Another argument that Tatar makes in her essay is that the second half of Donkeyskin tales inevitably have the same basic storyline as those of Cinderella stories. While this is the case in many tales, there are also tales where there is no happy ending for the young girl. Looking at tales such as "Pigskin" and "Kniaz Danila Govorila", in which the object of the father's lusty attentions falls into a pit in the earth and does not come out again, I can see that there are indeed some tales that fit the Donkeyskin type without even touching on any part of a Cinderella type tale.
Lastly, the difference in the female characters sets these two tales apart the most. In Cinderella tales, the girl simply takes what is given to her; she has the help of a fairy godmother, or perhaps the help of her dead mother's spirit to give to her the clothing and ideas with which to win the prince's hand. In Donkeyskin tales, the girl in question takes it upon her own initiative to gain the dresses and go forth into the world to escape her father's paternal evil. Never in Cinderella tales does the Cinderella figure think about escaping her current position under the heel of maternal evil. Also, towards the end of many Donkeyskin tales (such as "Ass' Skin" and "All Kinds of Fur") the girl takes it upon herself to actively tempt the prince with actions such as putting the ring in a loaf of bread or a golden spinning wheel in his soup. Cinderella characters do not show such initiative.
Although there are many similarities between parts of the tales, I would say that overall the Donkeyskin tales and Cinderella tales should be treated as two distinct types of tales.
I think that you missed the whole point behind tale-type classifications. Although you can always find individual counter-examples or specific tales in which certain details are different, this is even the case within an individual tale type. I would even say that the details and many of the events in Donkeyskin by Perrault more closely reflect the details and events of more Cinderella stories than Cinderella by Lin Lan (barring the beginning, which has become the defining feature). The point is to analyze the general flow and sequence of events. For the most part, you have examined only minor details of a few choice selections. Whether in two specific instances the female is more direct and ambitious in her efforts to secure the prince as husband is irrevlevant.
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