Rapunzel

• Rhiannon Kocho, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2013

Once upon a time, there was a girl called Rapunzel. A witch had captured her because Rapunzel’s father had stolen the witch’s plants. Rapunzel had closely-cropped blond hair, squinty blue eyes and a long beard, yet possessed the most beautiful singing voice ever.
The witch locked her up in the highest tower where no one could hear her singing. Whenever the witch wanted to see Rapunzel, she said: “Rapunzel! Let down your beard!” and Rapunzel would throw her beard down.
Rapunzel longed for company. To compensate for the absence that only a companion could fill, she sung to herself and talked to animals.
One day, the witch decided to visit Rapunzel, so she put on her cloak and traveled to the tower. She called out: “Rapunzel! Let down your beard!”
A prince called Andrew happened to be practicing his spying skills in the nearby forest, and he saw the witch. Naturally, he spied on her, and once the witch had left, he called out: “Rapunzel! Let down your beard!”
The beard immediately came down. He scaled the wall, grasping the beard tightly. He pulled himself through the window and onto the floor. Looking up, he saw Rapunzel.
“You are so ugly… yet you glow with the power of kindness, love and knowledge!” exclaimed Andrew.
Rapunzel blushed. “Do you know anything about rocket science?” she asked shyly, not knowing what to do.
“Of course! Doesn't everyone?”
Falling more in love every minute, Andrew and Rapunzel talked.
It was soon twilight, so Andrew left Rapunzel and promised to visit the next day. He came the next, and the next. A month passed with Andrew visiting Rapunzel.
The witch decided to visit Rapunzel, so she set off to the tower. Stopping at the wall, she called out: “Rapunzel! Let down your beard!”
Now, the witch was stricken with arthritis, so she climbed the tower at a snail’s pace. Rapunzel grew impatient, and said:
“The prince isn't that slow!”
The witch gaped, and with a purple face, she scrambled up the rest of the wall and seized Rapunzel’s beard.
“Go to the Desert of Despair, and rot there forever!” The witch shaved off Rapunzel’s beard.
Sobbing, Rapunzel did what was bidden. Then the witch lay in wait for Andrew.
When Andrew called out: Rapunzel! Let down your beard!” the witch threw down Rapunzel’s beard.
He had great news; he clambered up the beard excitedly.
“Agh!” yelled Andrew. “Where is my Rapunzel?”
He fell off the tower, his eyes scratched badly by the witch.
He spent weeks wandering around in search of his Rapunzel. He came to the Desert of Despair, Rapunzel saw him. At first, he stumbled away from her, but then realized who it was. Rapunzel fell on him. Rapunzel had caught a cold, and when two drops of the mucus streaming out of her nose fell onto Andrew’s eyes, he could see again. Andrew took Rapunzel back to his castle and they lived happily ever after.