Music Welcome to Snuescast, the podcast designed to help you fall asleep. Find us on snuescast.com and follow us on Instagram at snuescast to find behind the scenes content. If you enjoy our show, please write a review on the Apple Podcast app or share your favorite episode on social media. Also, you can share us with a friend. This episode is brought to you by our Patreon supporters and by Scains of Silk. Tonight, we'll read the German fairy tale Rapunzel, lightly adapted by us from the Red Fairy Book and attributed to the brother's grimm. Some researchers have proposed that the earliest possible inspiration for the maiden in the tower archetype of Rapunzel is to the pre-Christian European, sun or dawn goddess myths in which a light deity is trapped and then rescued. If you're still awake after Rapunzel, you will find another hair-themed fairy tale titled, Rikki with the Toft, from The Tales of Mother Goose by Charles Perlte. Let's get cozy. Close your eyes. Relax your body into the softness of your bed. Now take a few deep breaths. Once upon a time, there lived a man and his wife who were happy to find out that they would soon become parents. Now these good but humble people had a little window at the back of their house, which looked into their neighbors most lovely garden, full of all manner of beautiful flowers and vegetables. The garden was surrounded by a high wall. No one dared to enter it for it belonged to a witch of great power who was feared by the whole world. One day, the mother-to-be stood at the window, overlooking the garden, and saw there a bed full of the finest rampion, also known as Rapunzel. Rapunzel was a popular vegetable in this couple's part of the world. Its leaves tasted like spinach and were full of vital nutrients that the poor couple couldn't easily obtain. These green leaves look so fresh that she longed to eat them. The craving grew day by day. And even though she knew she couldn't possibly get any, she pined away and became quite pale. Her eyes were full of the dream salads she would eat. Her husband noticed the change and said, What else you dear wife? Oh, she answered, If I don't get some Rapunzel to eat out of that garden behind the house, I know I shall perish."

The man, who loved her dearly, knew that expectant women needed extra vitamins and minerals, he thought to himself, Come. Rather than let your wife suffer, you shall fetch her some Rapunzel. No matter the cost.

So, at dusk, he climbed over the wall into the witch's garden, and hastily gathering a handful of Rapunzel leaves, he returned with them to his wife. She made them into a salad, which tasted so good and was consumed so quickly that her desire for the forbidden food came back with vengeance. If she were to know any peace of mind, there was nothing for it, but that her husband should climb over the garden wall again and fetch her some more. So, at dusk over he got, but when he reached the other side, he drew back. For there, standing before him, was the old witch. "'Neighbor, how dare you?' She said, climb into my garden and steal my Rapunzel like a common thief. Oh, he implored, pardon my presumption, necessity alone drove me to the deed. My pregnant wife saw your Rapunzel from her window, and craved it so wildly that she would certainly have perished if her wish had not been gratified. Then, the witch's anger was a little appeased, and she said, �If it's as you say, you may take as much Rapunzel away with you as you like, but on one condition only. They you let me immediately adopt the child, I know your wife will shortly bring into the world. All shall go well with the rest of the pregnancy, I promise, and I will look after it like a mother. The man who tried to stay calm was secretly terrified of the witch and agreed to everything she asked. Sure enough, as soon as the baby girl was born, the witch appeared, and, having given it the name of Rapunzel, she carried it off with her. Rapunzel was the most beautiful child under the sun. The witch loved her as a mother, but was incredibly strict with her and didn't let her play with other children. When she was 12 years old, the witch grew even more strict and shot her up in a tower in the middle of a great wood, and the tower had neither stairs nor doors. Only high up at the very top, a small window. When the old witch wanted to get in, she stood underneath and called out. Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your golden hair. For Rapunzel had wonderful long hair and it was as fine as fun gold. Throughout the day she kept it braided and pinned to the top of her head and looped it down to shoulder height so that she could walk around easily. She had perfect posture and strong muscles to carry the weight of all her hair. Whenever she heard the witch's voice, she unloosed her braids and let her hair fall down out of the window about 20 yards below and the old witch climbed up by it. After they had lived like this for several years, it happened one day that a prince was riding through the wood

