Once upon a time, a poor man and his wife lived beside a tall stone wall. Beyond it was a beautiful garden, owned by a powerful sorceress. One evening, the wife, who was expecting a child, wished deeply for the bright green rampion lettuce she saw in the garden.

The wife’s longing for the rampion grew stronger each day, making her unable to eat or sleep. Fearing for her health, her husband decided he must gather some of the precious leaves for her, no matter the risk.

Under the cover of night, the husband climbed the tall stone wall and carefully gathered a handful of rampion. But as he turned to leave, the powerful sorceress appeared in a swirl of green mist. “How dare you take from my garden!” she said sternly.

The terrified man explained his wife’s desperate craving. The sorceress’s eyes narrowed. “You may take the rampion,” she said coolly, “but in return, you must give me the child your wife will soon bear.” Trembling, the man agreed, hoping she would forget.

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

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

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

One day, a young prince rode through the woods and heard Rapunzel’s enchanting song. He stopped, filled with wonder, unable to find the source of such an angelic voice. He rode on, puzzled and enchanted by the mystery.

The next day, the prince returned. From his hiding place, he saw the sorceress arrive and call, “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!” He watched as the golden braid fell, and the witch climbed up the tower.

The prince waited until the sorceress left. Then, he whispered the same words he had heard. To his joy, Rapunzel’s long golden braid tumbled down once more. With a hopeful heart, he began his climb.

When the prince climbed into the tower, Rapunzel gasped in surprise. She had never seen another human face besides the sorceress’s. At first, she was frightened, but she soon saw kindness in his eyes. They spoke softly, 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 a life together far from the sorceress.

But one day, Rapunzel innocently asked, “Mother Gothel, how is it that you are heavier to pull up than the prince?” The sorceress’s face turned pale, then dark with fury. “Traitor!” she cried. In rage, she cut off Rapunzel’s long golden hair and sent her away to a lonely desert.

That night, when the prince called, the sorceress lowered the severed braid. As he climbed, he met the witch instead. “Your songbird is gone!” she sneered. In despair, the prince fell from the tower into thorny bushes, and the thorns pricked his eyes, making him unable to see.

For many years, the blind prince wandered through forests and wastelands, living simply on what he could find, his heart heavy with sadness. One day, he heard a familiar song. He followed the voice and found Rapunzel, her hair now short, holding two little children. She ran into his arms, weeping, and her tears fell upon his eyes, bringing back his sight.

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.