A Western Folktale.

Among the many Western folktales, few are as well-known as the story of Cinderella.

It’s a tale nearly everyone has heard at least once, perhaps as a bedtime story from their parents. The story of a young girl who wept at her mother’s grave every day, longing for her presence. The tale of a soot-covered girl who was cruelly mistreated by her stepmother and stepsisters, forced to endure endless chores and errands.

Though not the most heart-wrenching of stories, Cinderella stood out among folktales for its grim portrayal of the protagonist’s hardships—a melancholy narrative that left an …