and passed by the tower. As he drew near it, he heard someone singing so sweetly that he stood, still spellbound and listened. It was Rapunzel in her loneliness trying to wile away the time by letting her sweet voice ring out into the wood, the Prince long to see the owner of the incredible voice, but he saw it in vain for a door in the tower. He rode home, but he was so haunted by the song he had heard that he He returned every day to the wood and listened. One day when he was standing thus behind a tree, he saw the old witch approach and heard her call out. Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your golden hair. Then Rapunzel let down her braids and the witch climbed up by them. So that's the staircase, is it? said the prince. Then I too will climb it and try my luck. So on the following day, at dusk, he went to the foot of the tower and cried, Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your golden hair. And as soon as she had let it down, the prince climbed up. At first Rapunzel was frightened when a man came in, for she had never seen one before, but the prince spoke to her so kindly and told her at once that his heart had been so touched by her singing that he felt he should know no peace of mind till he had seen her. Very soon Rapunzel forgot her fear, and when he asked her to marry him she consented at once. 4. She thought he is young and handsome, and I'll certainly be happier with him than with the old witch. So, she put her hand in his inside. Yes, I will gladly go with you. Only how am I to get down from the tower every time you come to see me? You must bring a skein of silk with you, and I will weave the silk into my hair to hide it. Then, I will make a ladder of the silk, and when it is finished, I will climb down by it, and you will take me away on your horse. They arranged that till the ladder was ready. He was going to come to her every evening because the old woman was with her during the day. The old witch, of course, knew nothing of what was going on. One day, when their escape plan was about to be finalized, Rapunzel, in a moment of love's strong forgetfulness, turned to the witch and said, How is it, good mother, that you are so much harder to pull up compared to young princes? Even though you weigh less than me, you are so slow and heavy. What is this I hear?" cried the witch. I thought I had hidden you safely from the whole world, and in spite of it, you have managed to deceive me. In her wrath, she seized Rapunzel's beautiful hair, wound it round and round her left hand, and then grasping a pair of scissors in her right hand, snip-snap off it came, and the beautiful braids lay on the ground. And worse than this, she was so hard-hearted that she took Rapunzel to another far-off and deserted place, and there left her to live in the woods by herself the witch kept thinking about what Rapunzel had said.

