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Rapunzel!
Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, there was a girl named Rapunzel who had long, magical golden hair. When she was just a baby, an evil witch named Gothel took her away from her family and locked her in a tall tower deep in the forest. The tower had no doors and no stairs—just a single window at the top. The only way anyone could get in or out was by climbing Rapunzel’s hair, which the witch used as a rope to reach the top.
Rapunzel spent her days alone, watching the world from her window and dreaming of what life was like beyond the tower. Her golden hair grew longer and longer, and every day, Gothel would visit, calling out, “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!” Then Rapunzel would lower her hair, and the witch would climb up. Though Rapunzel loved singing and reading the few books she had, she longed for adventure, friends, and to see the world outside the tower.
One day, a prince was riding through the forest when he heard a beautiful voice singing from the top of the tower. Curious, he followed the sound and saw the tall tower hidden among the trees. When he got closer, he saw the witch call up to the window, and to his amazement, a long golden braid of hair fell down. The witch climbed up, and after a while, she left again.
The prince, determined to meet the girl with the beautiful voice, waited until the witch had gone. Then he called out just like the witch had, “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!” Rapunzel, thinking it was Gothel, let down her braid, and the prince climbed up to meet her. At first, Rapunzel was frightened to see a stranger, but the prince spoke kindly to her, telling her about the world outside the tower. Over time, they became close friends, and eventually, they fell in love.
The prince visited Rapunzel often, and together they made plans to escape. The prince would bring a piece of silk each time he visited, so Rapunzel could weave a ladder. That way, she could climb down and leave the tower forever.
But one day, the witch discovered their secret. She was furious that Rapunzel had been seeing the prince. In her anger, Gothel cut off Rapunzel’s beautiful hair and banished her to a faraway desert, where she would be all alone. The witch waited in the tower for the prince to return, planning to trick him.
When the prince arrived to rescue Rapunzel, Gothel let down the cut hair from the window, pretending everything was normal. The prince began to climb, but just as he was almost to the top, Gothel cut the hair again, and the prince fell from the tower into a patch of thorny bushes below. The thorns scratched his eyes, and he lost his sight.
Heartbroken, the prince wandered through the forest, searching for Rapunzel, even though he could no longer see. He traveled for days and nights, through forests and valleys, calling out her name. Though he couldn’t see, his heart told him he would find her one day.
Meanwhile, Rapunzel lived alone in the desert, missing the prince and wondering if she would ever see him again. She was sad but never gave up hope. Every day, she sang her songs, just as she had in the tower, hoping that somehow, the prince would hear her voice again.
One day, as the prince was walking through the desert, he heard a familiar voice singing. His heart leapt—he knew it was Rapunzel! He followed the sound, and soon enough, he found her. Overjoyed, they embraced, and Rapunzel, seeing the prince’s eyes were hurt, began to cry. As her magical tears fell into his eyes, something amazing happened—the prince could see again!
With their love stronger than ever, the prince and Rapunzel left the desert and traveled back to the prince’s kingdom. There, Rapunzel was reunited with her family, who had been searching for her all these years. The king and queen welcomed her with open arms, and the entire kingdom celebrated the return of their long-lost princess.
From that day on, Rapunzel and the prince lived happily ever after. They ruled the kingdom with kindness and love, and Rapunzel finally got to experience the world she had always dreamed of. No longer trapped in a tower, she was free to explore, make new friends, and share her beautiful voice with everyone.
The end.
Follow-up questions:
- Why do you think Rapunzel let the prince climb up her hair, even though she had never met him before?
- How do you think Rapunzel felt when the witch sent her away to live all alone in the desert?
- What would you do if you were the prince and lost your sight? Would you keep searching for Rapunzel?