Chapter 3, Rapunzel.
Once upon a time there lived a man and his wife who wanted to have a family more than anything.
After many years of trying, but not having children, they hoped their luck would soon change.
The couple lived next door to a beautiful garden that was owned by a powerful witch.
The garden had colorful flower beds where birds would land and sing.
There were rows of green leafy vegetables.
Thick vines grew up the high walls surrounding the beautiful garden.
One day, the young wife looked out her window at the witch's garden.
She saw a beautiful patch of rapunzel, a delicious kind of lettuce.
She was so taken with the sight of the fresh, green, tasty lettuce that she simply had to eat some.
Weeks went by, and all she wanted to eat was this Rapunzel.
The wife grew thinner and thinner.
Rapunzel became the only thing she wanted to eat, nothing else.
Her husband noticed how pale and thin she looked.
He asked, Dear wife, what is the matter?
If...
I don't eat some of that Rapunzel from the old witch's garden.
I might go crazy, she replied, hungrier than ever.
It just looks so delicious.
I have to eat it.
Of course, the man wanted to give his wife anything she asked for.
After sundown, he climbed over the garden wall and pulled some of the Rapunzel from the ground.
When he returned home, his wife grabbed it from his hands even before saying hello.
She made a delicious salad and wolfed down the meal in just three bites.
From now on, the only food I shall eat is Rapunzel, she announced when she finished.
The next day at sunset, the man grabbed hold of a strong vine.
He used it to pull himself over the wall of the garden again.
Stepping around some green beans, he arrived at the patch of Rapunzel.
He broke off many leaves and stuffed them into a little canvas bag.
When he finally looked up, he had an awful fright.
The old witch stood right before him.
Thief, she cried, how dare you sneak in here and steal my Rapunzel.
I must punish you.
Cheese, the man said.
Simply had to take some of your lettuce.
My wife saw it from our window and she had to have some.
She will not eat anything else.
I cannot bear to watch her starve to death.
The witch looked at him closely.
If you are telling the truth, I will give you as much Rapunzel as your wife can eat.
In return, you must promise to do as I ask. the man agreed.
When the time is right, the witch said, I will tell you what I want.
Soon, the man and his wife learned that she was pregnant.
They were overjoyed by their good fortune.
The woman said I'm so happy both by our good news and because I can eat delicious Rapunzel every day.
I don't even care what you had to promise the old witch.
It was worth it.
The man no longer had to sneak over the wall or fear getting caught.
The witch had given him a key to her garden.
He picked as much Rapunzel as his wife could eat.
A few months later, they had a beautiful, healthy baby girl.
In honor of the leaf that kept her alive, the woman named her daughter Rapunzel.
Days after Rapunzel was born, the witch showed up on their doorstep.
''You promised,'' she said to the man, ''to do as I asked.
You have taken my Rapunzel for months, and now I will take your child.''
The woman cried, ''No, he never would have made that promise.''
The witch said, he promised to do exactly as I asked.
I want to take this child.
The man knew he could not break his promise.
The witch was too powerful.
With pain and sadness in his heart, he handed over his baby.
The witch carried her away at once so her parents could never find her.
She locked the child in a tall tower with no door and no stairs.
Rapunzel was to live there, kept away from the world.
There she grew into a beautiful girl.
The witch visited Rapunzel every day.
The girl never knew another kind of life.
She never met her true parents, and she did not know they missed her very much.
The only family she knew was with the old witch, whom she believed was her godmother.
At the top of the tower where Rapunzel lived, there was one tiny window.
Whenever the witch wanted to get inside, she stood at the bottom and called out Rapunzel Rapunzel, set down your hair.
Rapunzel had lovely long hair, the color of fine gold.
Whenever she heard the old witch's voice, the girl would fasten her braids to the window's latch.
She would let them fall twenty feet to the ground.
Then the old witch would grab hold of them and use them to climb up the tower walls.
One day, Rapunzel was singing sweet songs to fill the lonely hours.
A young prince happened to be riding through the forest.
He became enchanted by Rapunzel's voice.
He followed the sound all the way to her tower.
When he arrived, all he could see was a girl's shadow in the tiny window at the top.
He climbed down from his horse and looked for a way to meet her.
He quickly learned that the tower had no door and no stairs.
The more he realized he couldn't get in, the harder he tried.
The louder Rapunzel sang her sweet song, the more his heart melted.