So on... woods by herself, the witch kept thinking about what Rapunzel had said. So, on the evening of the day in which she had driven Rapunzel away, the witch fastened the braids onto a hook in the window. And when the prince came and called out, Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your golden hair. She let them down, and the prince climbed up as usual. But instead of his beloved Rapunzel, he found the old witch who fixed her glittering eyes on him and cried, ah, you thought to find your lady-love, but the pretty bird has flown, and its song has migrated to another land. Rapunzel is lost to you forever. You will never see her more. The prince was beside himself with grief. And in his despair, he jumped right down from the tower. Thankfully, the thick shrubbery and flowers growing around the base of the tower broke his fall, but he was blinded still by the fall. Then he wandered, for lorn, through the wood, eating nothing but roots and berries, and lamenting the loss of his lovely bride, let alone his eyesight. So he wandered about for some years and at last he came to the deserted place where Rapunzel was living. All of a sudden, he heard a warbling voice singing and it seemed instantly familiar to him. He couldn't believe his ears and walked eagerly in the direction of the sound. When he was quite close, Rapunzel recognized him and fell on his neck and wha. Two of her tears touched his eyes, and in a moment his eyes became quite clear again, and he saw even better than before. The prince led her with Him back to His kingdom, where they were received and welcomed with great joy, and they lived happily ever after. Ricky, tough he had. Once upon a time, there was a queen who had a sunborn looking so differently that it was long disputed whether he had human form at all, a fairy who was at his birth, said, however, that he would be very friendly for all that, since he would have uncommon good sense. She even added that it would be in his power by virtue of a gift she had just then given him, to bestow as much sense as he pleased on the person he loved the best. All this comforted the queen. It is true that this child no sooner began to talk, than he said a thousand pretty things, and in all his actions there was an intelligence that was quite charming. I forgot to tell you that he was born with a little tuft of hair upon his head, which made them call him Ricky with a tuft, or Ricky Tufty had had for shorter as Rikay was the family name. Several years later the Queen of a neighboring kingdom had two daughters who were twins. The first born of these was more beautiful than the day. Where at the queen was so very glad that it seemed to go to her head, the same fairy who was present at the birth of little Ricky Tufty had was here also. And to moderate the queen's gladness, she declared that this little princess should have no sense at all, but should be as stupid as she was pretty. This mortified the Queen extremely, but afterward she had a far greater sorrow for the second daughter proved quite ugly. The fairy said, Don't worry so much, Madam. Your daughter shall have her compensation. She shall have so great a portion of sense that the want of beauty will hardly be perceived. God granted, replied the queen, What is there no way to make the eldest who is so pretty have any sense at all? I can do nothing for her madame as to sense answered the fairy, but everything as to beauty, Even if there is nothing I would not do for your satisfaction, I give for her a gift that she shall have power to make handsome the person who shall best please her. As these princesses grew up, their perfections grew with them. But the one gifted with beauty was so unhandy that she could not place four pieces of China upon the mantelpiece without breaking one of them nor drink a glass of water without spilling half of it upon her clothes. Although beauty is a great advantage in young people, the younger sister was always the more preferred in society. People would go to the beauty first to look upon her, but turn aside. And it was amazing to see, in less than a quarter of an hour time, the elder with not a soul near her and the whole company crowding around the younger. The elder, the daughter she was, could not fail to notice this. The queen, prudent as she was, could not help getting frustrated sometimes with how her beautiful daughter behaved, which made the poor princess so sad. day as she had hidden herself in a wood to bewail her misfortune, she saw, coming to her, a very strange-looking little man, but most magnificently dressed. This was the young prince Ricky Tufty had, who, having fallen in love with her upon seeing her picture, many of which were distributed all the world over, and having observed after Here he had paid her the ordinary compliments, that she was extremely melancholy, he said to her, I cannot comprehend, madam, how a person so beautiful as you are can be so sorrowful as you seem to be. though I can boast of having seen a great number of exquisitely charming ladies, I can say that I never beheld anyone whose beauty approaches yours. You are pleased to say so, answered the princess, and here she stopped. Beauty, replied Ricky Tuftihead, is such a great advantage. I can see nothing that can possibly very much afflict you. I had far rather cried the princess, be as ugly as you are but have sense than have the beauty I possess and be as I am. There is nothing madam, return tea that shows more that we have good sense than when we believe we have none. And it is the nature of that excellent quality that the more people have of it, the more they believe they want it. I don't know about that, said the princess, but I know very well that I am senseless, and that vex is me mightily. If that be all which troubles you, Madame, I can very easily put an end to your affliction. And how will you do that? Cry the princess. I have the power, Madame, replied Ricky Tufty had, to give to that person whom I love best as much good sense as can be had, and as you, Madame, are that very person. It will be your fault only if you have not as great a share of it as anyone living provided.

