Raponsje (Rapunzel)
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StoryOriginally a Grimm tale.
Once upon a time there was a man and his wife living next door to a old witch. The wife was expecting her first child and craved some of the Rapunzel plant growing in the witch’s garden. She asked her husband to fetch her some. He was scared to do so, but even so, he crept into the witch’s garden. “Are you stealing my vegetables?” exclaimed the witch. The husband dropped the plants in fright and promised to give her his baby should she let him go. Then that very same night, his wife gave birth to a baby girl which the witch took away. She named her Rapunzel. Rapunzel had a lonely childhood; she was never allowed to see anybody. The when she had grown into a beautiful young woman, the witch locked her up in a tower, just in case someone might want to marry her. What was most special about Rapunzel was her beautiful long blonde hair. She kept it in a plait and when the witch wanted to bring her food, had to throw it out of the window and down the tower. “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair,” the witch would call, and she would climb up to the top. Then one day Rapunzel heard someone calling: “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair.” This time, however, it was a prince. The prince had been watching the witch and had learned how to get up the tower. He climbed the tower and it was love at first sight. But what would the witch do if she ever found out? |
To read the full story go to the Efteling souvenir shop and purchase the Efteling Book of Fairy Tales.
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TranslationAt the tower of Rapunzel the story of the girl is told on a speaker. This is told in the Dutch language. Please find an English translation below for your benefit. There was once a couple and they lived next door to a witch. When the woman became pregnant she had an irresistible craving for rapunzel. Rapunzel is of a type of lettuce that grew in the garden of the witch. "You can eat as much rapunzel as you like, but in exchange I get your baby." The child, named Rapunzel was so beautiful that the witch locked her away in a tower with no doors and no stairs. When she brought her food she cried: "Rapunzel, Rapunzel let down your hair". 
And then Rapunzel would drop her long braid out of the window so that the witch could climb in to the tower.
When a young prince saw this one night he also visited Rapunzel, and they fell in love instantly. When the witch discovered their love, she was so angry that she cut off Rapunzel’s braid. "I'll banish you to some desolate place!” The prince jumped out the window in sorrow and became blind. And how did the story end? Years later, Rapunzel found him. Her tears of joy touched his eyes which allowed the prince to see again. And they lived happily ever after. |
!The video below has English subtitles!
The translation in a handy PDF
A handy audio file of the translation
A compilation of all the translations of all the audio stories you may come across in the Efteling.
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