Rumpel-stilts-ken
by Unknown · from The Fairy Ring
Adapted Version
Once upon a time, there was a miller. He had a beautiful daughter. The Miller was very proud. He spoke to The King. He said, "My daughter is clever. She can spin straw. She makes gold from straw. King heard."
The King loves gold. He sent for The Princess. He took her to a room. Much straw was there. The King said, "Spin this to gold. Do it by morning. Trouble awaits. Princess was sad. She was scared.
A little man came in. He asked why she was sad. She said she must spin gold. The little man said, "Give me your necklace. I will help you." She gave her necklace. He spun the straw. It became gold. The Princess was happy.
The King came back. He saw the gold. He wanted more. He gave her more straw. The Princess was scared again. The little man came. He asked what she would give. She gave her ring. He spun the straw. It became gold again.
The King was very happy. He gave her more straw. He said, "Spin this. You will be my Queen." The Princess had no more jewels. The little man came. He asked, "What will you give?" She said, "I have nothing." He said, "Give your first child." She said yes. He spun the straw.
The King saw the gold. He kept his word. He married The Princess. She became The Queen. She was happy. But she had a secret worry.
Time went by. The Queen had a baby. She loved her baby much. One day, the little man came. He said, "Give me the child." The Queen was very sad. She was scared.
The Queen offered him gold. She offered much money. He said, "No, I want the child." The Queen cried. He said, "Do not cry. Guess my name. You have three days. If you guess, you keep the child."
The Queen sent her helpers. They went all over the land. They looked for many names. She was very worried. She needed a special name.
The little man came. The Queen said many names. "Is it Tom? Is it Ben?" He said, "No, that is not my name." The next day, she said more names. He said, "No, that is not my name."
On the third day, a helper came back. He told a story. "I saw a little man. He danced by a fire. He sang a song. He said, 'Rumpelstiltskin is my name!'" The Queen was very happy.
The little man came again. He asked, "What is my name?" The Queen smiled. She said, "Is your name Rumpelstiltskin?" The little man was very surprised. He was very angry.
He screamed, "A witch told you!" He stamped his foot hard. The floor broke. He pulled his foot out.
Original Story
Rumpel-stilts-ken
BY the side of a wood, in a country a long way off, ran a fine stream of water, and upon the stream there stood a mill. The miller's house was close by, and the miller, you must know, had a very beautiful daughter. She was, moreover, very shrewd and clever; and the miller was so proud of her that he one day told the King of the land, who used to come and hunt in the wood, that his daughter could spin gold out of straw. Now this King was very fond of money, and when he heard the miller's boast his greediness was roused, and he sent for the girl to be brought before him. Then he led her to a chamber in his palace where there was a great heap of straw, and gave her a spinning wheel, and said: "All this must be spun into gold before morning, as you love your life." It was in vain that the poor maiden said that it was only a silly boast of her father, for that she could do no such thing as spin straw into gold. The chamber door was locked, and she was left alone.
She sat down in one corner of the room and began to bewail her hard fate, when on a sudden the door opened and a droll-looking little man hobbled in and said: "Good morrow to you, my good lass; what are you weeping for?" "Alas!" said she, "I must spin this straw into gold, and I know not how." "What will you give me," said the hobgoblin, "to do it for you?" "My necklace," replied the maiden. He took her at her word and sat himself down to the wheel, and whistled and sang:
"Round about, round about,
Lo and behold!
Reel away, reel away,
Straw into gold!"
And round about the wheel went merrily; the work was quickly done, and the straw was all spun into gold.
When the King came in and saw this he was greatly astonished and pleased, but his heart grew still more greedy of gain, and he shut up the poor miller's daughter again with a fresh task. Then she knew not what to do, and sat down once more to weep; but the dwarf soon opened the door and said: "What will you give me to do your task?" "The ring on my finger," said she. So her little friend took the ring, and began to work at the wheel again, and whistled and sang,
"Round about, round about,
Lo and behold!
Reel away, reel away,
Straw into gold!"
till, long before morning, all was done again.
The King was greatly delighted to see all this glittering treasure, but still he had not enough, so he took the miller's daughter to a yet larger heap and said: "All this must be spun to-night; and if it is, you shall be my Queen." As soon as she was alone the dwarf came in and said: "What will you give me to spin gold for you this third time?" "I have nothing left," said she. "Then say you will give me," said the little man, "the first little child that you may have when you are Queen." "That may never be," thought the miller's daughter, and as she knew no other way to get her task done she said she would do what he asked. Round went the wheel again to the old song, and the manikin once more spun the heap into gold. The King came in the morning, and, finding all he wanted, was forced to keep his word; so he married the miller's daughter, and she really became Queen.
