Maddie Koontz

Dr. Burke
ENGL 414
October 25, 2016
Fairy Tale Exploration
Vasilla the Beautiful (Cinderella)
1. What is the importance behind having the stepmother making all three girls work for
her rather than just Cinderella? How does the character Baba Yaga compare to other
versions of Cinderella? What is her importance? Explain the moral behind this story
and how it differs from other versions of Cinderella. What do the different color
horsemen throughout this story symbolize? What is different about the Tsar (Prince)
in this story and how he and Vasilla (Cinderella) meet than that of other versions?
2. One of the patterns I noticed in this Fairy Tale that compare to other fair tales is that
the father figure is not very present. It shows that the father loves the daughter but the
stepmother tends to have a cruel attitude. The father does not be present until the
happily ever after at the end of the tale. You also see this with Hansel and Gretel with
the father loving his children but not having a presence till the end of the story.
Another pattern I noticed is that the main character faces multiple challenges that test
their character and patience. Throughout all the fair tales, the characters face difficult
challenges and tasks that cannot be completed yet through help from something
magical they can accomplish anything.
3. Connections I see throughout fairy tales that are distinct through this one is the
setting. Many fair tales are set in the woods. Little Red Riding Hood, Hansel and
Gretel, Snow White and this version of Cinderella are all set throughout the woods.

There is also the connection of age. The youth tend to be kinder, hard working, quick
on their feet to get out of difficult situations where the older characters tend to be evil,
greedy, and in the end not making it out of the difficult situations.