Therewereonce a manand a womanwhohadlonginvainwishedfor a child. AtlengththewomanhopedthatGodwasabouttograntherdesire. Thesepeoplehad a littlewindowatthebackoftheirhousefromwhich a splendidgardencouldbeseen, whichwasfullofthemostbeautifulflowersandherbs. Itwas, however, surroundedby a highwall, andnoonedaredtogointoitbecauseitbelongedtoanenchantress, whohadgreatpowerandwasdreadedbyalltheworld. Onedaythewomanwasstandingbythiswindowandlookingdownintothegarden, whenshesaw a bedwhichwasplantedwiththemostbeautifulrampion (rapunzel), anditlookedsofreshandgreenthatshelongedforit, shequitepinedaway, andbegantolookpaleandmiserable. Thenherhusbandwasalarmed, andasked: 'Whatailsyou, dearwife?' 'Ah,' shereplied, 'if I can't eatsomeoftherampion, whichisinthegardenbehindourhouse, I shalldie.' Theman, wholovedher, thought: 'Soonerthanletyourwifedie, bringhersomeoftherampionyourself, letitcostwhatitwill.' Attwilight, heclambereddownoverthewallintothegardenoftheenchantress, hastilyclutched a handfuloframpion, andtookittohiswife. Sheatoncemadeherself a saladofit, andateitgreedily. Ittastedsogoodtoher—soverygood, thatthenextdayshelongedforitthreetimesasmuchasbefore. Ifhewastohaveanyrest, herhusbandmustoncemoredescendintothegarden. Inthegloomofeveningtherefore, helethimselfdownagain; butwhenhehadclambereddownthewallhewasterriblyafraid, forhesawtheenchantressstandingbeforehim. 'Howcanyoudare,' saidshewithangrylook, 'descendintomygardenandstealmyrampionlike a thief? Youshallsufferforit!' 'Ah,' answeredhe, 'letmercytaketheplaceofjustice, I onlymadeupmymindtodoitoutofnecessity. Mywifesawyourrampionfromthewindow, andfeltsuch a longingforitthatshewouldhavediedifshehadnotgotsometoeat.' Thentheenchantressallowedherangertobesoftened, andsaidtohim: 'Ifthecasebeasyousay, I willallowyoutotakeawaywithyouasmuchrampionasyouwill, only I makeonecondition, youmustgivemethechildwhichyourwifewillbringintotheworld; itshallbewelltreated, and I willcareforitlike a mother.' Themaninhisterrorconsentedtoeverything, andwhenthewomanwasbroughttobed, theenchantressappearedatonce, gavethechildthenameofRapunzel, andtookitawaywithher.
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Rapunzelgrewintothemostbeautifulchildunderthesun. Whenshewastwelveyearsold, theenchantressshutherinto a tower, whichlayin a forest, andhadneitherstairsnordoor, butquiteatthetopwas a littlewindow. Whentheenchantresswantedtogoin, sheplacedherselfbeneathitandcried:
AtfirstRapunzelwasterriblyfrightenedwhen a man, suchashereyeshadneveryetbeheld, cametoher; buttheking's sonbegantotalktoherquitelike a friend, andtoldherthathishearthadbeensostirredthatithadlethimhavenorest, andhehadbeenforcedtoseeher. ThenRapunzellostherfear, andwhenheaskedherifshewouldtakehimforherhusband, andshesawthathewasyoungandhandsome, shethought: 'HewilllovememorethanoldDameGotheldoes'; andshesaidyes, andlaidherhandinhis. Shesaid: 'I willwillinglygoawaywithyou, but I donotknowhowtogetdown. Bringwithyou a skeinofsilkeverytimethatyoucome, and I willweave a ladderwithit, andwhenthatisready I willdescend, andyouwilltakemeonyourhorse.' Theyagreedthatuntilthattimeheshouldcometohereveryevening, fortheoldwomancamebyday. Theenchantressremarkednothingofthis, untilonceRapunzelsaidtoher: 'Tellme, DameGothel, howithappensthatyouaresomuchheavierformetodrawupthantheyoungking's son—heiswithmein a moment.' 'Ah! youwickedchild,' criedtheenchantress. 'Whatdo I hearyousay! I thought I hadseparatedyoufromalltheworld, andyetyouhavedeceivedme!' InherangersheclutchedRapunzel's beautifultresses, wrappedthemtwiceroundherlefthand, seized a pairofscissorswiththeright, andsnip, snap, theywerecutoff, andthelovelybraidslayontheground. AndshewassopitilessthatshetookpoorRapunzelinto a desertwhereshehadtoliveingreatgriefandmisery.
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OnthesamedaythatshecastoutRapunzel, however, theenchantressfastenedthebraidsofhair, whichshehadcutoff, tothehookofthewindow, andwhentheking's soncameandcried: