Rapunzel

Rapunzel
The Brothers Grimm- First published in 1869.

Reading Level: 9+  Number of Pages: 4 Genre: Classic Fairy-tale

Summary: There once was a mother and father who wished to have a child, but never could. The family had a window in the back of their house which looked into a garden owned by a witch where delicious-looking vegetables grew. The husband was entreated by his wife to get some of the vegetables, for she believed she would die if she did not get them. So in the dark of night he snuck down and stole some radishes. The husband continued to steal radishes, as they had an astonishing effect on his wife, and would bring her health, but also a desire for more. One one of these occasions, the husband was caught by the witch, and she bargained with the man. In order to avoid being cursed they made a deal, and when his daughter, who he named Rapunzel, reached the age of twelve, she was taken and locked in a tower. When the witch wished to enter, she would call from below and Rapunzel would drop her long, beautiful hair out the window, and the witch would climb up. 

  After a couple of years, the king's son happened to be riding by, and he saw the witch call into the tower, and the rope of hair fall down. After the witch had come and gone, he called up to the tower, and climbed up. She was scared initially, but quickly agreed to marry the prince. They contrived a plan whereby the prince would bring a piece of silk whereby they might bring her down again from the tower, and the prince departed. 

  The next time the witch came by, Rapunzel asked her why it took her so long to climb up the tower, while the prince could climb in only a very short time, and her cover was blown. The witch seized Rapunzel's hair and cut it all off. She then took the poor maiden into the desert and left her to live in misery.

   When the prince came by again, he called up the tower, and the witch cast down Rapunzel's hair, and allowed him to climb. When he arrived, the witch mocked and threatened him, saying he would never see his true love again. The prince sprang from the tower in his bewilderment, and in the act fell into thorns which put out his eyes. He wandered blind in the wilderness, weeping for his lost love, until he heard a voice he thought he recognized. It was Rapunzel, and she recognized him; they embraced and she wept. Her tears moistened his eyes, and they healed. He brought her to his kingdom, where they lived long and happy.

Nobody knows what happened to the witch.

My Impressions: The Brothers Grimm have beautiful tales, and I felt that it would be significant to review a famous tale, only recently done by Disney. To me this tale is significant because it shows hope, even after something irreparably horrible has happened.

 

Parent's Guide: The husband steals vegetables, their daughter is captured and forced to live in a tower, and the prince's eyes are put out. Everything works out okay in the end, however.

Recommendations: Classic fairy-tales are great! Try them out.