Rumpelstiltskin
Rumpelstiltskin has a bad reputation mainly for having a bad attitude. He strikes several deals and makes a wager. His reaction at the story's conclusion can only be summed up as, well, poor sportsmanship? This on-line script matches what you hear in the audio – a great way to learn English and how to read.
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Cast In Order Of Appearance:
Narrator
King
Rumpelstiltskin
Girl
Messengers
NARRATOR
Once upon a time, there was a miller who boasted that his pretty daughter could spin straw into gold. The King heard about this and demanded that this girl be brought to him. The King took her to a room full of straw and gave her a spinning wheel.
KING
Now get to work. If by morning you have not spun this straw into gold, you shall die.
NARRATOR
He then locked the door and left. The poor girl sat there and had no idea what to do. Eventually she began to weep. Then suddenly, the door opened and a little man came in.
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
Good evening, young mistress. Why are you crying?
GIRL
The King says I must spin straw into gold or I must die. I don’t know how to spin straw into gold.
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
What will you give me if I do it for you?
NARRATOR
The girl gave him her necklace. The little man sat down and spun and spun and spun all through the night. In the morning, all the straw was gone and only reels of gold remained. The King was delighted, but his heart became more greedy. He took the girl to a much larger room filled with straw.
KING
If by morning you have not spun this straw into gold, you shall die.
NARRATOR
Once more, the poor girl sat and had no idea what to do. She was weeping when the door opened and again, the little man came in.
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
What will you give me this time?
NARRATOR
The girl gave him the ring on her finger and in the morning, all the straw was gone and only reels of gold remained. The King rejoiced, but wanted even more gold. He took the girl to an even larger room filled with straw.
KING
If by morning you have spun this straw into gold, you shall be my wife.
NARRATOR
When the girl was alone, the door opened again.
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
What will you give me this time?
GIRL
I have nothing left to give.
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
Then you shall promise me your first child, should you become Queen.
NARRATOR
The girl, not knowing what else to do, promised she would. And so the straw was spun into gold and the King married the miller’s pretty daughter and she became Queen.
A year later, the Queen gave birth to a beautiful child. She never thought about the little man until suddenly, he came into her room.
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
Now you must give me what you have promised.
GIRL
Please! I'll give you all the riches in the kingdom if you leave me my child.
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
No. Something that is alive is more dear to me than treasures.
NARRATOR
The Queen began crying and cried so much that the little man took pity on her.
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
I will give you three days to find out my name. If you fail, I shall keep your child.
NARRATOR
So the Queen thought the entire night of all the names she had ever heard. She sent two messengers to go far and wide into the country and gather some more. The next day, the little man returned.
GIRL
Caspar?
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
That is not my name.
GIRL
Melchior?
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
That is not my name.
GIRL
Balthazar?
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
That is not my name.
GIRL
Well, so much for the names of the three wise men bearing gifts in the New Testament.
NARRATOR
And the Queen continued to say all the names she knew, and with each name, the little man replied -
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
That is not my name.
NARRATOR
On the second day, she repeated the most uncommon and curious names that she had learned from inquiring in the neighborhood.
GIRL
Shortribs?
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
That is not my name.
GIRL
Sheepshanks?
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
That is not my name.
GIRL
Laceleg?
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
That is not my name.
NARRATOR
On the third day, the messengers returned.
MESSENGERS
We were unable to find any more new names, but on the way back we did find a little house, on top of a high mountain. Inside, there was a little man hopping around a fire on one leg and shouting.
GIRL
What did he say?
MESSENGERS
Today I bake, tomorrow I brew,
The next I’ll have the young Queen’s child.
Ha! glad am I that no one knew
That Rumpelstiltskin I am styled.
NARRATOR
Just then the little man came in.
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
Now my young Queen, what is my name?
GIRL
Is your name Conrad?
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
No.
GIRL
Is it Harry?
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
No.
GIRL
Then, perhaps your name is Rumpelstiltskin?
RUMPELSTILTSKIN
Nnn - the devil told you that! The devil told you that!
NARRATOR
And in his anger, he plunged his right foot so deep into the ground that his entire leg went in. With both hands, he then pulled his left leg so hard that he tore himself in two.
The End.
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