Tracy Benzenhafer

Rumpelstiltskin There was once a miller who was very poor, but he had a beautiful daughter. Now, it fell out that he had occasion to speak with the king and, in order to give himself an air of importance, he said, “I have a daughter who can Deleted: king Deleted: kind, and spin gold out of straw.” The king said to the miller, “That is an art in which I am much interested. If your daughter is as skillful as you say she is, bring her to my castle tomorrow, and I will put her to the test.” Accordingly, when the girl was brought to the castle, the king conducted her to a chamber that was quite full of straw, gave her a spinning wheel and Deleted: spinning-wheel winder, and said, “Now, set to work, and if between tonight and tomorrow at dawn, you have not spun this straw into gold, you must die.” Thereupon he carefully locked the door of the chamber, and she remained alone. There sat the unfortunate miller’s daughter and, for the life of her, she did Deleted: , not know what to do. She had not the least idea how to spin straw into gold, and she became more and more distressed until, at last, she began to weep. Then, all at once, the door sprang open and in stepped a little manikin, who said, “Good evening, Mistress Miller, what are you weeping so for?” “Alas!” answered the maiden. “I’ve got to spin gold out of straw and don’t know how to do it.” Deleted: , Deleted: mannikin Deleted: , Deleted: off Then the manikin said, “What will you give me if I spin it for you?” “My necklace,” said the maid. Deleted: aid The little man took the necklace, sat down before the spinning wheel and Deleted: spinning-wheel, whir—whir—whir, in a trice the reel was full. Then he fixed another reel and, whir—whir—whir, thrice round, and that Deleted: , too was full; and so it went on until morning, when all the straw was spun and all the reels were full of gold. Immediately at sunrise the king came, and when he saw the gold, he was astonished and much pleased, but his mind became only the more avaricious. So he had the miller’s daughter taken to another chamber, larger than the former one and full of straw, and he ordered her to spin it also in one night, as she valued her life. Deleted: , Deleted: on The maiden was at her wit’s end and began to weep. Then again, the door sprang open, and the little manikin appeared, and said, “What will you give me if Deleted: mannikin I spin the straw into gold for you?” “The ring off my finger,” answered the maiden. The little man took the ring, began to whir again at the wheel, and had by Deleted: ‘ Deleted: ’ Deleted: M morning spun all the straw into gold. The king was delighted at the sight of the masses of gold, but was not even yet satisfied. So he had the miller’s daughter taken to a still larger chamber, full of straw, and said, “This must you tonight spin into gold, but if you succeed, you shall become my queen.” Deleted: in to