Understanding the Inner Story of Cinderella Cinderella is a well-known fairy tale among children, but what few people know is that it is a story whose theme may be traced in antiquity. The Cinderella theme refers to a young woman forced to live in unfortunate circumstances. Such theme existed as early as the Ancient Greeks, but the most popular version was made by Charles Perrault who added the pumpkin, the fairy god mother and the glass slippers in the story. This was also the same version used as basis for the Walt Disney film. For this paper, however, we will explore the Cinderella story written by the brothers Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm wherein the help comes not from a fairy, but instead on a wishing tree that grows on the grave of the girl’s mother. Through this analysis, it is my aim to show that the Grimm’s Cinderella had spiritual symbolism and that it contains valuable information about man and suffering. Summary of Grimms’ Cinderella The Grimms’ Cinderella follows a pattern.