English Original
Once upon a time, a childless couple lived unhappily. At the back of their house was a window overlooking a beautiful garden, but it was surrounded by a high wall and belonged to a powerful witch, feared by all.
One day, the wife saw a bed of fresh rampion in the garden and longed to eat it. Her desire grew so strong that she became pale and sick. Her loving husband, fearing she would die, climbed the wall at dusk and stole a handful of rampion leaves for her salad. It tasted so good that her craving intensified, compelling him to return the next evening.
This time, the witch caught him. He begged for mercy, explaining his wife's condition. The witch, somewhat appeased, offered a deal: he could take all the rampion he wanted, but must give her the child his wife would soon bear. In his terror, the man agreed.
When the girl was born, the witch took her, named her Rapunzel (which means rampion), and raised her. Rapunzel grew to be the most beautiful child. At age twelve, the witch locked her in a tower deep in a forest. The tower had no door or stairs, only a small window at the very top. To enter, the witch would stand below and call:
"Rapunzel, Rapunzel,
Let down your golden hair."
Rapunzel had magnificent, golden hair as fine as spun gold. She would let her long braids fall, and the witch would climb up.
Years later, a prince riding through the wood heard Rapunzel singing sweetly from the tower. Enchanted, he searched for a door in vain. Haunted by her song, he returned daily. One day, he saw the witch use the hair as a ladder. The next evening, he imitated her call. Rapunzel let down her hair, and the prince climbed up.
Frightened at first by this man—the first she had ever seen—Rapunzel was soon comforted by his kind words. He confessed his love, moved by her singing. She agreed to marry him, seeing a chance for happiness. They devised a plan: he would bring silk each visit so she could weave a ladder to escape. He would visit every evening while the witch was away during the day.
Their secret remained until Rapunzel thoughtlessly asked the witch, "Why are you so much heavier to pull up than the young prince?"
Enraged, the witch cried, "You wicked child! You have deceived me!" She seized Rapunzel's hair, cut off the beautiful braids, and banished her to a desolate wilderness to live in misery.
That evening, the witch fastened the severed braids to the window hook. When the prince called and climbed up, he found the witch instead. She mocked him, "Your pretty bird has flown! You will never see her again!"
Overcome with grief, the prince leaped from the tower. He survived but fell into thorns that blinded him. Wandering blind and wretched through the forest, he lived on roots and berries, mourning his lost love for years.
Eventually, he stumbled into the desert where Rapunzel lived. Hearing a familiar voice, he followed it. Rapunzel recognized him and embraced him, weeping. Two of her tears fell on his eyes, restoring his sight instantly.
He led her to his kingdom, where they were joyfully received and lived happily ever after.
中文翻译
从前，有一对没有孩子的夫妇生活得很不快乐。他们房子后面有一扇窗户，可以俯瞰一个美丽的花园，但花园被高墙环绕，属于一个令所有人畏惧的强大女巫。
一天，妻子看到花园里有一片新鲜的莴苣，非常想吃。她的渴望日益强烈，以至于变得苍白病弱。深爱她的丈夫担心她会死去，于是在黄昏时分爬过墙，偷了一把莴苣叶给她做沙拉。沙拉美味无比，反而加剧了她的渴望，迫使丈夫第二天晚上再次前去。
这次，女巫抓住了他。他乞求宽恕，解释了妻子的状况。女巫的怒气稍平，提出了一个交易：他可以拿走所有想要的莴苣，但必须把妻子即将生下的孩子交给她。惊恐之下，男人答应了。
女孩出生后，女巫带走了她，给她起名叫莴苣（Rapunzel），并抚养她长大。莴苣姑娘长成了世界上最美丽的孩子。十二岁时，女巫将她锁在森林深处的一座高塔里。塔没有门也没有楼梯，只在塔顶有一个小窗户。要进去时，女巫会站在下面喊：
"莴苣，莴苣，
把你的头发垂下来。"
莴苣姑娘有一头华丽如金丝般的金色长发。她会放下长长的发辫，女巫便攀爬而上。
几年后，一位王子骑马穿过森林，听到莴苣姑娘从塔中传出甜美的歌声。他被迷住了，但找不到门。她的歌声萦绕在他心头，他每天都回来。一天，他看见女巫用头发当梯子。第二天傍晚，他模仿女巫的呼唤。莴苣姑娘垂下头发，王子爬了上去。
起初，莴苣姑娘被这个她生平第一次见到的男人吓坏了，但很快被他友善的话语安抚。王子被她的歌声打动，向她表白爱意。她同意嫁给他，看到了获得幸福的机会。他们制定了一个计划：他每次来访都带一些丝线，让她编织一个梯子以便逃脱。他将在女巫白天不在的每个晚上来看她。
他们的秘密一直未被发现，直到有一天莴苣姑娘不经意地问女巫："为什么拉你上来比拉那位年轻的王子费劲得多？"
女巫勃然大怒，喊道："你这坏孩子！你竟敢骗我！"她抓住莴苣姑娘的头发，剪掉了那美丽的发辫，并将她放逐到一片荒凉的野地，让她在苦难中生活。
那天晚上，女巫把剪下的发辫固定在窗户的钩子上。当王子呼唤并爬上去时，他见到的是女巫。她嘲弄道："你的漂亮小鸟飞走了！你再也见不到她了！"
王子悲痛欲绝，从塔上跳了下去。他活了下来，但掉进了刺丛，双目失明。他双目失明、凄惨地在森林中流浪，以根茎和浆果为生，多年来一直哀悼他失去的爱人。
最终，他偶然闯入了莴苣姑娘生活的荒野。听到一个熟悉的声音，他循声而去。莴苣姑娘认出了他，拥抱他并哭泣起来。她的两滴眼泪落在他的眼睛上，立刻恢复了他的视力。
他带着她回到自己的王国，在那里他们受到了热烈的欢迎，从此过上了幸福的生活。