Rapunzel

Title: Various Titles
Author: The Brothers Grimm
Publisher: Sterling Publisher, 1812
Reading Level: 4th and up
Pages: 2-8 pages per fairy tale
Genre: Fairy Tale
Other Read: Cinderella, Hansel and Gretel, The Frog Prince










Summary:

A couple lives across from a field of rampion that the wife pined for every day. Finally the husband gave in and went and took some from the garden. The next day the wife wanted it even more, so he went again only to find an enchantress ready to curse him. He explained that his wife would have died had he not gotten the rampion for her. The enchantress was sypathetic to his case and told him he could take all the rampion he desired if he gave her his first child. He consented and when his first child was born the enchantress took her away and namer her Rapunzel. Everyday the enchantress would tell Rapunzel to let down her long hair. Rapunzel would throw down her long tresses and pull the enchantress up. One day while she was singing, the prince heard her and he came every day to listen until he heard the enchantress. He went and called up to Rapunzel and she pulled him up. They fell in love and were going to run away. However, the enchantress found out and cut Rapunzel's hair. She took her to the desert to live a miserable life. When the prince came again, the enchantress was waiting for him. He jumped and was blinded by the thorns that he fell into. Many years went by and he wandered into the desert. There was Rapunzel and she wept over him with her twins, a boy and girl. Her tears cured his blindness and they went back to the castle and lived quite content.

My Reaction:

The Grimm fairy tales are definitely a shock from modern fairy tales. I was interested to read them to see what was different, but I didn't love them.

Potential Problems:

They are gruesome, so I don't think it would be very good to read any of them to a child.

Recommendations:

I would recommend these fairy tales to someone who is trying to learn about all kinds of fairy tales. Other than that, I do not recommend them for any reason at all.