At the birth of her first little child she was very glad, and forgot the dwarf and what she had promised. But one day he came into her room, where she was sitting playing with her baby, and put her in mind of it. Then she grieved sorely at her misfortune, and said she would give him all the wealth of the kingdom if he would let her off, but in vain; till at last her tears softened him and he said: "I will give you three days' grace, and, if during that time you tell me my name, you shall keep your child."
Now the Queen lay awake all night, thinking of all the odd names that she had ever heard, and she sent messengers all over the land to find out new ones. The next day the little man came, and she began with Timothy, Ichabod, Benjamin, Jeremiah, and all the names she could remember; but to all and each of them he said: "Madam, that is not my name."
The second day she began with all the comical names she could hear of, Bandy Legs, Hunchback, Crook Shanks, and so on; but the little gentleman still said to every one of them: "Madam, that is not my name."
The third day one of the messengers came back and said: "I traveled two days without hearing of any other names; but yesterday, as I was climbing a high hill, among the trees of the forest where the fox and the hare bid each other good night, I saw a little hut; and before the hut burned a fire; and round about the fire a funny little dwarf was dancing upon one leg, and singing:
"'Merrily the feast I'll make,
To-day I'll brew, to-morrow bake;
Merrily I'll dance and sing,
For next day will a stranger bring.
Little does my lady dream
Rumpel-stilts-ken is my name!'"
When the Queen heard this she jumped for joy, and as soon as her little friend came she sat down upon her throne and called all her court around to enjoy the fun; and the nurse stood by her side with the baby in her arms, as if it was quite ready to be given up. Then the little man began to chuckle at the thoughts of having the poor child to take home with him to his hut in the woods, and he cried out: "Now, lady, what is my name?" "Is it John?" asked she. "No, madam!" "Is it Tom?" "No, madam!" "Is it Jemmy?" "It is not." "Can your name be Rumpel-stilts-ken?" said the lady slyly. "Some witch told you that!—some witch told you that!" cried the little man, and dashed his right foot in a rage so deep into the floor, that he was forced to lay hold of it with both hands to pull it out.
Then he made the best of his way off, while the nurse laughed and the baby crowed; and all the court jeered at him for having had so much trouble for nothing, and said: "We wish you a very good morning, and a merry feast, Mr. Rumpel-stilts-ken!"
Story DNA
Moral
Be careful what you promise in desperation, and never underestimate the power of knowledge.
Plot Summary
A miller falsely boasts that his daughter can spin straw into gold, leading the greedy King to demand this impossible feat. A mysterious dwarf appears and spins the straw into gold for her, first in exchange for her necklace, then her ring, and finally, her firstborn child. The maiden becomes Queen, but when her child is born, the dwarf returns to claim it. The Queen is given three days to guess his name, and on the third day, a messenger overhears the dwarf singing his name, 'Rumpelstiltskin.' The Queen correctly guesses, causing the dwarf to fly into a rage and disappear forever, allowing her to keep her child.
Themes
Emotional Arc
desperation to relief
Writing Style
Narrative Elements
Cultural Context
This tale is part of the Brothers Grimm collection, reflecting German oral traditions and social structures of the time, where a miller's daughter marrying a king would be a significant social leap.
Plot Beats (13)
- A miller boasts to the King that his daughter can spin straw into gold.
- The King, driven by greed, locks the daughter in a room with straw, demanding she spin it into gold or die.
- A little man appears and spins the straw into gold in exchange for her necklace.
- The King, still greedy, gives her a larger pile of straw, and the little man spins it for her ring.
- The King demands a third, even larger pile, promising to marry her if she succeeds; the little man spins it in exchange for her firstborn child.
- The maiden marries the King and becomes Queen.
- When her first child is born, the little man returns to claim his promise.
- The Queen offers him all her wealth, but he refuses, giving her three days to guess his name.
- The Queen sends messengers throughout the land to find names.
- On the first two days, she guesses many names, but none are correct.
- On the third day, a messenger reports seeing a dwarf dancing and singing his name, 'Rumpelstiltskin'.
- When the dwarf returns, the Queen correctly guesses his name.
- Enraged, the dwarf stamps his foot so hard it gets stuck, then tears himself in two (or vanishes in some versions), never to be seen again.
Characters
The Miller's Daughter
Slender and of average height, with delicate features. Her complexion is fair, indicative of a life spent indoors or in less strenuous labor than a typical peasant, despite her father's profession. She carries herself with a gentle demeanor, often appearing distressed.
Attire: Initially, she wears simple, practical clothing suitable for a miller's daughter in a Germanic fairy tale setting: a long-sleeved linen chemise, a plain wool or linen dress in muted colors (like grey, brown, or forest green), and a simple apron. Later, as Queen, she would wear more elaborate gowns of silk or velvet in rich colors, perhaps with modest embroidery, but still retaining an air of understated elegance.
