Then the witch allowed her anger to be softened‚ and said to him‚ “If this is true‚ I will allow you to take as much as you like‚ only I make one condition. You must give me the baby daughter your wife will bring into the world; she shall be well treated‚ and I will care for it like a mother.” The man in his fear consented and when the baby was born the witch appeared at once‚ gave the child the name of Rapunzel and took the baby away with her.
Rapunzel grew into the most beautiful child beneath the sun. When she was twelve years old‚ the witch shut her into a tower‚ which lay in a forest. The tower had no stairs or doors‚ but only a little window at the very top. When the witch wanted to go in‚ she stood beneath the window and cried‚
“Rapunzel‚ Rapunzel‚
Let down your hair.”
Rapunzel had magnificent long hair‚ fine as spun gold‚ and when she heard the voice of the witch she wound her braids round one of the hooks of the window‚ and then the hair fell down the side of the tower and the witch climbed up by it.