Rumpelstiltskin
Rumpelstiltskin — an illustrated tales story. 10 illustrated pages, free to read on Wonder Tales.
Page 1
In the shimmering, chaotic heart of the Interdimensional Bazaar, fortunes are made and destinies bartered. Here, Elara, a miller's daughter, dreams of escaping her father's debts; Queen Aurelia, obsessed with spinning straw into gold, seeks endless riches; and Rumpelstiltskin, a trickster of dark bargains, waits for the desperate to stumble into his web. But the forest holds the heart of the story.
Page 2
Elara's father, a boastful miller, dragged her to Queen Aurelia. "My daughter," he declared with a drunken grin, "can spin straw into gold!" Aurelia's eyes gleamed. "Is this true, girl?" Elara, terrified, could only shake her head, but Aurelia, intrigued by the prospect of endless wealth, locked Elara in a tower room filled with straw and a spinning wheel.
Page 3
Alone, Elara wept. She noticed a small, dusty book tucked away on a shelf. Opening it, she read, 'The threads of fate can be spun with intention and breath.' Inside, the book revealed, 'Certain incantations require specific items: a feather of a blue jay, a drop of moonlight, and a spark of courage.'
Page 4
A strange voice echoed in the tower. "A bargain, little miller's daughter? I'll spin this straw into gold for you... for a price." A small impish creature stood before her, grinning wickedly. "But tell me first, do you know what courage is?"
Page 5
Elara, desperate, agreed, offering her necklace. Rumpelstiltskin spun through the night, and by morning, the straw was gold. The queen was ecstatic, but her greed was insatiable. "Spin more," she demanded, locking Elara in an even larger room, "or face the headsman."
Page 6
Again, Rumpelstiltskin appeared. "Another bargain, little miller's daughter? But this time, the price is higher." "What do you want?" Elara pleaded. "Your firstborn child," the imp cackled. Elara, seeing no other way to escape, agreed.
Page 7
The straw turned to gold. Elara became queen, marrying Aurelia's son. Years passed, and a child was born. Then, Rumpelstiltskin returned to claim his prize. Elara, now a mother, wept, begging for her child's life. "Give me three days," he sneered, "to guess my name, or the child is mine."
Page 8
Days turned into nights. Messengers scoured the land, seeking strange names. None were correct. Elara despaired, remembering a quote, "'The impediment to action advances action. What stands in the way becomes the way,' as Marcus Aurelius said," Elara thought. If she embraced the unknown, maybe she could find the answer.
Page 9
A messenger returned with a tale of a strange imp dancing around a fire in the forest, singing, "Rumpelstiltskin is my name! No one will ever know!" Elara faced Rumpelstiltskin, her child in her arms. "Is your name... Rumpelstiltskin?" she asked with quiet strength.
Page 10
Rumpelstiltskin shrieked and vanished in a puff of smoke, his dark bargain broken. Elara ruled with wisdom and courage, her reign marked by honesty and compassion. The gold, once a source of greed and fear, became a symbol of her strength, a reminder that true riches lie not in material wealth, but in the unwavering power of moral fiber.
About this story
- Audience: kids (ages 6–12)
Questions and answers
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