Lullventyr
Rapunzel — cover illustration
Bedtime story

Rapunzel

by Jacob Grimm And Wilhelm Grimm

A man and his wife live next to a magical garden owned by a feared enchantress. The wife develops an intense craving for the rampion growing there, forcing her husband to steal some for her. To save her life, he agrees to give up their unborn child to the enchantress as payment. She takes the baby girl, naming her Rapunzel and raising her in isolation. When Rapunzel turns twelve, the enchantress locks her in a tall tower with no doors or stairs. The only way to reach her is by climbing her long, golden hair when she lowers it from the window. Years later, a king's son hears Rapunzel singing and discovers her secret method of entry. He begins visiting her secretly every evening, and they fall deeply in love. They plan an escape using a ladder made of silk, but Rapunzel accidentally reveals their relationship to the enchantress. Enraged by the betrayal, the enchantress cuts off Rapunzel’s hair and banishes her to a desolate desert. She then tricks the king's son by letting down the severed hair during his next visit. Upon discovering the deception, the prince leaps from the tower in despair, losing his sight to thorns. He wanders blindly through the forest for years, consumed by grief and sorrow. Eventually, he stumbles upon Rapunzel living in the wilderness with their twin children. Her tears of joy heal his eyes, restoring his vision completely. They return to his kingdom, where they live happily ever after.

How it begins

RAPUNZEL There were once a man and a woman who had long in vain wished for a child. At length the woman hoped that God was about to grant her desire. These people had a little window at the back of their house from which a splendid garden could be seen, which was full of the most beautiful flowers and herbs. It was, however, surrounded by a high wall, and no one dared to go into it because it belonged to an enchantress, who had great power and was dreaded by all the world. One day the woman was standing by this window and looking down into the garden, when she saw a bed which was planted with the most…

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