Rapunzel
by Brothers Grimm · from Household Tales
Adapted Version
Once upon a time, there was a tower. A tall, tall tower. It was in a dark forest. A girl lived in the tower. She had very long golden hair.
But how did she get there?
A man and woman had a home. Next to it was a garden. The garden had pretty flowers. The woman loved them so much. "I want those flowers!" she said.
The man went to the garden. He picked the pretty flowers. But an old woman saw him. "Those are MY flowers!" she said. She was very, very angry. "You must give me a gift!" she said. The man was so scared. He said yes.
The old woman took a little girl. Her name was Rapunzel. The old woman kept her.
Rapunzel grew and grew. She had long, long golden hair. The old woman put her in a tower. The tower had no door. It had no stairs. Rapunzel was all alone. She was very sad.
One day, a prince walked by. He heard a pretty song. It came from the tower. He hid behind a tree. The old woman came. She called up to the tower. "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!" Rapunzel let down her long hair. The old woman climbed up.
The next day, the prince came back. "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!" he called. Rapunzel let down her hair. The prince climbed up. They became very good friends.
"I will help you get out!" said the prince. He brought rope each time. They made a long ladder.
But Rapunzel made a mistake. She told the old woman. "Oh no!" said Rapunzel.
The old woman was so angry. She cut Rapunzel's long hair. She sent her far, far away.
Then she tricked the prince. He climbed up the tower. But Rapunzel was gone. "You will never see her!" said the old woman.
The prince was very, very sad. He left the tower. He walked into the dark forest. He got lost. He could not find his way. He walked and walked.
Then one day, he heard a song. He knew that voice. It was Rapunzel! He found her. They were so happy.
Rapunzel cried happy tears. The tears were magic. They fell on the prince's eyes. Now he could see the way home!
They went to a pretty castle. And they lived happily ever after. Rapunzel smiled in her new home. Her golden hair shined in the sun. And they were never alone again.
Original Story
Rapunzel
A fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm
There once lived a man and his wife, who had long wished for a child, but in vain. Now there was at the back of their house a little window which overlooked a beautiful garden full of the finest vegetables and flowers; but there was a high wall all round it, and no one ventured into it, for it belonged to a witch of great might, and of whom all the world was afraid.
One day that the wife was standing at the window, and looking into the garden, she saw a bed filled with the finest rampion; and it looked so fresh and green that she began to wish for some; and at length she longed for it greatly. This went on for days, and as she knew she could not get the rampion, she pined away, and grew pale and miserable. Then the man was uneasy, and asked, "What is the matter, dear wife?"
"Oh," answered she, "I shall die unless I can have some of that rampion to eat that grows in the garden at the back of our house." The man, who loved her very much, thought to himself, "Rather than lose my wife I will get some rampion, cost what it will." So in the twilight he climbed over the wall into the witch's garden, plucked hastily a handful of rampion and brought it to his wife. She made a salad of it at once, and ate of it to her heart's content. But she liked it so much, and it tasted so good, that the next day she longed for it thrice as much as she had done before; if she was to have any rest the man must climb over the wall once more. So he went in the twilight again; and as he was climbing back, he saw, all at once, the witch standing before him, and was terribly frightened, as she cried, with angry eyes, "How dare you climb over into my garden like a thief, and steal my rampion! it shall be the worse for you!"
"Oh," answered he, "be merciful rather than just, I have only done it through necessity; for my wife saw your rampion out of the window, and became possessed with so great a longing that she would have died if she could not have had some to eat." Then the witch said,
"If it is all as you say you may have as much rampion as you like, on one condition - the child that will come into the world must be given to me. It shall go well with the child, and I will care for it like a mother."
In his distress of mind the man promised everything; and when the time came when the child was born the witch appeared, and, giving the child the name of Rapunzel (which is the same as rampion), she took it away with her.
Rapunzel was the most beautiful child in the world. When she was twelve years old the witch shut her up in a tower in the midst of a wood, and it had neither steps nor door, only a small window above. When the witch wished to be let in, she would stand below and would cry,
"Rapunzel, Rapunzel!
Let down your hair!"
Rapunzel had beautiful long hair that shone like gold. When she. heard the voice of the witch she would undo the fastening of the upper window, unbind the plaits of her hair, and let it down twenty ells below, and the witch would climb up by it.
After they had lived thus a few years it happened that as the King's son was riding through the wood, he came to the tower; and as he drew near he heard a voice singing so sweetly that he stood still and listened. It was Rapunzel in her loneliness trying to pass away the time with sweet songs. The King's son wished to go in to her, and sought to find a door in the tower, but there was none. So he rode home, but the song had entered into his heart, and every day he went into the wood and listened to it. Once, as he was standing there under a tree, he saw the witch come up, and listened while she called out,
"O Rapunzel, Rapunzel!
Let down your hair."
Then he saw how Rapunzel let down her long tresses, and how the witch climbed up by it and went in to her, and he said to himself, "Since that is the ladder I will climb it, and seek my fortune." And the next day, as soon as it began to grow dusk, he went to the tower and cried,
"O Rapunzel, Rapunzel!
Let down your hair."
