00:00The End
00:36This is the story of Rapunzel, a German folktale from the Middle Ages recorded in the 19th century by the
00:43Brothers Grimm.
00:44It tells of an expectant mother who craves a vegetable grown in a witch's garden
00:48and the very high price her daughter must pay for her mother's craving.
00:58A long time ago, there lived a poor farmer and his wife.
01:03They had lived alone for many years, so it was a special occasion indeed when the farmer's wife gave birth
01:09to a beautiful baby girl.
01:12To celebrate, the farmer's wife wished to have a feast.
01:16I could be content with nothing more than a salad, she said, if you could get me some fresh bellflower
01:22root from that lovely garden next door.
01:25The farmer agreed, but he did so reluctantly.
01:29For he knew that the garden belonged to a witch of great might who lived in a dark, forbidding mansion
01:35nearby.
01:36The farmer sneaked into the garden to look for the roots.
01:39When all at once, he saw the witch standing before him, he was terribly frightened as she cried.
01:46You trespassing little insect!
01:48I'll show you!
01:49But as she was about to cast a terrible spell upon him, the witch heard another voice call out to
01:53her.
01:55Heinrich!
01:56It was the farmer's wife, cradling her newborn baby in her arms.
02:01How dare you!
02:04And what have we here?
02:07Please show us mercy!
02:10My husband came into your garden because I begged him to.
02:13But the witch hardly seemed to hear what she said.
02:16The haggard old woman could not take her eyes off the beautiful newborn child.
02:22At length, she said to them,
02:24You want something from my garden?
02:27I might like something from yours, n'est-ce pas?
02:30You may have all the fruit of my garden you wish,
02:33if you give to me your beautiful little daughter to raise as my very own.
02:39The parents' love for their child was great,
02:42but their fear of the powerful witch was greater still.
02:45So they granted a request.
02:49The old witch was beside herself with joy
02:52and so determined to keep the child's love all to herself
02:55that she shut her up in a lofty tower deep in the wilderness
02:58where she would grow up all alone.
03:01The witch called the child Rapunzel,
03:03for Rapunzel is another name for bellflower.
03:12Many years passed
03:14and Rapunzel grew into a very beautiful young lady.
03:19But by that time,
03:21the witch had become so old and decrepit
03:24that she could no longer fly to the top of the tower.
03:28Then Rapunzel had to let down the long golden tresses of her hair
03:32so that the witch could climb up to her.
03:37For several years they lived this way
03:39and Rapunzel grew even more beautiful,
03:42but sadder and lonelier than ever.
03:50To lift her spirits,
03:52she sometimes sang to herself
03:55and her voice would echo through the forest
03:58and die quietly away.
04:00One particular day, however,
04:02the king's son was riding through the wood
04:04and he heard the sweet, sad song of the lonely girl.
04:08It was the most beautiful music that he had ever heard
04:11and he followed it deep into the forest
04:13until he came upon a large tower.
04:18Before he could venture closer, however,
04:21he heard a piercing voice cry out.
04:25Rapunzel!
04:26Let down your hair!
04:29He was amazed when he saw the old witch
04:31hobble up to the tower,
04:35take a handful of Rapunzel's hair
04:37and ride to the top.
04:42He waited and waited
04:44and finally,
04:46when the witch went on her way,
04:48he approached the tower himself and cried,
04:50Rapunzel! Rapunzel!
04:52Let down your hair!
05:03Rapunzel!
05:04Cheerio!
05:07Sorry if I gave you a start, old girl.
05:09I heard you were singing
05:10and it was so lovely.
05:12You better get out of here.
05:13If my ma knew you were here,
05:15there'd be an awful fuss.
05:17I suspect you're right about that.
05:19When does she come to visit?
05:21Usually in the morning.
05:22Then I shall come to see you in the night
05:25with your kind permission.
05:28Rapunzel was amazed by the bold young prince.
05:30Okay.
05:32And a little frightened, too.
05:33He was so young and handsome
05:36and spoke so kindly to her
05:38that she lost her heart to him.
05:40And so it came to be that Rapunzel
05:42was visited twice in every day
05:44by the witch in the morning
05:45and the prince in the evening.
05:47This went on for quite some time
05:49until one fateful night
05:51when the prince stayed a little too long.
05:55Rapunzel!
05:57Tell me,
05:59are you ever lonely, my darling?
06:03Oh, no.
06:04I got loads of friends.
06:06The sunshine,
06:08the leaves,
06:09the raindrops.
06:10The prince?
06:12The prince?
06:13Ooh, what a man.
06:16Oops.
06:17I knew it!
06:18Oh, Mama, I'm sorry, but...
06:20You vicious, deceitful little tramp!
06:24Mama, I can't help that I love him.
06:26I'll show you what love is, my little lamb!
06:32The next night,
06:34the prince came to the tower as usual.
06:37Rapunzel's golden hair
06:38tumbled down as usual.
06:43And he climbed up to the window
06:45as he always did.
06:54What's the matter,
06:56the princey?
06:57Don't you want to kiss me?
06:58What have you done with her,
06:59you...
07:00I saw...
07:01You'll never see that
07:02faintless little strumpet to get.
07:05Rapunzel,
07:05where are you?
07:06But there was no answer
07:07except the final stroke
07:09of the witch's shears.
07:17I must find Rapunzel.
07:19I must.
07:20But the fall from the tower
07:21had blinded him.
07:22But a bird of the forest
07:23took pity on him
07:24and helped to guide him
07:26on his search for his lost love.
07:30In her eagerness for revenge, however,
07:33the witch had imprisoned herself
07:34in the tower,
07:35from which she never escaped.
07:39The prince wandered
07:40several years in misery,
07:43looking everywhere
07:44for his Rapunzel.
07:47He could not find her anywhere,
07:49though he searched
07:50to the end of the earth.
07:52At last,
07:53when all hope was gone
07:55and the prince had surrendered
07:56to despair,
07:57a soft, sweet voice
07:59found its way to him.
08:00Quiet!
08:01Listen!
08:02Just like the day
08:03many years before
08:04when he first wandered
08:05into the forest,
08:06though he dared not
08:07believe his ears.
08:08Hey, fellas!
08:10He had found Rapunzel
08:11at last.
08:12She restored his sight
08:14and their hearts
08:14overflowed with joy.
08:16They returned to his kingdom
08:18where they were merry.
08:19And as people often do
08:20in fairy tales,
08:22they lived happily ever after.
08:24or could even die
08:54or would have enjoyed
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