Once, a poor man and his wife lived beside a tall stone wall. Beyond it lay a splendid garden, full of blooming flowers and fresh vegetables, owned by a powerful sorceress. The wife, expecting a child, gazed longingly at bright green rampion lettuce, wishing she could taste it.

Her longing grew day by day until she could neither eat nor sleep. 'If I cannot have that rampion,' she said faintly, 'I shall surely die.' Out of love and fear, her husband decided to climb the garden wall under the cover of night to steal a handful of the precious leaves.

Under the cover of night, the husband climbed the garden wall and snatched a handful of rampion. But as he turned to leave, clutching the rampion, the sorceress appeared in a swirl of green smoke. 'How dare you steal from my garden!' she hissed. Terrified, the man fell to his knees and begged forgiveness, explaining his wife’s desperate craving.

The sorceress’s eyes narrowed. 'Very well,' she said coolly. 'You may take as much rampion as she desires—but in return, you must give me the child your wife will soon bear.' The man, trembling, agreed, hoping she would forget her promise. But witches never forget.

When the baby girl was born, the sorceress appeared at once. She took the child away and named her Rapunzel, after the rampion that had cost her freedom. The witch raised her in secret, teaching her spells, songs, and stories, yet keeping her hidden from the world.

When Rapunzel turned twelve, the sorceress built a tall tower deep in the forest. It had no stairs and no door—only a window high above the trees. Whenever the witch wished to visit, she would call, 'Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!'

Rapunzel’s golden hair grew longer each year, and her heart grew lonelier. She sang to the birds, watched the stars, and dreamed of the world beyond the forest. Her voice, pure and sweet, echoed through the trees and reached the hearts of all who passed by.

One day, a young prince rode through the woods and heard Rapunzel singing. He stopped, listening in wonder, unable to find the source of that angelic voice. When evening came, he saw a tall tower but no door, and he left, puzzled and enchanted.

The next day, the Prince returned—and from his hiding place, he saw the sorceress call, 'Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!' The golden braid fell, and the witch climbed up. The prince waited until she left, then whispered the same words. To his joy, the braid tumbled down again.

When the Prince climbed into the tower, Rapunzel gasped in surprise. She had never seen another human face but the witch’s. At first frightened, she soon saw kindness in his eyes. They spoke softly until the stars filled the window, and before long, they fell in love.

The Prince promised to bring silk each time he came so Rapunzel could weave a ladder. 'When it is finished,' he said, 'you shall see the world at last.' They dreamed of freedom, of sunlight and meadows, and of a life together far from the sorceress’s reach.

But one day, Rapunzel innocently said, 'Mother Gothel, how is it that you are heavier to pull up than the prince?' The witch’s face turned as pale as snow, then dark as storm clouds. 'Traitor!' she cried. In rage, she cut off Rapunzel’s long golden hair and banished her to a lonely desert.

That night, when the Prince came and called, the witch lowered the severed braid. As he climbed up, he met the sorceress instead. 'Your songbird is gone!' she sneered. In despair, the Prince leapt from the tower and fell into thorny bushes, which blinded him.

For many years, the blind Prince wandered through forests and wastelands, living on roots and tears. One day, he heard a familiar song—soft and filled with love. He followed the voice and found Rapunzel, her hair now short, holding two little children. She ran into his arms, weeping. Her tears fell upon his eyes, and light returned to them.

The Prince led Rapunzel and their children back to his kingdom. Bells rang, flowers bloomed, and the people rejoiced. Rapunzel’s heart was full, for she had finally found both freedom and love. And from that day on, no walls nor towers could ever keep them apart again.