Rapunzel
A Brothers Grimm fairy tale about a girl with magical long hair locked in a tower and the prince who tries to rescue her.
Age
6-11
Words
2128
Author
Brothers Grimm
Chapters
1. The Garden 🌿
Once upon a time, there lived a man and his wife.
They wanted a baby very much.
They lived in a small house.
Behind their house was a high wall.
On the other side was a beautiful garden.
The garden was filled with wonderful plants!
It had flowers and herbs and vegetables!
But nobody dared go into that garden.
It belonged to a powerful witch!
Everyone was afraid of her.
One day, the wife looked out the window.
She saw beautiful rapunzel plants in the garden.
Rapunzel is a type of lettuce.
It looked so fresh and green!
She wanted it more than anything!
"I must have some of that rapunzel!" she told her husband.
"If I don't eat it, I will die!"
She grew pale and sick.
Her husband was very worried.
He loved his wife dearly.
2. The Husband's Theft 🌙
That night, the husband made a brave decision.
He climbed over the wall!
His heart pounded with fear!
The garden was dark and quiet.
He grabbed some rapunzel quickly.
He climbed back home.
His wife was so happy!
She made a salad right away.
It tasted delicious!
But now she wanted even more!
The next night, he went back again.
He climbed over the wall.
He reached for the rapunzel.
Suddenly, a voice spoke!
"How dare you steal from me!"
It was the witch!
She appeared before him!
Her eyes glowed with anger!
The husband fell to his knees!
"Please forgive me!" he begged.
3. The Terrible Deal 👶
"My wife is ill!" the husband explained.
"She will die without this rapunzel!
I had no choice!
Please have mercy!"
The witch's eyes narrowed.
"I will make you a deal," said the witch coldly.
"You may take all the rapunzel you want.
Your wife can eat as much as she likes.
But when your baby is born,
you must give the child to me!"
The husband was terrified!
But he was so scared, he agreed!
He took the rapunzel home.
His wife ate it and felt better.
But his heart was heavy with fear.
Months passed.
A beautiful baby girl was born!
They were so happy!
But that very day, the witch appeared!
"Give me the child!" she demanded.
The parents cried and begged!
But a deal was a deal.
The witch took the baby away.
She named her Rapunzel.
The parents never saw their daughter again.
4. The Tall Tower 🗼
The witch raised Rapunzel as her own.
Rapunzel grew into a beautiful girl.
She had the most amazing hair!
It was golden and long!
It grew and grew and never stopped!
When Rapunzel turned twelve, something happened.
The witch took her far away.
Deep in the forest stood a tall tower.
It had no stairs!
It had no door!
Only one window at the very top!
The witch locked Rapunzel in the tower!
"You will stay here forever!" said the witch.
Rapunzel was scared and lonely.
She had only the birds for company.
She sang songs to pass the time.
Every day, the witch came to visit.
But how did she get up?
She stood below and called:
"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!"
Rapunzel would drop her long, long hair down.
The witch would climb up Rapunzel's hair!
It was strong like a rope!
The hair was so long, it reached the ground!
Rapunzel would tie it to a hook.
Then the witch could climb up easily.
5. Years Alone 😔
Years passed slowly in the tower.
Rapunzel grew more beautiful.
Her hair grew longer and longer.
It was now twenty meters long!
She braided it every day.
Rapunzel was very lonely.
She looked out the window every day.
She watched the birds fly free.
She watched the seasons change.
She dreamed of leaving the tower.
She sang to keep herself company.
Her voice was beautiful and clear.
It echoed through the forest.
Animals came to listen.
Even the trees seemed to sway to her songs.
6. The Prince Arrives 🤴
One day, a young prince rode through the forest.
He was hunting with his friends.
Suddenly, he heard the most beautiful singing!
It was like an angel!
He followed the sound.
He came to the tall tower.
He looked up at the window.
He saw Rapunzel singing!
She was the most beautiful girl he had ever seen!
His heart filled with love immediately.
But how could he reach her?
There was no door!
The prince looked everywhere!
He found no way to climb up.
He left sadly, but he came back every day.
He hid in the forest and listened to her sing.
Each day, he fell more in love.
One day, he saw the witch arrive!
He heard her call:
"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!"
He watched Rapunzel's hair fall down!
He saw the witch climb up!
"Aha!" thought the prince.
"Now I know how to reach her!"
He waited for the witch to leave.
7. True Love 💕
When the witch was gone, the prince approached.
He stood below the window.
In his best voice, he called:
"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!"
Down came the golden hair!
The prince climbed up carefully.
He climbed through the window.
Rapunzel was frightened at first!
She had never seen a man before!
But the prince was kind and gentle.
