“Rapunzel.” The twelve dancing princesses and other fairy tales, edited by Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch, New York: Doubleday, Doran & Company, Inc., 1930, pp. 37-42.

Tale Summary

There was once a couple who yearned in vain for a child when at last the woman became pregnant. They lived with a window overlooking a fabulous garden with many rapunzels (which is a lettuce-like vegetable), and the woman began to crave them, although they belonged to an evil witch. She begged her husband to climb up the high walls and steal her some of the vegetables, and because he loved her so much, he did. After enjoying her meal of rapunzel, she asked him to fetch some more. The man once again stole into the witch’s garden, when he came face to face with its owner. The witch scolded and threatened him, but when he explained why he was taking her vegetables, she became more sympathetic and promised he could take all the rapunzel he wished as long as she was given the baby when it was born. Because he was so scared, the man agreed. As agreed, the witch arrived to take the baby girl and named her Rapunzel. The girl, who was the most beautiful in the land, when she was 12 years old, was locked up in a tower in the woods by the witch. The only way into this tower was a window at the very top. Rapunzel had long, magnificent blonde hair, which the witch used to climb up into this window. One day, the king’s son was riding nearby in the forest and heard the girl singing to herself, and was so taken with her that he came back to listen every day. He happened to be hiding behind a tree when he heard the witch call up

“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair”

and saw her climb up. The following day, he tried the same and found himself in her room. At first, she was scared, but was so charmed, that she agreed to marry him when he asked. She told him to bring a skein of silk every time he visited, so that she may make a ladder and climb down to him. One day, Rapunzel asked the witch (named Mother Gothel) why she was so much heavier than the prince. Mother Gothel cut Rapunzel's hair and banished her to another location, and then let down the cut hair from the window. That night, the prince climbed up but was so distraught to find out that his love was gone, that he threw himself from the window. He survived, but the brambles blinded him and wandered for years until he happened to the place where Rapunzel was living with the twins she had borne- a boy and a girl. She recognized her love, and he took her to his kingdom, where they lived with each other happily.