The Origins Of Rapunzel

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The Origins of Rapunzel Once upon a time, the story of Rapunzel was born in Italy. The Brothers Grimm version of the tale is the most well known in Europe and the rest of the western hemisphere. This German fairytale has been translated and retold by various authors since they had published it in 1812 in their collection: Children’s and Household Tales. Barbara Rogasky was one of those authors. Her book, Rapunzel, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman, had been translated and retold based off of the original tale by Wilhelm and Jacob Grimm. Though Barbara Rogasky was not German herself she and Trina Schart Hyman managed to maintain the German culture and body of the story through their words and illustrations. This story begins with a lonely couple wishing desperately for a child. Once the woman becomes pregnant she begins to yearn for some greens growing in a well-guarded garden near their home. She refuses to eat until she can try some of the rampion plant from the forbidden garden. Her husband worries himself sick until he finally gives in and ventures into the night in search of his wife’s rampion. The first time he is successful and his wife is absolutely thrilled. She soon begins to crave this plant more and more. Her husband is again forced to go steal some of the plant from the garden next door in order to satisfy his wife. This time the man is caught by a wicked witch of a woman that owns the garden. She knows he had stolen her plants and she agrees to let him take more for his wife, but as punishment she tells him that once his child is born it is to be turned over to her. After the baby is born she is turned over to the evil woman. She locks the child, Rapunzel, away in a tower on her twelfth birthday once she begins maturing. As she grows and matures her beautiful hair grows longer and longer until the old woman can use it to climb up
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