And she let down her hair, and the King's son climbed up by it. Rapunzel was greatly terrified when she saw that a man had come in to her, for she had never seen one before; but the King's son began speaking so kindly to her, and told how her singing had entered into his heart, so that he could have no peace until he had seen her herself. Then Rapunzel forgot her terror, and when he asked her to take him for her husband, and she saw that he was young and beautiful, she thought to herself, "I certainly like him much better than old mother Gothel," and she put her hand into his hand.
She said: "I would willingly go with thee, but I do not know how I shall get out. When thou comest, bring each time a silken rope, and I will make a ladder, and when it is quite ready I will get down by it out of the tower, and thou shalt take me away on thy horse." They agreed that he should come to her every evening, as the old woman came in the day-time.
So the witch knew nothing of all this until once Rapunzel said to her unwittingly, "Mother Gothel, how is it that you climb up here so slowly, and the King's son is with me in a moment?"
"O wicked child," cried the witch, "what is this I hear! I thought I had hidden thee from all the world, and thou hast betrayed me!" In her anger she seized Rapunzel by her beautiful hair, struck her several times with her left hand, and then grasping a pair of shears in her right - snip, snap - the beautiful locks lay on the ground. And she was so hard-hearted that she took Rapunzel and put her in a waste and desert place, where she lived in great woe and misery.
The same day on which she took Rapunzel away she went back to the tower in the evening and made fast the severed locks of hair to the window-hasp, and the King's son came and cried,
"Rapunzel, Rapunzel!
Let down your hair."
Then she let the hair down, and the King's son climbed up, but instead of his dearest Rapunzel he found the witch looking at him with wicked glittering eyes.
"Aha!" cried she, mocking him, "you came for your darling, but the sweet bird sits no longer in the nest, and sings no more; the cat has got her, and will scratch out your eyes as well! Rapunzel is lost to you; you will see her no more." The King's son was beside himself with grief, and in his agony he sprang from the tower: he escaped with life, but the thorns on which he fell put out his eyes. Then he wandered blind through the wood, eating nothing but roots and berries, and doing nothing but lament and weep for the loss of his dearest wife.
So he wandered several years in misery until at last he came to the desert place where Rapunzel lived with her twin-children that she had borne, a boy and a girl. At first he heard a voice that he thought he knew, and when he reached the place from which it seemed to come Rapunzel knew him, and fell on his neck and wept. And when her tears touched his eyes they became clear again, and he could see with them as well as ever. Then he took her to his kingdom, where he was received with great joy, and there they lived long and happily.
- * * * *
Story DNA
Moral
True love and perseverance can overcome even the most dire circumstances and cruelest enchantments.
Plot Summary
A desperate husband steals rampion for his pregnant wife from a powerful witch's garden, promising their unborn child in return. The witch takes the baby, Rapunzel, and later imprisons her in a tall tower, accessible only by her long hair. A prince discovers Rapunzel, falls in love, and they plan her escape. However, Rapunzel inadvertently reveals their secret, leading the enraged witch to cut her hair, banish her to a desert, and blind the prince. After years of wandering and suffering, the blind prince finds Rapunzel and their twin children; her tears restore his sight, and they return to his kingdom to live happily.
Themes
Emotional Arc
suffering to triumph
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
Grimm's fairy tales often reflect societal anxieties and moral lessons of 19th-century Germany, including themes of obedience, consequences of forbidden desires, and the triumph of good over evil.
Plot Beats (15)
- A man's pregnant wife craves rampion from a witch's forbidden garden.
- The husband steals rampion, is caught by the witch, and promises their unborn child in exchange for his life.
- The witch takes the newborn girl, names her Rapunzel, and raises her.
- At age twelve, Rapunzel is locked in a tall tower without doors or stairs, accessible only by her long hair.
- A prince hears Rapunzel singing and discovers the witch's method of entry.
- The prince mimics the witch's call, climbs Rapunzel's hair, and they fall in love.
- They devise a plan for Rapunzel to escape the tower using a silken ladder woven from ropes the prince brings.
- Rapunzel accidentally reveals the prince's visits to the witch.
- The witch, furious, cuts Rapunzel's hair and banishes her to a desolate wilderness.
- The witch then uses Rapunzel's severed hair to lure the prince, revealing her deception.
- The prince, distraught, leaps from the tower, is blinded by thorns, and wanders aimlessly for years.
- Rapunzel gives birth to twins in the wilderness and lives in misery.
- The blind prince eventually finds Rapunzel and their children, drawn by her familiar voice.
- Rapunzel's tears of joy fall on the prince's eyes, restoring his sight.
- The reunited family returns to the prince's kingdom and lives happily.
Characters
Rapunzel ★ protagonist
Most beautiful child in the world, with extraordinarily long, golden hair.
Attire: Simple dress, likely homespun, appropriate for a girl living in isolation in a tower.
