RAPUNZEL
Adapted by Fran Hunia
from the traditional tale
illustrated by Kathie Layfield
A man and his wife look into a witch’s garden.
They lettuce looks good, says the woman.
Yes, says the man. I will get some for you.
No, says his wife. It is the witch’s lettuce.
We can’t have it.
The woman keeps on looking at the lettuce.
She wants them so much.
Soon she starts to get ill.
I will have to get some lettuce for you,
says the man.
The man climbs into the witch’s garden and get some lettuce.
He takes it home and gives it to his wife.
She pleased with the lettuce.
The man climbs into the witch’s garden again.
The witch is waiting.
She sees the man get some lettuce.
That’s my lettuce, she says.
Give it to me.
Please let me have it, says the man.
I want it for my wife.
She is ill.
The witch says, you can have the lettuce,
But when your wife has a baby,
You have to give it to me.
I will give the baby a good home.
One day the woman has a baby girl, Rapunzel.
The witch comes to get her.
Come with me, Rapunzel, she says.
The man and his wife have to give Rapunzel to the witch.
The witch takes Rapunzel away.
She keeps her in a tower.
Rapunzel can’t get down,
And she has no one to talk to.
When the witch wants to see Rapunzel,
She goes to the tower and says,
Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair.
Rapunzel let her hair down to the witch.
The witch climbs up Rapunzel’s
hair and goes into the tower.
One day a prince comes to the tower.
He hears Rapunzel singing.
He looks for her, but he can’t see her,
And he can’t get into the tower.
He goes home.
The prince wants to see Rapunzel.
He goes to the tower again.
The witch comes.
She doesn’t see the prince.
She says, Rapunzel, let down your hair.
The prince hears.
The prince sees Rapunzel let her hair down.
He sees the witch climb up it and go into tower.
The prince waits for the witch
to climb down Rapunzel’s hair and go home.
He goes to the tower and says,
Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair.
Rapunzel lets her hair down.
The prince climbs up it,
and goes into the tower.
Rapunzel is pleased to see him.
They talk and talk.
When the prince is going home, he says,
Can I come and see you again,
Rapunzel?
Yes, says Rapunzel.
The prince keeps on coming to see Rapunzel.
One day he says,
Please marry me, Rapunzel.
I want to marry you, says Rapunzel,
but we can’t get married up here in this tower.
I will have to get down.
Can you help me?
The prince says he will help.
Please get some silk,
says Rapunzel.
I will make a ladder so that I can climb down.
The prince gets some silk for Rapunzel.
He takes it to the tower and says,
Rapunzel, Rapunzel,
let down your hair.
Rapunzel lets her hair down.
The prince climbs up it and gives her the silk.
Rapunzel starts to make a ladder.
One day the witch comes to see Rapunzel.
She hurts Rapunzel hair when she climbs up it.
Rapunzel says,
The prince doesn’t hurt me when he climbs up my hair.
The witch is angry.
She cuts Rapunzel’s hair and takes her away.
The witch waits in the tower for the prince to come.
The prince comes to the tower to see Rapunzel.
He says,
Rapunzel, Rapunzel,
let down your hair.
The witch has Rapunzel’s hair.
She lets it down to the prince.
The prince climbs up to the Rapunzel’s hair.
He looks for Rapunzel, but he can’t see her.
He sees the witch and he jumps down.
The prince hurts his eyes when he jumps down.
He can’t see.
He walks away.
The prince walks on and on.
One day he hears a girl singing.
It is Rapunzel.
The prince goes to her.
Rapunzel is so pleased to see the prince that she starts to cry.
Her tears go into the prince’s eyes.
The prince can see again.
Rapunzel goes home with the prince and they get married.
