Rumpelstiltskin

Is Rumpelstiltskin good or bad?

Once upon a time, there was a miller who loved to brag about his daughter.

“My daughter is the most beautiful! If you marry her, she can spin straw into gold!”

Everyone on the farm has heard it numerous times but does not believe the arrogant miller.

“If she can spin straw into gold, why are you still poor?” The villagers wondered.

One day a foolish king rode by the old miller’s house. He overheard the miller boast once more. “Marry my daughter, and she can spin straw into gold!”

The foolish king was greedy. He thought that if he could marry the daughter, his kingdom would prosper once the girl spun straw into gold. He reasoned, “I have nothing to lose. I will punish her for lying if she cannot spin straw into gold!”

The king summoned the miller’s daughter to the palace and prepared a straw-filled room. “Spin these straws into gold. I will return once you complete. If you can do it, I will marry you!” Ordered the King.

The girl, of course, did not know how to spin straw into gold. She was upset at her boastful father, who made empty promises. She had to be punished if she failed to keep the promise. As time went on, she became increasingly anxious and could not help but weep bitterly.

Her cries could be heard throughout the palace. This caught the attention of a strange little imp-like man. The little man crept into the room and asked with a grin, “why are you crying, beautiful girl?”

The girl told the little man what had happened, and he smiled. “Well, give me your necklace, and I will help you.” The girl gave him the necklace, and the little man started spinning the straws into gold the next moment!

The girl could not believe her eyes, but she was relieved that she could be spared from punishment.

When the king came back to see the girl, he was overjoyed. He kept his promise and married the girl. They lead a happy life together until, eventually, the gold runs out again.

The king ordered the queen to help him again by creating more gold. The queen agreed as she wanted to save her king. The king prepared a tower of straws and left the queen in the building.

The queen, of course, did not know how to spin straw into gold. She was hoping the strange little man could help once more. As time passed, she became anxious and could not help but weep bitterly again.

Her cry could be heard throughout the palace. This caught the attention of the strange little imp-like man again. The little man crept into the tower and asked, “Your majesty, why are you crying again?”

The queen again told the little man what had happened.

“I will spin the straw if you promise to give me your first child!” The queen had no choice but agreed.

The queen started to learn how to manage the spending of gold so that they would not run out of gold again. And over a few years, her kingdom flourished.

A few years later, she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. However, the queen remembered her promise, and she felt sad.

One day the strange little man came. “I have come to claim the promise you made.” The queen began to sob. “She is my baby. I cannot give her to you.”

“A promise is a promise. But…..” The little man continued, “if you can guess my name in three days, I will return your child.” As such, the little man took the baby and left.

The Queen and the King sent the wise men and messenger to gather all the names in the world. The queen tried all the names on day one, but the little man said no to all of them.

The queen was heartbroken as she wanted her child back. They continued on day two, but the little man repeatedly said no to all the names.

On the second night, the little man started getting bored of the baby. He decided that he didn’t want the child anymore. The little man knew the queen had ordered a messenger to keep an eye on her child.

He picked up the baby and sang to her. “Silly Queen won’t win the guessing game, for I am Rumpelstiltskin! And that is my name!” He smiled, knowing that the messenger had heard him loud and clear.

On day three, the little man appeared in the palace again. This time, he smiled at the queen. He was sure he would lose as he could not wait to return the annoying baby to the queen.

The queen smiled back as she had known of the little man’s name. “Hello, Rumpelstiltskin!”

The little man pretended to be astonished. He acted angrily, gave the queen back her baby and stomped his foot off the palace.

The queen was pleased she won and got back her baby. As she watched the little man go out of the palace, she saw the man do a little dance. “Silly Queen has won the guessing game, for I am Rumpelstiltskin! And that is my name!”

Let's Discuss

1. Do you think Rumpelstiltskin is good or bad?
2. What do you think of the queen’s father who tells others about something that is not true?
3. Is there a time where you tell someone something that is not true? What happens after that?