Chapter 10
CHAPTER X. rapunzel there once lived a man and his wife who wished much to have a child at the back of their house was a garden full of choice green food but there was a high wall, and all round it no one dared to come near it, for a witch owned it, and all were in fear that she might cast a spell on them. One day the wife saw some lettuce in the garden, and it looked so fresh and green that she longed for some of it. She wished more and more
for it each day, and at last grew quite sad for want of it. The man saw how she pined, and said, what ails you dear wife? Oh I shall die said she if I do not get some of that lettuce that grows back of the house. I will get some said he cost what it will. So that night he climbed over the wall and got some. The wife liked it so well that she longed for more and to give her rest the man went again to get some. But this time the old witch caught him and said, how dare you come in
my place and steal my lettuce? You shall pay for this. Oh, said he, do not be so hard on me. I had to do it, for my wife wished so much for it that she would have died if she had not got it. Well, if that is true, said the witch, you may have all you like, but you must give me a pledge that you will do one thing. If you should have a child, you must give it to me. I will do well by it and give it as good care as your wife would. In his fear, he said he would give the child to
the witch. When weeks had passed, a child was born to them, and the witch came and claimed it. She called it Rapunzel and took it off with her. Rapunzel grew to be a fair girl and had hair of great length. When she was 12 years old, the witch shut her up in a tower that had no stairs and but one small window at the top.
When the witch wished to get in, she would say, Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair. Then Rapunzel would let her long hair down out of the window, and the witch would climb up by it. Some years went by, and one day a young prince came that way and heard such a sweet voice sing from the tower that he had to stop. It was Rapunzel who sang that way to pass the time.
The prince tried to get into the tower, but he could find no door. He went home, but the song still rang in his ears, and he came each day to hear it. Once, when he stood behind a tree, he saw the witch come and cry, Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair. Then he saw the hair let down and the witch climb up by it. The next day he came to the tower and called, Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair. She let her hair down, and the prince at once climbed up it. Rapunzel was in
great fear when she saw the young man, but the prince spoke to her kindly and told her how he had heard her sing and that he could not rest till he had seen her. Rapunzel lost her fear, and when he asked her if she would be his wife, she thought, he is better than the old witch, and she put her hand in his and said, yes, I will go with you, but how am I to get down? Each time you come, bring with you a skin of silk and I will weave it into a rope and go down by it.
The prince said he would do this and then climbed down and went home, but the old witch had seen him go. She was in a rage and as soon as she had climbed up in the tower, she seized Rapunzel's long hair, took a pair of shears, and snip, snap. Off fell the fine braids to the floor. Then she sent her off to a hut in a lonely place where she could see no one. When the prince came the next day, the old witch hung out Rapunzel's hair for him to climb up by. When he got to the
top, she cried, ah, the bird has left the nest. The cat took her off and will now scratch your eyes out. The prince was full of grief when he heard these words and in his despair sprang from the window. He was not killed, but the thorns on which he fell put out his eyes. He roamed through the woods for a long time, mourning for his lost bride and eating not but roots and wild fruit. At last he came to the hut where Rapunzel lived in want and grief. As he drew near the place,
he heard a voice that he thought he knew. He went to it, and Rapunzel knew him and ran to him and threw her arms round his neck and wept. Two of her tears fell on his eyes, and his sight at once came back. He led Rapunzel away to his kingdom, where they were received with great joy and lived long and happy lives. End of chapter 10, Rapunzel.
