The Deal
Once upon a time, there was a man and a woman who longed for a child more than anything. One day, the woman felt a flutter of hope that her wish might soon come true. They had a little window at the back of their house that overlooked a beautiful garden full of colorful flowers and herbs. This garden was surrounded by a tall wall, and it belonged to a mysterious enchantress who was feared by everyone.
One day, while gazing through the window, the woman noticed a bed of vibrant rampion (also known as Rapunzel). It looked so fresh and delicious that she desperately wanted to taste it. Her craving grew stronger each day, and she became so upset that she grew pale and sickly. Her husband noticed her distress and asked, “What’s wrong, dear?”
“Oh,” she sighed, “If I don’t get some of that rampion from the garden, I feel like I might die.”
Determined to help his wife, the husband decided to brave the enchantress’s garden. As night fell, he climbed over the wall and carefully picked some rampion to take home. His wife was overjoyed and made a salad with it, savoring every bite. She liked it so much that the next day, she wanted even more. Her husband had no choice but to venture back into the garden.
That evening, as he was picking more rampion, he was startled to find the enchantress waiting for him.
“How dare you steal my rampion?” she scolded. “You will have to pay for this!”
The man, trembling, explained, “Please, have mercy. My wife saw your rampion from our window and craved it so badly that she became ill. I only took it to save her.”
The enchantress was moved by his desperation. “I will let you take as much rampion as you want,” she said, “but in return, you must promise me the child your wife will have. I will take good care of it as my own.”
The man, terrified and desperate, agreed to the enchantress’s terms. When his wife gave birth, the enchantress appeared and took the baby girl, whom she named Rapunzel.
The Plan
Rapunzel grew up to be the most beautiful girl anyone had ever seen. When she turned twelve, the enchantress who had raised her locked her away in a tall tower deep in the forest. This tower had no stairs or door, just a small window at the very top.
Whenever the enchantress wanted to visit Rapunzel, she would stand below the window and call out:
“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!”
Rapunzel had long, golden hair that shone like spun gold. She would then carefully braid her hair and let it fall down like a magical ladder. The enchantress would climb up using Rapunzel’s hair to reach her.
One day, a prince was riding through the forest and heard the most enchanting singing coming from the tower. He stopped and listened, mesmerized by the beautiful voice. The prince tried to find a way inside the tower but couldn’t find a door. He returned to listen to the song every day, completely captivated.
One day, while he was hiding behind a tree, he saw the enchantress arrive. He heard her call:
“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!”
As Rapunzel let her golden hair fall, the enchantress climbed up. The prince realized that the only way to reach Rapunzel was by using her hair as a ladder.
That evening, when it began to get dark, he went to the tower and called out:
“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!”
Immediately, Rapunzel let her hair down. The prince climbed up and, for the first time, Rapunzel saw him. She was initially scared, but the prince spoke to her kindly and shared how he had been enchanted by her beautiful singing.
Rapunzel, seeing that he was kind and handsome, began to trust him. She agreed to go with him, but she didn’t know how to get down from the tower. She asked the prince to bring a length of silk each time he visited, so she could weave a ladder with it. Once the ladder was ready, she promised she would climb down, and he could take her away on his horse.
The prince agreed, and they planned to meet every evening until Rapunzel’s ladder was complete.
The Fury
The enchantress had no idea about Rapunzel’s secret meetings with the prince until one day, when Rapunzel asked her, “Mother Gothel, why do you feel so much heavier to pull up than the young prince? He climbs up so easily.”
“Wicked child!” the enchantress exclaimed, her face turning red with anger. “How dare you deceive me!”
In her fury, the enchantress grabbed Rapunzel’s beautiful golden hair and, without hesitation, cut it all off with a pair of scissors. The lovely braids fell to the floor, and she cast Rapunzel out into a desolate desert. There, Rapunzel had to fend for herself, struggling in sadness and loneliness.
That same evening, the enchantress hung Rapunzel’s cut-off hair from the window hook. When the prince arrived and called out:
“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!”
The enchantress let the hair down for him. The prince climbed up, only to find the enchantress waiting for him with a cruel smile.
“Ah, so you’re here to find your beloved,” she sneered. “But she’s no longer here. The beautiful bird is gone, and you will never see her again!”
Heartbroken and in despair, the prince jumped from the tower. Although he survived the fall, he was blinded by the thorns he landed in. He wandered through the forest, eating only roots and berries, weeping over the loss of his dear Rapunzel.
The Reunion
For many years, the prince wandered through the forest, his heart heavy with sadness. One day, he stumbled into a desert, where he heard a voice singing a song that seemed oddly familiar. He followed the melody and, to his astonishment, found Rapunzel there. She was living in a small, humble home with her two adorable children, a boy and a girl.
Rapunzel immediately recognized the prince and ran to him, tears of joy streaming down her face. When her tears touched the prince’s eyes, they magically healed, and he could see again! Overwhelmed with happiness, they embraced tightly, their hearts full of relief and love.
The prince took Rapunzel and her children back to his kingdom. They were welcomed with open arms and celebrated by everyone. From that day on, they lived happily ever after, cherishing their time together and building a life full of joy and contentment.