Abstract:
The purpose of the present study is to conduct a systematic study on the story of Cinderella in the western and the Eastern societies, to point out the ideas concerning the folktales as conceived by folktale scholars. In addition, this study aims at the wide range of story motifs and their basic patterns. The researcher also includes an index to tale types classified according to the main story motifs which can be used for reference. The principal use of a motif-index is to display identity or similarity in the tale elements in all parts of the world. A Type-index implies that all versions of a type have a genetic relationship. The current edition of Antti Aarne's catalogue of folktale type is Stith Thompson's second revision and expansion titled The Types of the Folktale (Helsinki: FFC, no. 184,1961).The Type-Index is cross - indexed with Thompson's Motif -Index of Folk Literature, 6 vols. (Copenhagen: Rosenkilde and Baggar, 1955-1958). The tradition of considering distinct forms of the Cinderella plot together was followed by Thompson in his revision of Antti Aarne's tale type index. Thompson entitles tale type 510, "Cinderella and Cap o' Rushes" and proceeds to delineate both tale type 510 A, "Cinderella "and Tale Type 510 B, "The Dress of Gold, of Silver, and of Stars."The Types involve a female protagonist who is cruelly treated by her stepmother and stepsisters. Her name is always connected in some way with ashes, indicating her lowly position in the household. The poor girl receives supernatural aid, sometimes from her dead mother, of from a tree on the mother's grave, or from an animal (often a reincarnation of the mother), or from a fairy godmother. In some versions the helpful animal is killed, and a tree springs up which magically with the prince and escape just before the forbidden hour.Some versions tell how the prince sees the girls in church. At any rate, she flees from the Prince and the search for her is necessary. The researcher started her study with the collection of data on the story of Cinderella from the Western and The Eastern Societies. These data were then assorted, classified and rearranged according to the plot and incidents and presented in thesis form. The study is divided into 5 chapters. The first chapter is an introduction, giving a general remark on the nature of the problem, the method and the scope to the research. Thesecond chapter deals with the classification of traditional narrative by type and motif according to Anti Arne and Stith Thompson. Chapter three describes four basic types of Cinderella tales. The Type appear in theWestern and Eastern collections under different titles. The analysis of these tales show how They differ and what they have in common. Chapter four describes the significance of the tale 's key elements: the heroine, the abstract mother, the stepmother, the supernatural helper, the slipper, the incest taboo and the punishment. The researcher concludes her study in the last chapter in with the ideas are summarized. Suggestions for further research are also given.