You will be pleased to marry me." The princess was quite confused and answered not a word. I see, replied Ricky Tufty had that this proposal does not please you, and I do not wonder at it, but I will give you a whole year to consider it. The princess had so little sense and, at the same time, so great a longing to have some, that she imagined the end of the year would never come. So, she accepted the proposal, which was made her. She had no sooner promised Ricky Tufty had, that she would marry him on that day, 12 months later, then she found herself quite otherwise than she had been before. She had an incredible faculty of speaking whatever she had in her mind in a polite, easy, and natural manner. She began that moment a very gallant conversation with Ricky Tufti had, which she kept up at such a rate that Ricky believed he had given her more sense than he had reserved for himself. When she returned to the palace, the whole court knew not what to think of such a sudden and extraordinary change for they heard from her now as much sensible discourse and as many infinitely witty phrases as they had heard silly impertinences before. The whole court was overjoyed beyond imagination at it. It pleased all but her younger sister because, having no longer the advantage of her in respect of wit, she appeared actually to be a disagreeable girl in comparison. The king governed himself by her advice and would even sometimes hold a council in her apartment. The news of this change in the princess spread everywhere. The young princes of the neighboring kingdoms strove all they could to gain her favor and ask her in marriage, but she found not one

of them had sense enough for her. She gave them all a hearing, but would not engage herself to any. However, there came one so powerful, so rich, so witty, and so handsome that she could not help feeling a strong inclination toward him. Her father perceived it and told her that she was her own mistress as to the choice of a husband and that she might declare her intentions. She thanked her father and desired him to give her time to consider it. She went by chance to walk in the same wood where she met Ricky Tufty had, the more conveniently to think what she ought to

do. While she was walking in a profound meditation, suddenly Ricky Tufty had appeared and presented him self to her, gallant and most magnificently dressed, like a prince who was going to be

married. You see, Madame," said he. I am exact in keeping my word, and doubt not in the least, but you are come hither to perform your promise. I frankly confess, answered the princess, that I have not yet come to a decision in this matter, and I believe I never shall be able to arrive at such a one as you desire. You astonish me, Madame," said Ricky Taufdiehead.

I can well believe it,' said the princess. And surely if I had to do with a clown, or a man of no sense, I should find myself very much at a loss. A princess always keeps her word. He would say to me, and you must marry me, since you promised to do so. But as he to whom I talk is the one man in the world who was a master of the greatest sense and judgment. I am sure he will hear reason. You know that when I was but a fool, I could scarcely make up my mind to marry you. Why will you have me? Now I have so much judgment as you gave me. Come to such a decision, which I could not then make up my mind to agree to. If you sincerely thought to make me your wife, you have been greatly in the wrong to deprive me of my dull simplicity and make me see things much more clearly than I did. If a man of no wit and sense replied Ricky Tafteehead, would be well received, as you say, in reproaching you for a breach of your word, why will you not let me, Madame, have the same usage in a matter wherein all the happiness of my life is concerned. But let us come to the fact, if you please. Putting aside my ugliness, is there anything in me which displeased you? Are you disfatisfied with my birth, my wit, my humor, or my manners? Not at all, answered the princess. I love you and respect you in all that you mention. If it be so, said Ricky Taufty had, I am happy since it is in your power to make me the most handsome of men.

How can that be?" said the princess. It is done said Ricky Taufdighad, if you love me enough to wish it was so, and that you may no waste out, Madame, of what I say. Know that the same fairy, who on my birthday, gave for me the gift of power of making the person who should please me witty and judicious, has in like manner giving you for gift the power of making him whom you love, and to whom you would grant the favor to be extremely handsome. If it be so," said the princess, I wish with all my heart that you may be the most handsome prince in the world, and I bestow my gift on you as much as I am able." The princess had no sooner pronounced these words than Ricky Tufty had appeared to her the finest prince upon earth, the handsomeest man she ever saw. Some affirm that it was not the fairy's charms, but love alone which worked the change. They say that the princess, having made due reflection on the perseverance of her lover, his discretion, and all the good qualities of his mind, his wit, and his judgment, saw no longer the deformity of his body, his hump seemed to her, no more than the grand heir of one having a brought back, and everything else simply charmed her. However it was the princess promised immediately to marry him on condition that he obtained the King's consent. The King, knowing that his daughter highly esteemed, Ricky Tofty had, whom he knew also for a most sage and judicious prince, received him for his son-in-law with pleasure. And the next morning their nub-chewels were celebrated. was Ricky, tough to head, had foreseen.

And according to the orders he had given a long time. you