Once upon a time, in the midst of a great forest loomed a tower with neither stairs nor door. At the top was a tiny window so high that no ladder could reach it. Within the tower's only room lived a young girl. This child had been stolen from her father and mother by an evil enchantress and shut away from the eyes of the world. She grew into the most beautiful child under the sun, with magnificent hair fine as spun gold. When the enchantress wished to enter, she stood beneath the tower and cried: "Let down your hair to me." The girl would untie her long braids and let her hair fall to the ground, and the sorceress would climb up it. The girl's name was Rapunzel.

Mother is gone and I am left alone with the shadows that inch closer every second. The sun casts an eerie red glow onto the room and I shuffle towards its puddle of warmth. I hate it when night comes and the tower sinks into darkness. The moon rarely visits my window and in my mind I see strange faceless creatures that slither out of the darkness. They slink over the cold slabs towards me, faster and faster. I shudder away and my hair slides over the stone, making whispering noises that worsen the terror. I silently plead the sun to show its face and banish the monsters, but it never comes soon enough and the demons return night after sleepless night.

Mother knows nothing of my terrible visions. Sometimes she stays when I beg her to, but she always leaves for the cottage before sundown. She says there is nothing but savage beasts out there, so she must keep me here to protect me. But I wonder, oh I wonder. Sometimes I think I hear her voice calling from below and I run to the window, but there is no one there, just the rustling of leaves. Am I imagining things? Is Mother wrong? Is she lying?

The old witch guarded the beautiful child selfishly, shutting her away from the world like a clam that hoards the most luminous of pearls. She raised the girl as her own flesh and blood and never told her of her past. As for Rapunzel, she knew no other mother, nor any other companion.

The treetops sway in the simmering heat, as if someone is pushing their way through the forest. But it is too early; Mother never comes until the sun is low in the sky. Besides, she does not shake the trees so. A gentle wind starts up and I reach my arms out as far as I can, hungrily seeking relief from the sweat that clings to my skin.

Sometimes my nightmares are interspersed with wonderful, wistful dreams. I walk with the earth warm beneath my feet and the sun mild on my skin. When a breeze blows I greedily drink it in, no longer having to wait endlessly for a wisp to float past my window. At night I lie on the moonlit ground, marvelling at the wideness of the heavens and counting the stars. Mother and I live together forevermore, away from the immense silence and darkness of the tower. These days are never spoken of again and the memories slowly wilt away. But I awake from these beautiful fantasies aching with desire, and the sorrow cuts even deeper.

One day it came to pass that the king's son rode through the forest and passed by the tower. He heard a song so charming that he stood still and listened. This was Rapunzel. He wanted to climb up to her and searched for the door of the tower, but none was to be found. He rode home, but the singing had so deeply touched his heart, that every day he went out into the forest and listened to it. Once when he was thus standing behind a tree, he saw that an enchantress came there, and he heard how she cried,


"Rapunzel, Rapunzel,
Let down your hair!"

Then Rapunzel let down the braids of her hair, and the enchantress climbed up to her. "If that is the ladder by which one mounts, I too will try my fortune," said he.

I can hardly contain my joy as I watch him leave, his mount loping through the shadows and into the trees. With my hand in his, trusting in the almost inconceivable world he spun for me, my heart leapt at the thought of finally stepping out of these shadows. He said that he would take me away to live in a palace, grander than I could ever imagine, that is always full of light. With him by my side, I will never be alone again.

Mother will be here soon, but I will not tell her yet. She has always tried to make me happy, and I want to do the same for her. I want to see her look of surprise when she sees us together and the joy on her face when I lead her into the beautiful palace. How happy I will be then, together with my mother, away from the beasts that lurk in the forests and my nightmares.

And yet I feel an ache of foreboding, of disappointment. He is still little more than a stranger to me, yet he wants me to be his companion and I will have to live in the palace with him for the rest of my life. From the palace, one can still see the stars, but it will not be the same. However, what choice do I have? I would do anything to leave this tower, and this is my chance. If that is the price I have to pay to make my dreams come true, so be it.