Rapunzel

Once upon a time, in a distant kingdom, there lived a man and his wife who longed for a child. They lived in a small house that overlooked a magnificent garden belonging to a powerful enchantress named Dame Gothel. The garden was surrounded by high walls, and no one dared to enter it. One day, as the wife stood at her window, she noticed a bed of rampion, also known as Rapunzel, growing in the garden. The leafy vegetable looked so fresh and green that she craved to taste it. Her desire for the rampion grew stronger each day, and she became pale and sickly from her longing.

Concerned for his wife's health, the husband asked what troubled her. "If I do not get some of the rampion from the garden next door, I shall die," she replied. Desperate to save his wife, the man decided to climb the high wall into Dame Gothel's garden under the cover of night. He carefully plucked a handful of rampion and brought it back to his wife, who eagerly made herself a salad and ate it. The rampion tasted so delicious that her craving only intensified. By the next day, she begged her husband to get more.

Risking his life once again, the husband sneaked into the garden. This time, however, he was caught by Dame Gothel. "How dare you steal from my garden!" she roared. Trembling with fear, the man explained his wife's desperate craving. Dame Gothel's fury softened slightly, and she offered him a deal: "You may take as much rampion as you need, but in return, you must give me the child your wife will soon bring into the world." Terrified but with no other choice, the man agreed.

Months later, a beautiful baby girl was born to the couple. True to her word, Dame Gothel appeared, took the child, and named her Rapunzel. The enchantress raised Rapunzel as her own, keeping her hidden from the world. As Rapunzel grew, she became increasingly beautiful, with long golden hair that shimmered like sunlight. When Rapunzel turned twelve, Dame Gothel locked her in a tower deep in the forest. The tower had neither stairs nor doors, only a single window at the very top.

Whenever Dame Gothel wished to visit, she would stand beneath the tower and call out, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair." Rapunzel would lower her long braids out of the window, and Dame Gothel would climb up them to reach her. This arrangement continued for many years, with Rapunzel living in isolation, singing sweet songs that echoed through the forest.

One day, a prince riding through the forest heard Rapunzel's enchanting voice. He followed the sound and discovered the tower. Hidden behind the trees, he observed Dame Gothel's visit and learned how to summon Rapunzel. After the enchantress left, the prince approached the tower and called out, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair." To his delight, the golden braids were lowered, and he climbed up.

At first, Rapunzel was frightened, having never seen a man before. But the prince's kind eyes and gentle demeanor soon put her at ease. He told her how he had been captivated by her singing and had come to meet her. Rapunzel, who had longed for human companionship, quickly fell in love with the prince. He began to visit her every night, bringing gifts and stories of the world beyond the tower.

Their secret meetings continued for months. One day, Rapunzel asked the prince how he could take her away from the tower. They devised a plan: each time the prince visited, he would bring a piece of silk, which Rapunzel would weave into a ladder. Once the ladder was complete, she would escape with him.

However, their plan was foiled when Rapunzel, in her innocence, accidentally revealed the prince's visits to Dame Gothel. "Tell me, Rapunzel," said Dame Gothel, noticing the young girl’s distraction, "why do you seem so different?" Blushing, Rapunzel innocently replied, "Mother Gothel, why is it that my dress feels tighter than before?"

Furious, Dame Gothel realized that Rapunzel had been seeing someone. She cut off Rapunzel's hair, took her to a desolate land, and abandoned her there to fend for herself. Returning to the tower, she waited for the prince. When he called out, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair," Dame Gothel lowered the cut braids. The prince climbed up, only to be confronted by the angry enchantress.

"Your beautiful bird has flown away," she hissed. "You will never see her again." In despair, the prince leaped from the tower. Though he survived the fall, the thorns below blinded him. Heartbroken and sightless, he wandered the forest, calling out for Rapunzel.

