Cinderella & Sleeping Beauty

A “Cinderella Story”: when a college basketball team unexpectedly and fantastically goes from the bottom to the top.

Who is Cinderella? Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm begin her rags to riches story:

A rich man’s wife became sick, and when she felt that her end was drawing near, she called her only daughter to her bedside and said, “Dear child, remain pious and good, and then our dear God will always protect you, and I will look down on you from heaven and be near you.” With this she closed her eyes and died.

In Disney’s 2015 re-imagination of Cinderella Ella’s mom passes her legacy to the soon to be orphan child, “Dear child, be kind and have courage…” When the mom dies, Lucifer the cat (and other sinister creatures) chase the mice of charity and goodness into corners until the powers that be (in this case a fairy godmother and prince charming) find and honor them. Mice are made strong stallions. A wandering duck made driver. Scaly lizards made humble servants.

Disney’s 2015 Cinderella is wonderful. And, awakens this desire or, for many, fear: that we would be seen for who we are. That the pure in heart would be lifted up and that the sinister would be revealed and judged. And, that is exactly what happens in the story.