The original Cinderella story ends not at all like the Disney version. “When the wedding with the King's son had to be celebrated, the two false sisters came and wanted to get into favor with Cinderella and share her good fortune. When the betrothed couple went to church, the elder was at the right side and the younger at the left, and the pigeons pecked out one eye of each of them. Afterwards as they came back, the elder was at the left, and the younger at the right, and then the pigeons pecked out the other eye of each. And thus, for their wickedness and falsehood, they were punished with blindness as long as they lived.” How does the Disney version end? The prince finds Cinderella, takes her to the castle, and marries her. Cinderella, out of her kind nature, gives her step-mother and step-sisters an enjoyable and easy castle life. Prince Charming and Cinderella kiss, and live happily ever after.

Disney has taken the original ideas of the Brothers Grimm and twisted their plots into ones of a perfect world. Where everyone can and will be happy together, all is forgiven and forgotten. The Brothers Grimm based their stories on a more realistic view of the world, in scenarios that a child would understand, enjoy, and sometimes even relate to. Disney took these stories and made them represent a world of fairies and princesses where the world will be perfect and all will always be forgiven.

In a way, both ideas are accurate. The Brothers Grimm teach through fairy tales that people will not all be perfect, but the people who have bad intentions will be punished in time. Disney teaches children that whatever happens, the right approach is to forgive and forget. Neither of these morals are perfect, but the Brothers Grimm did a better job at giving kids advice that they can use throughout their lives. The best thing to do is to forgive, but not forget. Know that people will be punished for things, but that their distress will not bring you joy. At the end of the Brothers Grimm's fairy tale, Cinderella's step-sisters were "punished with blindness for as long as they lived ", but nowhere does in this original fairy tale the author talk about how Cinderella felt about this. Was she overjoyed by the fact that her step-sisters were punished for their "wickedness and falsehood"? Or was she upset because she didn't feel that joy? Is ending the story with wicked justice better than ending it with unrealistic expectations of perfection?