Cinderella

6 Pages 1523 Words

The Tales of Trembling and Cam


Throughout time and around the world, the story of “Cinderella” is an ongoing legend. In all these versions, the theme of the story is about struggles, suffering, love, and good winning over evil. The Cinderella fairy tales also reflect the culture, social norms, and traditions of the people during the time that the stories were written. All those elements play a role in how and why the main character differs along with the suffering endured to them. The supernatural element in these stories comes from varying sources. However, the universal theme in the two stories is triumph of good over evil and how everyone has feelings. The two versions I will focus on are “Fair, Brown and Trembling,” Ireland’s version by Jeremiah Curtain and “The story of Tam and Cam,” the Cinderella tale for Vietnam. Although both versions are written during different times, the authors reflect their version around the, culture, beliefs and society during that time.
In the Irish version “Fair, Brown, And Trembling” Trembling is the youngest of three girls and the most beautiful. Fair is the eldest and meanest sister. As a result, Trembling is mistreated by her two jealous sisters. After seven years of trying to attract the princes attention, Fair wins the heart of King Omanya’s son. One Sunday morning, the henwife grants Trembling’s wishes to be able to go to church and attend mass lavishly dressed. The henwife puts on the cloak of darkness and Trembling’s wishes are granted. The orders of the henwife were, “You must not to go inside the door of the church, and the minute the people rise up at the end of mass, do you make off, and ride home as fast as the mare will carry you.” (Curtain) Fair goes to the outside of the church and is noticed. Her sisters become very jealous since they are no longer the center of everyone’...