Rapunzel And Adaline

• Anastasia Delos Reyes, Grade 8
• Short Story
• 2018

Many years ago, in a country town, once lived an old childless couple.
Next to their home could be seen the most beautiful garden in Germany. It was filled with blooming roses, pretty posies and pumpkins, but the most vibrant of them all was the Rapunzel lettuce in the centre of the garden. A local rumour was that a witch tended the garden and grew plants capable of magical things.

Hoping it would help his wife, the man stole the Rapunzel. He was startled when a toad-like voice shouted,“You!” An old witch appeared. “You took my Rapunzel! You will pay for this!” After giving the man a seething glare, she disappeared.

Though he was worried, the man took the lettuce back to his wife, who instantly felt healthier and stronger. The woman soon gave birth to a glorious baby boy, which they named Rapunzel.

On the boy’s first birthday, the family received a knock on their door. Suddenly, the old witch burst into the room and pointed a disgusting, menacing finger at the shocked father. “You took my prized Rapunzel! In return, I shall take your most prized possession!”she bellowed. The man and the woman, frozen in their shock, did nothing as the witch named Old Mother Gothel took their beloved baby boy.

The witch locked Rapunzel into a high, crumbling tower near the sea. He grew up to be a handsome boy, with gorgeous golden locks that fell to his chiseled chin, broad shoulders, a towering stance, and a kindhearted personality.

Old Mother Gothel was a nasty witch. She would get Rapunzel to do her chores and treated him badly, often making fun of the boy.

Rapunzel would look out his window and yearn to explore. “How I wish to escape this tower and go outside,” he would murmur to himself. He learned the trade of tailoring, so that when the witch wanted to visit him, all she had to do was shout, “Rapunzel! Rapunzel! Let me up there!”
And out tumbled a ladder he had spun out of the finest silk.

One autumns day, Rapunzel looked out his window, as he did everyday, and noticed ships heading towards the dock. A girl on that ship, named Adaline, saw Rapunzel’s tower and was intrigued. Adaline was petite, with striking black hair and cloudy blue eyes.

Having seen the witch’s peculiar entrance, Adaline voiced her curiosity and shouted, “Rapunzel! Rapunzel! Let me up there!” Out tumbled the silk ladder, which Adaline climbed. When Rapunzel saw her, he froze in shock, for he hadn’t seen such a beautiful girl before. But she talked to him quite like a friend, and told him all about her faraway travels. Adaline visited everyday, and soon they were madly in love.

The young pair planned his escape. When the day came, Adaline watched the old woman climb up Rapunzel’s tower and before she entered, struck her head with a pan. Old Mother Gothel became dazed and disoriented, and fell to the ground, never seen again.