoe on Ashputtle, it fitting perfectly.

However, this was almost not the case, as the mother tried her hardest to keep Ashputtle a secret.

"Oh, no, she is much too dirty. She cannot be seen." (599:9)

The Grimm brothers even decided to make a change to the ending of the story as well.

Actually, when it is thought about, it is almost a hopefully sinister ending to a beginning of a

happy ever after. The sisters were not married, and they did not share in the happy ending that

Ashputtle enjoyed. In fact, their eyes were pecked out, causing them to go blind for the heinous

acts they committed against their so called “sister.” Call it gory, call it morally inept, but the

sisters got what they deserved.

So in conclusion, the Grimm brother’s “Ashputtle,” is a unique and twisted variation to

the tale of Cinderella in general, let alone Perrault’s version. It’s a great read that many people

should indulge his or herself in if they want to become more familiarized with a long written

history of the tale of Cinderella. Hence what I said in the opening paragraph, no matter what the

story is and the changes that are made, this story will go down in history as one of the darkest

variations of all time.

 Barnett 3

Grimm, Jacob, Wilhelm. “Ashputtle.”

Rpt. In Reading and Writing across the Curriculum. New York, Pearso/Longman, 2008

595-600.

Perrault, Charles. “Cinderella.” Fairly Tales 1957.

Rpt. In Reading and Writing across the Curriculum. New York, Pearson/Longman, 2008.

591-596.