Rumpelstiltskin

Story

When a miller lies to the king that his daughter can spin straw into gold, the king summons her to his palace. He locks her in a room full of straw and threatens to chop off her head if the straw isn’t turned into gold by morning. In desperation, the miller’s daughter strikes a deal with a magical imp with a mysterious name…

Why we chose it

A story full of fairy tale elements – a foolish and boastful father, a magical helper who demands a price for his help, an impossible task and the power of a name.

Where it came from

The tale of the gold-spinning imp dates back to at least the 16^th century, and is thought to have roots in Greek and Roman mythology. By the 19^th century, similar stories were known across Europe, including Tom Tit Tot in England and Whuppity Stoorie in Scotland. The Grimm brothers were told the German version, Rumpelstilzchen, by Dortchen Wild, and included it in Children’s and Household Tales (1812).

Where it went next

The story has inspired countless songs, ballets, plays and books. Rumpelstiltskin himself features in a variety of other stories, including in John Connolly’s The Book of Lost Things (2006) and the Shrek films. The story has even made a mark in the field of psychology: the “Rumpelstiltskin Principle” refers to the value and power of calling people by their name.

Associated stories

The brothers Grimm collected over 200 stories. These include Cinderella, The Frog Prince, Little Red Riding Hood, Rapunzel, and Snow White. There are many published collections of their stories and retellings of favourites like those in Philip Pullman’s Grimm Tales.

In the programme

Rumpelstiltskin was one of the Stories from the Woodshed in October 2020, chosen and told by Sandra Agard. Watch the video below.