Rapunzel

Rapunzel Story

Once upon a time, nestled on a hillside just outside the city, stood a small, rustic cottage. It was a simple dwelling, constructed of stone and surrounded by a weathered wooden fence. Within its cozy walls resided a loving couple.

This couple cherished a single, fervent dream: to have a beautiful daughter to nurture and cherish. Despite their deep love for each other, they harbored a lingering doubt – would they be worthy parents?

Upstairs, behind the hut, a small window overlooked a breathtaking vista. Below, a magnificent garden stretched out, a vibrant tapestry of colors. Within this enchanting space, a remarkable plant flourished – Rapunzel.

Its leaves, large and emerald green, were not only beautiful but also incredibly delicious. This idyllic garden, however, was a source of both wonder and dread. It was enclosed by a towering wall and belonged to the most wicked and powerful witch the world had ever known.

Also See the Story: Beauty and the Beast

No one dared to trespass upon the witch’s garden, not even with a fingertip.

One day, the woman gazed upon the Rapunzel plants from the cottage window. The lush green leaves and vibrant purple flowers seemed to mesmerize her, their beauty almost overpowering her senses. It was as if she had fallen under a spell.

Suddenly, the woman’s composure shattered. She grew pale and restless, an inexplicable longing taking hold.

“I must have some of those Rapunzel leaves,” she declared to her husband, her voice laced with desperation, “or I fear I shall perish!”

Her husband, well aware of the dangers lurking within the witch’s garden, tried to calm her.

“Do not despair, my love,” he soothed. “I shall wait until nightfall and then I will scale the wall, quickly pluck some Rapunzel leaves, and return to you with haste.”

True to his word, the husband ventured into the garden as dusk settled. He swiftly gathered a handful of Rapunzel leaves and returned to the cottage, presenting them to his wife with a relieved smile.

As she devoured the leaves, her eyes lit up.

“Oh, how delicious!” she exclaimed. “I must have more! I fear I will succumb if I do not consume more of this plant. Please, my dear husband, return to the garden tomorrow and bring me a generous supply.”

Driven by his love for his wife, the husband returned to the garden the following evening. As he scaled the wall, however, he was met with a chilling sight: the fearsome witch herself, standing before him, her eyes blazing with fury. Speechless with terror, he felt a cold sweat beading on his brow.

“How dare you trespass upon my garden and steal my precious Rapunzel!” the witch shrieked, her voice like thunder. “You shall pay dearly for this transgression!”

“Wait!” the husband pleaded, his voice trembling. “These leaves are for my wife. She is weak and pale, and she claims she will die without them. Rapunzel is the only thing that can save her. Please, have mercy on me, great witch!”

The witch remained silent for a moment, her gaze fixed on the trembling man. Then, a flicker of compassion crossed her face.

“Very well,” she conceded, “I shall grant your request. But there is a condition. You must give me the daughter your wife will bear.”

Terrified and desperate, the man, having no other choice, agreed to the witch’s chilling demand.

Some time later, the man’s wife gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. Before the infant had even taken her first breath, the witch appeared, her voice booming through the cottage.

“You stole my Rapunzel and feasted upon them!” she declared. “You shall pay the price! This child is mine!”

With a swift, ferocious movement, the witch snatched the baby from her cradle and vanished in a flash.

From that day forward, the little girl was known only as Rapunzel. The wicked witch, true to her word, spirited Rapunzel deep into the heart of the forest and imprisoned her in a towering, isolated tower. This was no ordinary structure. It soared as high as a twenty-story building, its summit crowned by a single, small window. There was no door, no staircase – the only access was through that solitary window.

When the witch desired entry, she would stand beneath the window and call out,

“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!”

Rapunzel’s hair was a magnificent cascade of gold, shimmering like liquid sunshine. Upon hearing the witch’s voice, Rapunzel would unbraid her long, golden hair and let it tumble down the twenty stories, providing the witch with a silken ladder to ascend.

Years passed. One day, the king’s son was journeying through the forest when he stumbled upon the isolated tower. Suddenly, he was captivated by a celestial melody – a song so enchanting that it seemed to have been sung by an angel!

The source of this ethereal music was Rapunzel, her voice echoing from her small room, a poignant expression of her loneliness. The king’s son yearned to meet the woman with such a captivating voice, but he found neither a door nor a staircase to gain access to the tower. Disheartened, he returned home.

