The King's son ascended, but he did not find
his dearest Rapunzel above-only the enchantress, who gazed at him with
wicked and venomous looks. "Aha!" she cried mockingly, "thou wouldst
fetch thy dearest, but the beautiful bird sits no longer singing in
the nest; the cat has got it, and will scratch out thy eyes as well.
Rapunzel is lost to thee; thou wilt never see her more." The King's
son was beside himself with pain, and in his despair leapt down from
the tower. He escaped with his life, but the thorns into which he fell
pierced his eyes. Then he wandered quite blind about the forest, ate
nothing but roots and berries, and did nothing but lament and weep
over the loss of his dearest wife. Thus he roamed about in misery for
some years, and at length came to the desert where Rapunzel, with
the twins to which she had given birth, a boy and a girl, lived in
wretchedness. He heard a voice, and it seemed so familiar to him that
he went toward it, and, when he approached, Rapunzel knew him and fell
on his neck and wept. Two of her tears wetted his eyes and they grew
clear again so that he could see with them as before. He led her to
his kingdom where he was joyfully received, and they lived for a long
time afterward, happy and contented.
* * * * *
HAENSEL AND GRETHEL
Hard by a great forest dwelt a poor wood-cutter with his wife and his
two children.
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