Wants: To survive the King's demands, protect her child, and secure her future.
Flaw: Her initial helplessness and tendency to despair, which makes her vulnerable to the dwarf's bargains. She is also easily intimidated.
Transforms from a terrified, helpless maiden into a cunning and protective Queen who outwits a magical being to save her child.
Naïve, desperate, resourceful (when prompted), loving, and initially easily manipulated. She is quick to despair but also capable of quick thinking under pressure.
Rumpelstiltskin
A droll-looking, very small man, almost dwarfish in stature, with a hunched back and spindly limbs. He moves with a distinctive hobbling gait, often dancing on one leg. His skin is wizened and perhaps a greenish or earthy tone, suggesting an ancient, non-human nature.
Attire: Simple, rustic, and slightly tattered clothing appropriate for a forest-dwelling creature in a Germanic setting. Perhaps a dark, rough-spun tunic, patched breeches, and worn leather boots. He might have a small, pointed cap or hood.
Wants: To acquire valuable items, and later, a child, through clever bargains. He is driven by a desire for power and to prove his superior intellect.
Flaw: His vanity and pride in his secret name. His rage, which leads to his downfall.
Remains largely unchanged in personality, but his overconfidence and pride lead to his ultimate defeat and humiliation.
Cunning, greedy, mischievous, boastful, easily angered, and ultimately petty. He enjoys making bargains and revels in his cleverness.
The King
A man of imposing stature, perhaps a bit portly, reflecting a life of luxury and indulgence. His movements are deliberate and authoritative, though sometimes quickened by greed.
Attire: Rich, heavy royal attire typical of a medieval European monarch: a velvet tunic in deep jewel tones (like crimson or sapphire), embroidered with gold thread, a fur-lined cloak, and a heavy gold crown adorned with jewels. He might wear fine leather boots.
Wants: To acquire immense wealth (gold) and to secure a Queen who can provide it.
Flaw: His insatiable greed, which drives him to make unreasonable demands.
Remains largely unchanged, serving as a catalyst for the protagonist's trials.
Greedy, demanding, powerful, easily impressed by wealth, and ultimately honorable (he keeps his word to marry the girl).
The Miller
A robust man, likely with a flour-dusted appearance from his profession. He would be of average height and build, with a hearty demeanor.
Attire: Practical, sturdy clothing suitable for a miller in a medieval European setting: a simple linen shirt, a leather or wool vest, sturdy breeches, and worn leather boots. His clothes would often be dusted with flour.
Wants: To impress the King and elevate his own status through his daughter's supposed abilities.
Flaw: His excessive pride and tendency to exaggerate, which puts his daughter in danger.
A static character who sets the plot in motion but does not appear again.
Boastful, proud, and somewhat irresponsible for the consequences of his words.
Locations
The Miller's House and Mill
A simple, functional miller's house situated close to a working mill, both by the side of a wood and a fine stream of water. The architecture would be typical of a German countryside dwelling, likely half-timbered with a thatched or tiled roof, and the mill itself would be a water-powered structure with a large wheel.
Mood: Humble, industrious, initially peaceful before the King's intervention.
The setting where the miller boasts about his daughter's abilities, leading to her summons by the King.
The King's Palace Chamber
A chamber within a grand German royal palace, initially filled with an immense heap of straw. The room would be furnished with a spinning wheel and likely have stone walls, possibly tapestries, and a heavy wooden door with a strong lock. The lighting would be dim, perhaps from a high window or torchlight, emphasizing the daunting task.
Mood: Oppressive, desperate, later magical and secretive.
The miller's daughter is locked in here to spin straw into gold, where she first meets Rumpelstiltskin.
The Queen's Royal Nursery/Chamber
A more opulent and comfortable chamber within the German palace, now serving as the Queen's private room and nursery. It would feature richer furnishings, perhaps a cradle, and be a place of warmth and maternal joy, later tinged with anxiety. The architecture would reflect a German royal residence, with possibly carved wooden panels or painted walls, and larger windows.
Mood: Initially joyful and secure, then anxious and desperate as the dwarf returns.
The Queen is playing with her baby when Rumpelstiltskin returns to claim his payment. Later, she sits on her throne here to reveal his name.
High Hill in the Forest
A remote, elevated location within a dense European forest, described as a 'high hill'. The forest would be ancient and wild, with tall, gnarled trees where wild animals like foxes and hares reside. A small, rustic hut is nestled among the trees, with a crackling fire burning outside it.
Mood: Mysterious, secluded, wild, with a touch of rustic magic from the dancing dwarf.
A messenger discovers Rumpelstiltskin's secret name by observing him dancing and singing by a fire outside his hut.