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Rumpelstiltskin is a dwarf character in a fairy tale of the same name that originated in Germany (where he is known as Rumpelstilzchen). The tale was collected by the Grimm Brothers who first published it in the 1812 edition of Children's and Household Tales. It was subsequently revised in later editions until the finalized version was published in 1857.

Plot synopsis

In order to make himself appear more important, a miller lied to the king that his daughter could spin straw into gold. The king called for the girl, shut her in a tower room with straw and a spinning wheel, and demanded that she spin the straw into gold by morning. Failure to do so would result in her (or in some versions her father's) execution. She had given up all hope, when a dwarf (or mannikin) appeared in the room and spun straw into gold for her in return for her necklace; then again the following night for her ring. But on the third night, with nothing left, the strange creature spun straw into gold for a promise that the girl's first-born child would become his.

The greedy king was so impressed that he married the miller's beautiful daughter, but when their first child was born, the dwarf returned to claim his payment: "Now give me what you promised". The queen was frightened and offered him all the wealth she had if she could keep the child. The dwarf refused but finally agreed to give up his claim to the child if the queen could guess his name in three days. At first she failed, but before the second night, her messenger overheard the dwarf hopping about his fire and singing:

"Today I bake, tomorrow brew,
The next I'll have the young Queen's child.
Ha! glad am I that no one knew
That Rumpelstiltskin I am styled."

Other versions of the song go:

"Tomorrow I brew, today I bake,
And then the child away I'll take;
For little deems my royal dame
That Rumpelstiltskin is my name!"

and:

"Today I brew, today I bake,
Tomorrow the Queen's own child I take;
This guessing-game she'll never win,
For my name is Rumpelstiltskin!"

and:

""Merrily I prance and sing,"
"Tomorrow will, a baby bring."
"Merrily I dance and shout,"
"The name the queen cannot find out; Rumpelstiltskin!"

When the dwarf came to the queen on the third day and she revealed his name, Rumpelstiltskin lost his bargain. In the Brothers Grimm version, he then tore himself apart in his rage. In the traditional, pre-Grimm ending, he flew out of the window on a cooking ladle. In more recent versions (after crying that "a witch" has betrayed him), Rumplestiltskin stamped his foot so hard that it became stuck between the floorboards. After pulling it free, he stormed out of the palace and "was never seen again".

Origins

The name Rumpelstilzchen in German means literally "little rattle stilt". (A stilt is a post or pole providing support for a structure.) A rumpelstilt or rumpelstilz ("rattle stilt") was the name of a type of goblin, also called a pophart or poppart ("rapper" or "thumper") that makes noises by rattling posts and rapping on planks, similar to a rumpelgeist ("rattle ghost") or poltergeist ("noisy ghost"), a mischievous spirit that clatters and moves household objects. (Other related concepts are mummarts or boggarts that are mischievous household spirits that disguise themselves.)

The earliest known mention of Rumplestiltskin occurs in Johann Fischart's Geschichtklitterung, or Gargantua of 1577 (a loose adaptation of Rabelais' Gargantua and Pantagruel) which refers to an "amusement" for children named "Rumpele stilt or the Poppart".

In other languages

Rumpelstiltskin is known by a variety of names in a number of other languages:

Other elements may also vary: in Tom Tit Tot, the girl ate five pies, and her mother scolded her. When the king heard it and asked what had happened, the woman lied and said she had been talking of the five skeins her daughter had spun, and that speed of spinning was what interested him.

Analysis

The story of Rumpelstiltskin is an example of Aarne and Thompson's folklore type 500 (The Name of the Helper; see links below). Other fairy tale themes in the story include the Impossible Task, the Hard Bargain, the Changeling Child, and, above all, the Secret Name.

Rumpelstiltskin is most commonly interpreted as a cautionary tale against bragging (compare with the concept of hubris in Greek mythology), but in this case not the miller himself but rather his daughter is punished for his lies. An alternative explanation is that the tale could have been meant to teach women the importance of performing a supporting role in their later marriage. The gift of spinning straw into gold is seen here as a metaphor for the value of household skills. Indeed, the king in this tale does not seem to be interested in the girl besides her magical capabilities — even though her beauty is mentioned in passing — and she exists only to bring him riches and bear his children.

Another tale revolves about a girl trapped by false claims about her spinning abilities: The Three Spinners. However, the three women who assist that girl do not demand her first born, but that she invite them to her wedding and say that they are relatives of hers. With this more reasonable request, she complies, and is freed from her hated spinning when they tell the king that their hideous looks spring from their endless spinning. In one Italian variant, she must discover their names, as with Rumpelstiltskin, but not for the same reason: she must use their names to invite them, and she has forgotten them.

Influence

Rumplestiltskin Syndrome is an analogical reference to the role of the king in the story of Rumpelstiltskin. Common practice in middle-management is to impose unreasonable work demands on subordinates. Upon completion of the task or tasks in question, equal or higher work demands are then imposed, moreover no credit, acknowledgement, or overt appreciation is demonstrated by way of recognition.

Books

  • Spinners by Donna Jo Napoli and Richard Tchen

See also

External links

Fairy tales | Dwarves | Brothers Grimm | Fictional dwarves

Rumpelstilzchen | Rumpelstiltskin | עוץ לי גוץ לי | ルンペルシュティルツヒェン | Repelsteeltje

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Rumpelstiltskin".

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