There has to be a way up, he thought.
I need to know whose beautiful voice that is.
Maybe I could hide and see how she gets in and out.
He hid behind a nearby tree, hoping to find a way to get into the tower.
While he crouched there, he saw the old witch come to the tower.
He heard her say, Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let your hair down.
He watched Rapunzel throw her braids down from the window.
Then he saw the witch grab hold of them and climb up the tower wall.
Ah, so that's how to get up there, the prince said to himself.
I'm gonna try it too.
Once the old witch left, the prince stood beneath the tower and called out Rapunzel Rapunzel, let your hair down.
Long golden braids spilled from the window and dangled in front of him.
He climbed up the tower and through the window.
Rapunzel was shocked to see a man in front of her.
The only person Rapunzel had ever seen was her godmother.
Scared, she screamed and ran into the corner of the room.
But the prince spoke so kindly that soon she wasn't afraid.
Once I heard your beautiful melodies, the prince said, I knew that you would hold my heart forever.
Will you marry me?
I want to listen to you sing for the rest of our lives.
Rapunzel didn't know what she should do.
How could she leave the tower?
Her godmother had forbidden her from ever stepping foot outside of it.
I think I would like to go with you Rapunzel said shyly and see what life is like outside this tower.
She placed her little hand in his.
In an instant, she knew he would be more loving than her godmother.
Her heart warmed to him.
Yes, Rapunzel continued.
I would like to marry you.
There is no way for both of us to escape the tower, but I have an idea.
Every time you come to visit me, bring a small bit of silk rope with you.
I will braid a ladder.
When it's done, we will climb down it together.
Prince promised he would bring a bit of silk rope with him every time he visited.
Come in the evening, Rapunzel added.
My godmother always visits during the day.
The prince promised he would see her every single night.
He climbed out of her window and left.
Rapunzel heard the young prince singing to himself until he was gone from her sight.
Of course the witch did not know there was a prince visiting Rapunzel and Rapunzel could think of nothing but her prince.
One day the young girl said by accident Godmother, why do you take so long to climb up the tower?
When my prince calls, he climbs up my hair so quickly.
Rapunzel immediately let out a gasp.
She knew she had made an awful mistake.
The witch was furious.
What have you done, you wicked girl?
She screamed.
I locked you in this tower for one reason, to keep you away from the world.
That includes princess.
There is only trouble and pain in the world.
I wanted to save you from this, but you have tricked me.
Everything is ruined. old witch grabbed Rapunzel's braid.
She pulled a giant pair of scissors from her pocket and cut off all her golden hair.
Rapunzel was so shocked she could not move.
Tears fell down her beautiful cheeks.
Then the witch lifted her hands and cast an awful spell on the girl.
Rapunzel shrank away and shut her eyes tight.
She could not bear to see the anger in her godmother's face.
When Rapunzel opened her eyes again, she found herself all alone in the middle of a deep, dark forest.
The witch had sent her far, far away.
When the prince came to the tower that evening, he said, Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let your hair down.
As usual, the braid fell to the ground.
The prince climbed up, as he had always done, but once he was inside the tower he didn't find his beloved Rapunzel.
Instead, the old witch stood in front of him.
She was glaring at him.
You will never see your Rapunzel again, she cackled.
I've sent her deep into the forest.
Well, you will never find her.
She took a step forward and raised her bony arms.
Ow, I'm going to punish you too.
But before the old witch could cast a spell on him, the prince jumped out of the window.
He landed on top of a large thorny bush.
The needle scratched his eyes and made him blind.
He was miserable and lost.
Worst of all, he had no idea where the witch had sent Rapunzel.
He wandered through the forest for days, eating only berries and roots.
He vowed he would spend forever trying to find her.
Many years passed.
The blind prince stumbled through the woods.
He had almost given up hope of ever finding his beloved Rapunzel.
One day, he heard her sweet voice again.
For a moment, he thought he was going mad.
The prince walked toward the sound.
It led him to his beloved Rapunzel.
The couple embraced and rejoiced.
Rapunzel saw that the prince's eyes were hurt.
Are you hurt, my love?
When the prince nodded yes, she began to cry.
Two of her tears dropped into both of his eyes.
The tears must have held magic, for right away they healed the prince's eyes.
He could see again.
Rapunzel and her prince found their way through the dark forest back to his kingdom, and there they lived in happiness and good health for many long years.
