Grimms' Fairy Tales, Rumpelstiltskin summary
Rumpelstiltskin of 62 · 5 min to read the chapter
In Rumpelstiltskin, a miller’s daughter becomes queen after a dwarf spins straw into gold for her, but she promises him her first child in payment. When he demands the baby, a messenger discovers his secret name, allowing her to keep her child and send him away empty-handed.
What happens
- A miller boasts that his daughter can spin straw into gold, and the greedy king orders her to prove it under threat of death.
- A dwarf completes two tasks in exchange for her necklace and ring, then demands her first child for a third task.
- The king marries the miller’s daughter, and the dwarf returns after her baby is born to claim his payment.
- Her tears move him to grant three days in which she can save her child by naming him.
- After two days of failed guesses, a messenger reports hearing the dwarf sing his name near a woodland hut.
- The queen names Rumpelstiltskin before her court, and he stamps in anger before leaving without the baby.
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In this chapter
What to notice
The dwarf makes knowledge of his name the condition for release from the bargain. This gives the queen a way to protect her baby.
Quick check
How does the queen learn Rumpelstiltskin’s name?
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