Who Needs a Prince?

It was the summer she turned eight that young Rapunzel discovered she could talk to the sparrows. It happened when she made a wish on a falling star the night before. She desired to speak to the only visitors to her lonely tower.

The next morning, after her Aunty had left, she was in her usual spot on the balcony. She had a hunk of bread left from her breakfast. She tore it into small pieces and tossed them to the nine little brown birds that were hopping around, looking for a handout.

To her surprise, she heard them discussing her Aunty! She'd never been able to understand them before and she marveled at what she was hearing.

"Such a pity! Leaves the girl all by herself every day! Ugly old hag, no love in her heart!" one bird remarked as it picked up a crumb.

"She's a cruel one! To take a babe from its parents and lock it away in a tower!" replied another sparrow. It hopped up onto her knee to stare at her curiously.

Rapunzel could contain herself no more.

"Are you talking about me?" she asked breathlessly. Her voice sounded different to her but she was more interested in listening to the bird's reply at the moment.

The sparrow on her knee answered her question. Then the others filled in the details. She soon found out more than she had ever been told about herself. They spent the better part of that day in deep conversation.

It was in the late afternoon when she heard a familiar voice call up to her.

"Rapunzel! Rapunzel! Let down thine hair, that I may climb thy golden stair!"

That was the little girl's cue to gather her massive quantity of sun-colored blonde tresses and dump it over the balcony's rail to her Aunty below.

Quietly, Rapunzel grimaced as she braced herself against the older woman's weight. She had learned early on that it was best not to complain. About anything.

Once Aunty was up in the tower, she asked, "And what did thee do with thyself today, fair Rapunzel?"

The young girl properly replied, "I spun the wool and made no mischief."

It was pretty much true. She did manage to finish what little chores she was required to do.

"Thou art a blessing," Aunty grinned toothlessly at her captive.

But today, little Rapunzel was feeling cross. Her conversation with the sparrows had left her angry with her guardian.

"Aunty, why must I dwell in a place where only birds may visit me? Why can't I ever leave this tower?" she asked a bit too sharply.

"Thou art wicked to think such things!" cried Aunty. She raised a wart-covered hand to box the impudent girl's ears.

Suddenly, Rapunzel spoke the word the birds had taught her and she turned into a little brown sparrow!

"Thou shall not escape me!" croaked Aunty. She grabbed for the small bird but it was too late.

Rapunzel flew far away from the tower. She then met up with her new friends in a grove of pine trees. Together they made their way to a small cottage many, many miles away.

They perched on the limb of a great oak as Rapunzel fluttered to the ground below. She chirped the second magic word they had taught her and became a little girl once more. Her long hair trailed behind her in the dirt as she ran towards the humble dwelling.

In the waning afternoon sun, there was a middle-aged woman sweeping the front steps. She looked up in surprise and shock when Rapunzel cried out, "Mama! Mama! I'm home!"

Her mother bent down with arms wide open and grabbed up her long-lost daughter into a warm embrace. She was overjoyed that her little Rapunzel was home at last!

Neither one noticed the nine small sparrows fly away from the oak tree and disappear into the sky.