Introduction
The most read genres of literature are fairy tales. Folktales and fairy tales discuss the dualism of good and evil. They rely on a struggle between the forces of good and evil. The conclusion is derived from human ambitions to attain justice. Ancient literature had no identified writers or sources. There are numerous versions of the story, and numerous authors have given them credit in the past. Each story closely resembles a report from another culture. Each culture has its myths, although they all share similarities and differences. In this essay, Cinderella and In the Land of the Small Dragon will be compared. The Cinderella story originated in France. Charles Perrault gives it credit, and it was published in 1697. Whereas In the Land of Small Dragon, is a Vietnamese folk tale and was first told in 1979 by Dang Manh Kha.
Discussion
Both Cinderella and Tam experience unfairness and harassment in the two stories. They improved their living conditions thanks to the development of magic or fairies. Tam and Cinderella both benefit from supernatural power. The sprite helps Cinderella by giving her new clothing and glass shoes (Perrault and Brown). She now has the opportunity to join the royal celebration. Tam also receives assistance from the bird and the magical fish bones. She receives two-jeweled bai as well as a stunning outfit. Tam also received new shoes, and Cinderella and Tam’s shoes opened the door to royalty. Both of them desire a royal marriage. Even they are unaware of the prince’s appearance or residence. They contend that this attitude consecrates a man’s power in return for a woman’s obedient life.
The most significant distinction between the two stories is how Cinderella and Tam are getting married. Every story has a distinct approach to finding a companion, depending on the country’s traditions and culture. At the celebration, Cinderella meets the prince (Perrault and Brown). She dances with him and has been in love with him ever since. Tam does not otherwise encounter the prince. After the birds fling the shoe in front of him, the prince falls in love with the shoe owner. He falls in love with Tam because he believes the shoe owner will be attractive, given the size of her feet (Kha et al.).
The fairy tale provides the children with hope for a promising future and teaches them the importance of balancing good and evil. All stories have the same moral: everyone receives what they did, whether right or wrong. However, the first chapter of the Tam and Cam story, based on the classic Cinderella tale, has been the subject of debate regarding its finest lesson. Perrault offered two potential lessons for the tale: First, while beauty is lovely, it will not fulfill your desires unless you are also gracious (caring, courteous, and kind). Second, even with all of these factors working in your favor, success may still depend on a bit of luck. In the Vietnamese version, another possible lesson is to accept who you are and not try to change it. This seems to be a crucial lesson for a culture with a strong class structure, like ancient Vietnam, where the ruling elite would not have encouraged ordinary people to work toward improving their status.
Conclusion
Overall, there are two sisters and a lousy stepmother in two tales. The main character in both tales is portrayed as both a victim and suffering. Both of the stories have a few remarkable occurrences and instances of luck. The difference between the two stories is in how the characters and circumstances were plotted. It also can be noticed that Cinderella is more kind, whereas the second story is more realistic.
Works Cited
Kha, Dang Manh, et al. In the Land of Small Dragon: A Vietnamese Folktale. Viking Press, 1979.
Perrault, Charles, and Marcia Brown. Cinderella: Or, the Little Glass Slipper. SRA/McGraw-Hill, 2008.