159. Rumblestiltskin
© Bruce Goodman 18 March 2014




Anyway, this poor woman had wormed her way up the social ladder by telling lies about spinning straw into gold. She eventually married the king. Then she had to give up her baby to a goblin. She had three days to guess the goblin’s name. If not, the baby goes.

A messenger arrived. “I saw a silly man dancing on one leg around a log fire and singing:

Merrily the feast I’ll make.
Today I’ll brew, tomorrow bake;
Merrily I’ll dance and sing,
For next day will a stranger bring.
Little does my lady dream
Rumpelstiltskin is my name!”


“His name! His name!” gasped the queen excitedly. “Rumblestiltskin!”

So the queen got it wrong, and Rumpelstiltskin got to keep the baby; and all because of a “b” instead of a “p”. The queen who told lies had other kids. She brought them up as cheats, crooks and liars.

On the other hand, Rumpelstiltskin and his wife brought their child up to be a very fine citizen indeed.


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