In the following days, the king’s son could think of nothing but Rapunzel’s enchanting voice. Driven by an insatiable curiosity, he returned to the forest each day, drawn irresistibly to the tower and the mesmerizing music that emanated from within.

One day, while the king’s son was enraptured by Rapunzel’s singing, he witnessed the witch approaching the tower.

“Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!” the witch bellowed.

Rapunzel, in obedience, released her golden tresses, allowing the witch to ascend.

The king’s son, his eyes widening, realized:

“That’s it! That’s the entrance!”

He resolved to return the following day, impersonating the witch. He would finally meet the woman with the captivating voice and, he hoped, win her heart.

The next day, the king’s son returned to the tower and called out, “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!”

Immediately, Rapunzel obediently lowered her golden hair. The king’s son eagerly climbed the silken ladder, his heart pounding with anticipation.

As you can imagine, Rapunzel was utterly astonished to find a man standing in her room. She had never encountered another human being in her entire life.

When the king’s son recounted how he had discovered her voice while wandering through the forest, a wave of relief washed over Rapunzel.

“Will you marry me?” the king’s son asked, his heart brimming with hope.

“I would be honored,” Rapunzel replied, her voice filled with joy. “However, I cannot simply descend from the tower. For each of your visits, please bring a spool of silk. I will use it to weave a sturdy rope. Once the rope is long enough, I will climb down, and we can escape together on your horse.”

The king’s son readily agreed to this plan, visiting Rapunzel each night under the cover of darkness. This allowed him to avoid encountering the witch, who ascended the tower daily.

However, the witch remained blissfully unaware of the king’s son’s visits. One day, in a moment of carelessness, Rapunzel blurted out,

“Witch, how is it that your son can ascend my hair so quickly, while it takes you so much longer?”

“What did you say?” the witch shrieked, her eyes blazing with fury. “You are mine! You have deceived me, Rapunzel! You have caused me immeasurable pain!”

With a swift, chilling motion, the witch produced a pair of sharp scissors from her bag. In a single, horrifying stroke, she severed Rapunzel’s long, golden hair. The severed tresses tumbled to the floor, and Rapunzel let out a heart-wrenching scream, tears streaming down her face.

“I will banish you to the desert to spend the remainder of your life in solitude and misery!” the witch shrieked, her voice laced with venomous fury. With a snap of her fingers, Rapunzel vanished from the room, leaving the tower eerily silent.

That night, the king’s son arrived at the tower and called out, “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!” He eagerly climbed the familiar silken ladder, unaware of the tragic turn of events.

Instead of the radiant Rapunzel, he met the witch’s chilling gaze. “My dear king’s son,” she sneered, “thanks to you, she is gone forever. You will never see her again!”

Devastated by this news, the king’s son stumbled backward, losing his balance and plummeting from the tower. He miraculously survived the fall, but a thorn from the surrounding thicket pierced his eye, leaving him blinded.

Blind and heartbroken, the king’s son wandered through the desolate forest, subsisting on berries and wild herbs. His thoughts were consumed by the memory of Rapunzel’s sweet face and the haunting melody of her voice.

He wandered for years, a shadow of his former self, driven by an insatiable longing for Rapunzel. His journey led him, ironically, to the desolate desert – the very place where Rapunzel had been banished.

Suddenly, he heard it – the familiar melody of Rapunzel’s voice, a beacon of hope in the barren wasteland. He followed the sound, his heart pounding with a mixture of hope and trepidation.

As he drew closer, he finally saw her. Rapunzel, her face etched with hardship, but her eyes still sparkling with a hint of the joy he remembered. She ran towards him, tears streaming down her face.

When two of Rapunzel’s tears miraculously fell upon his eyes, the prince’s sight was miraculously restored. He gazed upon her, his heart overflowing with joy. Then, he noticed two young children standing beside her.

“Meet your daughter and son,” Rapunzel said, her voice trembling with emotion.

“Twins!” the prince exclaimed, his eyes wide with astonishment.

“Yes,” she replied, a gentle smile gracing her lips. “A pair of beautiful, mischievous twins.”

“Then let us return home,” the prince declared, his voice filled with newfound hope.

And so, they returned to the prince’s kingdom, leaving the desolate desert behind. They lived happily ever after, their love enduring through hardship and finally blossoming into a family filled with joy and laughter.