"Don't be afraid," said the prince softly.
"I heard your beautiful voice.
I fell in love with you.
Will you talk with me?"
Rapunzel's fear melted away.
They talked for hours!
The prince told her about the world outside.
He told her about castles and cities.
He told her about mountains and seas.
Rapunzel's eyes sparkled with wonder!
"I have been so lonely," said Rapunzel.
"The witch is the only person I know.
You are kind and good.
I think I love you too!"
They held hands and smiled.
8. The Secret Visits 🌙
The prince came back every day!
He always came when the witch was gone.
He brought Rapunzel gifts!
He brought her silk ribbons!
He brought her books to read!
They made plans to escape!
"I will bring you a silk rope," said the prince.
"Each day, I'll bring a little bit.
You can weave it into a ladder!
When it's long enough, you can climb down!"
Rapunzel was so happy!
Soon she would be free!
She sang more beautifully than ever!
She dreamed of leaving with her prince!
But she had to keep it secret from the witch.
9. The Mistake 😱
One day, Rapunzel made a terrible mistake!
The witch was climbing up her hair.
"You are so much heavier than the prince!" said Rapunzel.
She said it without thinking!
Then she gasped!
She had given away her secret!
The witch's face turned red with rage!
"What? A prince?" she screamed.
"You wicked girl!
I kept you safe here!
And you betrayed me!"
The witch grabbed Rapunzel's beautiful hair!
She took scissors!
SNIP! SNIP! SNIP!
She cut off all of Rapunzel's long hair!
Rapunzel cried as her hair fell to the floor!
Then the witch used magic!
She sent Rapunzel far away!
To a wilderness, far from the tower!
Rapunzel found herself all alone!
In a desert land with no people!
10. The Prince's Tragedy 😢
That evening, the prince came as usual.
He called up to the tower:
"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!"
Down came the golden hair!
But it was really the witch!
She had tied the cut hair to the hook!
The prince climbed up eagerly.
But when he reached the window...
The witch was there instead of Rapunzel!
"Aha!" cackled the witch.
"Your little bird has flown away!
You will never see her again!"
The prince was heartbroken!
"What have you done with her?" he cried.
"She's gone forever!" laughed the witch.
The prince was so upset!
In his grief, he jumped from the tower!
He fell into the thorny bushes below!
The thorns hurt him terribly!
Worst of all, they scratched his eyes!
He was blind!
He could not see anymore!
The prince wandered away sadly.
He walked through the forest, blind and alone.
He called for Rapunzel.
But she was far away.
She could not hear him.
11. Lost and Alone 🏜️
Rapunzel lived in the wilderness.
She survived on berries and roots.
She found water from a stream.
She made shelter under the trees.
She was miserable and alone.
Months passed.
Then something wonderful happened!
Rapunzel had twin babies!
A boy and a girl!
Even though life was hard, the babies brought her joy.
She sang lullabies to her children.
She told them stories.
She loved them with all her heart.
But she always thought of the prince.
She wondered if she would ever see him again.
12. The Happy Reunion 💑
For years, the blind prince wandered.
He lived on whatever food he could find.
He was sad and lonely.
He never stopped thinking of Rapunzel.
He never stopped calling her name.
One day, he came to the wilderness.
He heard a familiar sound!
It was singing!
A beautiful voice he knew so well!
It was Rapunzel!
"Rapunzel!" he called.
Rapunzel heard his voice!
"My prince!" she cried.
She ran to him with her children!
They embraced each other!
Rapunzel cried tears of joy!
Her tears fell on the prince's eyes!
Suddenly, something magical happened!
The tears healed his eyes!
He could see again!
13. Home at Last 🏰
The prince looked at Rapunzel!
She was more beautiful than he remembered!
Then he saw the two children!
"These are our children!" said Rapunzel proudly.
The prince was filled with happiness!
"Come with me to my kingdom!" said the prince.
"We will be married!
We will be a family!
You will be my princess!
Our children will be loved and cared for!"
They traveled together to the prince's kingdom.
Everyone celebrated their arrival!
They had a beautiful wedding!
Rapunzel became a princess!
The twin children grew up in the palace!
Rapunzel's hair grew back, though not as long.
She was happy it was shorter now!
She never wanted to be trapped again!
The witch was never seen again.
Good had triumphed over evil!
14. Happily Ever After 👨👩👧👦
The prince and Rapunzel lived happily.
Their children grew up strong and kind.
The palace was filled with love and laughter.
Rapunzel sang every day, just for joy.
No one locked her up ever again.
They told their children the story.
"Sometimes bad things happen," they said.
"But if you have courage and love,
good things will come.
Never give up hope!"
And they all lived happily ever after!