Once upon a time, there resided a poor miller in a far off land. He had a beautiful daughter.

One day, the King sent his soldiers to bring the miller to him. Before the King could just ask him anything, he uttered the first stupid thing that came into his thoughts. “I have a daughter who can spin straw into gold thread. ” he told the King.

“Really, I would really like to see this. ” the King said and ordered the miller to bring his daughter to the palace.

The miller realized that he had told a lie but now he had no escape from the King. He could not go against the King. The following day, he produced his daughter to the palace.

“Your father claims you are able to spin straw into gold. Here is some straw and a spinner wheel. I would like all of this straw changed into gold. ” the King told the girl, as he put her into a tiny room and closed the door behind her. Morever, he warned her, “Make absolutely no mistake. If I don’t get the gold in the morning, you will be killed. “

The girl could hardly understand anything. “How could father claim such a thing to the King, ” the girl said to herself.

She sat in the small room, with tears running down her face. She was in a great fix. She knew that was the last night of her life. No one could save her from the King.

She was lost in such feelings when she observed the door open. As she lifted her head, she saw a weird little man standing before her. She was scared. She hadn’t seen such a man before.

“Can I do some thing for you, Miss Miller? ” he said. The girl wondered how the man knew her name. She explained to him every thing.

“I can spin the straw into gold for you however I have a condition. You should give me that pretty glass necklace in return, ” he pointed towards necklace she was wearing.

The girl did not believe what the little man had said. But she agreed to part with her necklace if he kept his promise.

The little man sat down close to the rotating wheel. One touch and a reel was filled with gold thread. As the girl viewed with wide eyes, the little man replicated his task. When the King arrived the morning, he seen the girl dozing off. Four reels loaded with gold were lying down beside her.

I am very happy indeed, you are a miracle girl. Tonight, I will provide you with more straw to spin, ” the King said and left.

As midnight time clock rang, the door of the room opened and the girl saw the little man standing just before her.

“Do not worry, I will spin the straw for you tonight once again. However, you need to give me this ring, ” he smiled, as he touched the ring on her hand. The girl was so pleased that she could not argue to his demand.

Early in the day, the King observed the beautiful girl sitting in the room with reels of gold straw around her. He was happy, indeed. He had discovered a goldmine.

The King’s greed appeared to have no end. “I will provide you with much more straw this evening. If you spin this straw into gold thread tonight, I am going to marry you tomorrow morning, ” and he directed tons of straw to delivered there immediately.

The girl was crying bitterly when the strange little man opened the door that night. He consoled the girl, “There isn’t any reason for crying and moping. As long as you are in difficulty. I will be here to assist you. Have peace, my dear. “

“I know, but I do not have nearly anything left to offer you in exchange. ” she said, as her cries became more louder.

“That is not an issue. After the King marries you, you can give me your first child. “

The girl knew the King would not make her his Queen. But the King retained his promise. He was delighted to see so much gold each morning. He believed the miller’s daughter had brought him great riches. Not just that, she was very beautiful.

He married the girl with wonderful pomp and show. Everybody, small and big, wealthy and poor, was invited to bless the King and the new Queen. The miller appeared to be the happiest man on the planet.

In due course of time, she and the King had a lovely baby. She had by now forgotten all about the weird little man and the promise she had made to him. One night, while the Queen lay down in her bed room, the little strange man made an appearance from nowhere.

“You promised to give me your first baby. Did you not? I have come to take the child, ” he told the Queen, smilingly. The Queen was shocked. She requested with the man to leave her baby with her.

However the strange little man wouldn’t agree. After much pleading, he, however , relented, “All right, I will not take a child with me, if you discover my name in 3 days time, ” he said and left the room quickly.

Desperate to know the name of the weird little man, the Queen ordered her messengers to gather all the names people had in their Empire.

When the strange little man stumbled on her bedroom that night, the Queen repeated each of the names her messengers had gathered for her.

“No non-e of these names is my name, you have two more nights. After that, I will take the baby with me. ” he said and left.

The next night, the Queen read out even more names nevertheless the strange man laughed and left promising to come again to take the baby.

The Queen became very anxious. She had repeated numerous names in the past 2 nights and the response of this man was always a ‘no’. On the third day, one of the messengers, treading via a deep jungle, did find a strange man dancing and singing in happiness.

“The Queen won’t ever win my game. For Rumpelstiltskin is my name! “

The messenger came and informed the Queen exactly what he had noticed in the jungle. She was thrilled and offered the messenger many gold coins.

True to his promise, the small man came back again on the 3rd night.

The Queen closed her eyes as if imagining, “Your name is Twinkletoes. “

“No that’s not my name. “

After pretending to think a bit more, the Queen announced one more name. “I know you are Shagribanda. ”

“No think about some other name. ” said the man laughing.

“Well then you definitely are…… Rumpelstiltskin. ”

Finally the little man had been beaten. He was red with frustration, as he disappeared into thin air. He never ever came to the palace again. The Queen lived in peace afterwards.