RAPUNZEL
Long, long ago in a house that
overlooked a beautiful garden lived a childless couple. They prayed to God
every day to bless them with a child. One day they found that God had answered
their prayer. They were at long last going to have a baby!
Their days passed in happiness
but alas! the wife fell ill. She would eat nothing and the husband was worried
that she would waste away. He tried to tempt her with many good things but she
refused everything. “But you must eat something, my dear,” he begged her.
“There is a herb called Rapunzel in the garden next door. I will feel better if
I can eat that,” she said. The husband’s heart sank when he heard her. This
garden was owned by a wicked witch who would let no one enter. But he loved his
wife very much and so with a pounding heart, he decided to go into the garden
at a time when the witch was away. One day, finding an appropriate time he went
into the gar den. He had managed to pluck the herb but as he was about to
leave, the wicked witch came back. “You thief! How dare you enter my garden?”
she screamed. She threatened to put a curse on him. He fell at her feet and
begged, “Please don’t curse me. If my wife doesn’t eat this herb, she will die.
She is going to have a baby and is very ill.” The witch stopped to think
awhile. “I will let you go on one condition. You will give me the baby after
it’s born.” The poor man had no other way out but to agree.
He took the herb to his wife
and miraculously she soon recovered and gave birth to a beautiful girl. But as
per the agreement the witch came to take the baby away. She took Rapunzel—for
that’s what she named her—far away and locked her in a high tower. The tower
had no doors or stairs. There was only a window on top.
The only person whom Rapunzel
ever saw was the wicked witch. Rapunzel grew up to become beautiful with pretty
eyes, a beautiful voice, and her golden hair grew very, very long. All day
long, when Rapunzel was alone, she would sing and weep.
Every day, the wicked witch
came to the tower with food. She stood at the bottom of the tower and shouted.
“Rapunzel! Rapunzel! Let your hair down!” Rapunzel would drop her long, braided
hair through the window. The witch used the hair as a rope to climb into the
tower.
One day, a handsome prince was
passing by and heard her sing. He fell in love with her voice and unknown to
all came to the tower every day to hear her sing. One day, the prince saw the
witch climbing up the tower using Rapunzel’s hair.
The next day, the prince too
called out to Rapunzel. “Let down your hair,” he said. The prince climbed to
the top of the tower. After that, the prince came to meet Rapunzel every night.
Alas! the witch soon discovered
the prince with Rapunzel. She pushed him from the tower onto a thorny bush,
making him blind. She banished Rapunzel into the desert far away.
Many years passed. The blind
prince wandered alone and finally reached the same desert. One day, he heard
familiar voice singing. Following the sound he found her. They hugged each
other in joy. Tears of happiness rolled down Rapuzel’s cheek. As the tears fell
on the prince’s eyes, he regained his vision.
The prince took Rapunzel to his
kingdom and they lived happily ever after.
http://shortstoriesshort.com/story/rapunzel/
Tidak ada komentar:
Posting Komentar