Initially terrified but kind, lonely, and eventually trusting and loving.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young woman in her late teens with extraordinarily long, flowing golden hair that cascades down past her feet, wearing a simple lavender medieval-style dress with puffed sleeves and a fitted bodice. She has bright green eyes, a gentle smile, and a curious, hopeful expression. She stands near a tall stone window in a tower, one hand resting on the stone sill while the other gathers her hair. Sunlight streams through the window, illuminating her hair and casting warm highlights. She wears no shoes, her bare feet visible on the stone floor. The background suggests a cozy tower room with sparse furnishings. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Witch ⚔ antagonist
Of great might, with an intimidating presence.
Attire: Dark, concealing robes, befitting a figure of fear and magic.
Cruel, possessive, and easily angered.
Image Prompt & Upload
An elderly woman with a hooked nose, deep wrinkles, and a sinister grin, wearing a tattered black robe and a pointed dark hat. She holds a glowing green potion in one hand, her long bony fingers wrapped around the vial. Her posture is hunched yet commanding, with a malicious glint in her sunken eyes. Her wild, gray hair spills from under the hat. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
King's son ★ protagonist
Young and beautiful.
Attire: Fine clothing befitting a prince, including riding attire.
Persistent, lovestruck, and courageous.
Image Prompt & Upload
A young adult prince with a determined expression, standing tall and proud. He has short, wavy golden hair and clear blue eyes. He wears a royal blue tunic with silver embroidery over a white shirt, dark leather trousers, and polished brown boots. A deep red velvet cape with a gold clasp is draped over his shoulders. His posture is confident, one hand resting on the hilt of a sword at his belt. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Husband ◆ supporting
No specific details given.
Attire: Simple clothing of a commoner.
Loving, desperate, and easily manipulated.
Image Prompt & Upload
A middle-aged man with a kind, weathered face and gentle brown eyes. He has short, salt-and-pepper hair and a neatly trimmed beard. He is dressed in a simple, sturdy tunic of undyed wool, belted at the waist, with leather breeches and worn boots. His posture is relaxed and open, standing with a slight, reassuring smile, as if ready to help. He holds a simple wooden staff in one hand. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Wife ◆ supporting
Pale and miserable from longing.
Attire: Simple dress of a common woman.
Longing, demanding, and ultimately the catalyst for the story.
Image Prompt & Upload
A mature woman in her late 30s with kind, crow's feet at the corners of her warm brown eyes and a gentle, knowing smile. Her chestnut hair is neatly braided and pinned up. She wears a practical, long-sleeved dress of soft green wool with a white linen apron, the sleeves rolled to her elbows. She stands in a relaxed, open posture, one hand resting on a woven basket filled with herbs and bread. The setting is the soft light of a cottage garden at dawn, with dew on the flowers and a hint of magical sparkle in the air. Plain white background, full body visible head to toe, single figure, no watermark, no text, no signature.
Locations
Witch's Garden
A beautiful garden full of the finest vegetables and flowers, especially rampion. Surrounded by a high wall.
Mood: coveted, forbidden, later dangerous
The husband steals rampion for his wife, encounters the witch, and makes a deal to give her their child.
Image Prompt & Upload
A twilight scene in an ancient, magical garden enclosed by a towering, moss-covered stone wall. The air is thick with a soft, purple mist. Winding gravel paths lead between lush, oversized raised beds bursting with glowing rampion, luminescent moonflowers, and twisted gourds. A gnarled, silver-barked tree stands in the center, its branches draped with hanging lanterns emitting a warm, amber light. The ground is dotted with bioluminescent mushrooms and dewy cobwebs that sparkle like diamonds. A stone fountain, shaped like a coiled serpent, trickles with shimmering water. The atmosphere is serene, mysterious, and deeply enchanting under a starry, indigo sky with a large, luminous moon. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration
Tower in the Woods
A tall tower in the midst of a wood, with no steps or door, only a small window above.
Mood: isolated, lonely, magical
Rapunzel is imprisoned here, sings from the tower, meets the prince, and is eventually discovered by the witch.
Image Prompt & Upload
At dawn, a slender stone tower rises from a misty, ancient forest. Dense, moss-covered oaks and ferns surround its base, their roots gnarling over forgotten stones. The tower is weathered gray, with no visible door or staircase, only a single small arched window near its peak. A faint, ethereal light glows from within the window, contrasting with the soft, silver morning mist weaving through the trees. Sunbeams pierce the canopy, illuminating dust motes and dewdrops on spiderwebs. The palette is muted greens, earthy browns, and soft grays, with the window’s warm glow the only point of color. The atmosphere is quiet, mysterious, and timeless. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
Waste and Desert Place
A desolate and barren place where Rapunzel is banished.
Mood: desolate, miserable, hopeful
Rapunzel lives in exile and gives birth to twins. The prince, now blind, finds her here, and her tears restore his sight.
Image Prompt & Upload
A vast, sun-scorched desert under a harsh midday sun. The ground is cracked, pale clay, stretching to a distant horizon of barren, rocky hills. Heat shimmers distort the air. A few skeletal, long-dead trees with bleached white branches stand as stark silhouettes. The palette is dominated by bleached tans, dusty browns, and a washed-out, pale blue sky. The atmosphere is utterly desolate, silent, and unforgiving. no border, no frame, no watermark, no text, no signature, edge-to-edge illustration.
