Rumpelstiltskin

10 pages · 3 min · ages 5+

Based on: German (Brothers Grimm)

The miller lived in a mill. He had a very smart daughter. The miller loved to tell stories. He told the King a lie. "She can spin straw into gold!" The King was very surprised. He wanted to see this trick. It was a very big boast.

The King led her to a room. It was full of yellow straw. He gave her a spinning wheel. "Please try your best," he said. The daughter felt very sad. She did not like the lie. She sat down and she cried. Straw cannot turn into real gold.

A tiny man hopped inside. He had a very long nose. "Why are you crying?" he asked. The girl told him the truth. "I cannot spin straw into gold." The little man smiled at her. He was a magical forest imp. He offered to help the girl.

"What will you give me?" he asked. She gave him her shiny necklace. He sat at the spinning wheel. Whir, whir, went the wheel. The straw began to glimmer. Soon, the room was full of gold. The King was very happy now. He thanked the kind girl.

The King brought even more straw. "Can you do it again?" The girl felt bad about lying. The little man came back again. She gave him her golden ring. He worked fast through the night. The gold started to shimmer. It was a very beautiful sight.

The King asked one last time. The girl was very tired now. The little man asked for more. "I have no more jewels," she said. "I want a friend," he whispered. He was very lonely in the woods. She promised to be his friend. They finished the task together.

The King was very happy. He told her she was clever. The girl went to find her friend. "What is your name?" she asked. He liked to play a game. "You must guess it!" he laughed. She walked into the deep woods. She wanted to know him better.

She heard a funny song. A little fire burned bright. The man danced around the flames. He sang his name out loud. "My name is Rumpelstiltskin!" he yelled. The girl listened very carefully. She remembered every single letter. She ran back to the mill.

The little man visited her. "Do you know my name?" She pretended to think very hard. "Is your name Tom?" she asked. "No, it is not," he said. "Is your name Rumpelstiltskin?" she asked. He jumped high in the air. He was so happy she knew.

He was not angry at all. He just wanted to be known. The girl told the King the truth. The King liked her honesty. They all became very good friends. Rumpelstiltskin was never lonely again. The miller stopped telling tall tales. They lived happily in the castle.