For years, the prince roamed the wilderness, surviving on wild berries and roots, always searching for his lost love. One day, he heard a familiar voice singing in the distance. Following the sound, he stumbled upon Rapunzel, who had been living in a remote valley, raising their twin children.

Overjoyed, Rapunzel embraced the prince. Her tears of happiness fell into his eyes, miraculously restoring his sight. Together, they returned to the prince's kingdom, where they were warmly welcomed. The prince's parents had mourned his disappearance and were overjoyed to see him return with his beautiful bride and their children.

Rapunzel and the prince lived happily ever after, ruling the kingdom with kindness and wisdom. They never forgot the trials they had faced and always cherished the love that had brought them together. The legend of Rapunzel's golden hair and her sweet song spread throughout the land, inspiring tales of hope and love for generations to come.

The next day, Dame Gothel visited the couple, as she had promised. She took the child away to her isolated tower, far from any human contact. She raised Rapunzel with great care, making sure she was well-fed and well-educated, but never allowed her to leave the tower. As Rapunzel grew, her beauty became more radiant, and her hair grew longer and longer until it flowed like a river of gold down her back.

Rapunzel's days in the tower were long and lonely. She spent her time reading, singing, and gazing out of the window at the distant forest. Her only company was Dame Gothel, who visited her every day. The enchantress loved Rapunzel in her own way, but her love was possessive and controlling. She told Rapunzel that the outside world was dangerous and that the tower was the only place where she could be safe.

One day, as Rapunzel sang her sweet songs, a prince who was hunting in the forest heard her voice. He followed the sound until he came to the tower. Hidden among the trees, he saw Dame Gothel standing below the window, calling out, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair." He watched in amazement as a long braid of golden hair was lowered from the window, and the enchantress climbed up.

The prince was captivated by Rapunzel's voice and beauty. He waited until Dame Gothel left, then approached the tower and called out, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair." To his delight, the golden braid was lowered, and he climbed up. At first, Rapunzel was frightened, but the prince's kind eyes and gentle voice reassured her. They talked for hours, and Rapunzel was enchanted by his stories of the world beyond the tower.

The prince began to visit Rapunzel every night. He brought her gifts and told her tales of distant lands and great adventures. Rapunzel, who had never known any life beyond the tower, fell in love with the prince. They made plans to escape together. Each night, the prince brought a piece of silk, which Rapunzel wove into a ladder.

But their secret meetings did not go unnoticed. One day, as Rapunzel stood at the window, lost in thought, she absentmindedly asked Dame Gothel, "Mother Gothel, why is it that my dress feels tighter than before?" The enchantress's eyes narrowed. She realized that Rapunzel had been seeing someone.

Enraged, Dame Gothel cut off Rapunzel's hair and took her to a desolate land, abandoning her there. She returned to the tower and waited for the prince. When he called out, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair," Dame Gothel lowered the cut braids. The prince climbed up, only to be confronted by the furious enchantress.

"Your beautiful bird has flown away," she hissed. "You will never see her again." In despair, the prince leaped from the tower. Though he survived the fall, the thorns below blinded him. Heartbroken and sightless, he wandered the forest, calling out for Rapunzel.

For years, the prince roamed the wilderness, surviving on wild berries and roots, always searching for his lost love. One day, he heard a familiar voice singing in the distance. Following the sound, he stumbled upon Rapunzel, who had been living in a remote valley, raising their twin children.

Overjoyed, Rapunzel embraced the prince. Her tears of happiness fell into his eyes, miraculously restoring his sight. Together, they returned to the prince's kingdom, where they were warmly welcomed. The prince's parents had mourned his disappearance and were overjoyed to see him return with his beautiful bride and their children.

Rapunzel and the prince lived happily ever after, ruling the kingdom with kindness and wisdom. They never forgot the trials they had faced and always cherished the love that had brought them together. The legend of Rapunzel's golden hair and her sweet song spread throughout the land, inspiring tales of hope and love for generations to come.

Thus ends the story of Rapunzel, a tale of love, courage, and the enduring power of hope.