Rapunzel

Rapunzel
O nce upon a time, there was a young man and his wife. His wife was pregnant. Her
pregnancy caused cravings. She craved rampion—a vegetable with edible leaves, a
root like a turnip, and small blue flowers. The cravings were very strong. All other food made
her sick.
“I must have rampion, or I will die!” the poor woman cried. But the couple did not
have any rampion.
The couple lived next door to a witch. The witch had a very large and beautiful garden.
In the garden, she grew rampion. So, at night, the man climbed the wall between their houses.
He snuck into the garden, and he stole rampion.
The woman ate the rampion. She ate the leaves, the flowers, and the root. Her cravings
finally disappeared. She slept very well that night.
But the next day, the cravings returned. She became very hungry and sick again. So, the
husband climbed the wall and stole more rampion. The wife ate it all. Her cravings disappeared.
Again, she slept very well that night.
When the morning came, her cravings returned. So, the third night, the husband
climbed the wall. But this time, as he was stealing the rampion, the witch appeared.
“Why are you in my garden?!” the witch cried. “Why are you stealing my rampion?!”
The poor man begged the witch for forgiveness. “Please, my wife is pregnant. Rampion
is the only thing she can eat. Everything else makes her sick. If she cannot have rampion, she will
die.”
1
The witch listened carefully to the man. “Very well, then” the witch said. “You may
have all the rampion your wife needs. But when the baby is born, you must give it to me.”
The man thought about this. He knew he had no choice. He agreed.
Many months later, the wife gave birth. She and her husband had a beautiful, healthy
baby girl. Soon, the witch came to their house. She demanded the child.
The wife begged the witch not to take the child. But she had no choice. The witch
took the child. She named the baby Rapunzel—after the rampion flower.
Rapunzel grew up to be a happy child. The witch loved Rapunzel like a daughter.
However, she was also very protective. When Rapunzel turned twelve, the witch moved her
into a tall tower deep in the forest.
The witch enchanted the tower. Inside the tower, it was as big as a palace. However,
there weren’t any doors. There was only one window at the very top. The witch also
enchanted Rapunzel’s hair. Her long, golden hair became very long. It was as long as the
tower was high.
The witch visited Rapunzel every day. Every day, she would call to Rapunzel. Rapunzel
would sit at the window and would let her hair fall down. The witch would climb Rapunzel’s
hair to enter the tower.
Years passed, and Rapunzel grew into a beautiful woman. She was very intelligent
because she had so much time to study and read. She could sing and dance gracefully. She could
paint masterpieces and write poetry. But she felt very alone.
One day, a prince was riding his horse in the forest when he saw the witch call to
Rapunzel. He saw Rapunzel let her hair fall down. He saw the witch climb up the tower.
2
The prince was very curious. So, he waited all day until the witch climbed down and
left. Then, he called to Rapunzel. She let her hair fall down again, and the prince climbed up
the tower.
When the prince entered the tower, Rapunzel was shocked. She had never seen a man
before. The prince spoke calmly and gently to her. She listened to him carefully. They talked
for a very long time. They talked about art and literature. They talked about science and magic.
They talked about their hopes and dreams.
Morning came. The prince left the tower. But in the afternoon, he returned. He
waited for the witch to leave. He called to Rapunzel and climbed up the tower. The prince
would do this every day: he would wait for the witch to leave. He would climb up the tower. He
would spend the entire night with Rapunzel.
After many months, Rapunzel and the prince fell in love. So, they decided to marry.
And soon after, Rapunzel became pregnant.
One day, Rapunzel tried to get dressed. She asked the witch “Will you please help me?
My dress does not fit. It is too tight around my belly.” The witch looked at Rapunzel and knew
that she was pregnant.
The witch screamed, “Ungrateful child! You betrayed me! You broke my trust!” She
grabbed a pair of scissors, and she cut Rapunzel’s hair. The witch removed Rapunzel from the
tower and sent her into the forest.
The witch waited for the prince. She tied Rapunzel’s hair to the tower. When the
prince arrived, she let the hair fall down. The prince climbed the tower.
At the window, the witch surprised him. The prince fell. He survived, but he became
blind. He could not see.
3
For many weeks, the prince walked in the forest. Rapunzel gave birth to twins. One
day, the prince heard Rapunzel sing to their children. He ran to her voice. She embraced him.
When she saw he was blind, she laid his head in her lap. She cried, and her tears fell into the
prince’s eyes. Suddenly, his vision returned—he could see again.
The prince took Rapunzel and their children out of the forest and to his palace. There,
they lived happily ever after.
The End

Rapunzel

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Rapunzel

have any rampion.

He snuck into the garden, and he stole rampion.

finally disappeared. She slept very well that night.

Again, she slept very well that night.

The man thought about this. He knew he had no choice. He agreed.

into a tall tower deep in the forest.

tower was high.

hair to enter the tower.

They talked about their hopes and dreams.

would spend the entire night with Rapunzel.

And soon after, Rapunzel became pregnant.

that she was pregnant.

tower and sent her into the forest.

blind. He could not see.

prince’s eyes. Suddenly, his vision returned—he could see again.

they lived happily ever after.

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