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Ariel is my favorite too.
I think maybe the Cinderella story is popular because Cinderella is a victim of bullies who ends up shaming them in the end. The theme is pretty much "karma is a bitch"
It also plays into most girls' desire to be picked out of a crowd and seen as special and different than the rest.
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Yep, that's why Cinderella is a better heroine; she has a crappy life, she acts to change it, show humility and thankfulness even when she has to leave the Ball just when it starts getting good.
I'd have to disagree with Ariel, though. Ariel did nothing but sneak around behind her father's back, defy his wishes and make a bad deal with a sea hag.
And when it failed her father, even after her mistreatment of him, comes to bail her out. Very little honor or personal responsibility shown. Even in the end her father uses his magic to give her legs and she gets the guy and leaves her father forever. Sucks to be the Dad of that selfish little fish!