Rumpelstiltskin

Rumpelstiltskin - None can beat me at my game, Rumpelstiltskin is my name!

A poor miller wanted to marry his beautiful daughter to the King. That is why he claimed that she could spin straw into gold. The King had the miller's daughter come to the castle and demanded that she should spin a chamber full of straw into gold overnight, otherwise she would have to die.

The miller's daughter despaired and cried bitterly. But then a little man appeared and offered his help. He demanded the miller daughter's necklace as a prize. Next morning the King appeared – and sure enough, the whole room was full of gold. But the King was greedy for money and demanded that the miller's daughter perform the same deed in a larger chamber. This time the little man received her ring as a reward. The third time she promised the little man her first child when she was Queen.

The King did in fact marry this girl who had spun all that gold and, one year later, she brought a wonderful child into the world. Then one night the little man appeared in her chamber and wanted to take the child away. The Queen cried and cried until the little man felt pity. "Okay", he said. "I'll give you three days. If you know my name by then you may keep your child."

The Queen spent all night collecting all the names that she knew, and she sent a messenger all through the country to collect names. She called the little man these names on the next day. But every time he said "that is not my name". In the second night the messenger collected unusual names such as Bandylegs or Crookback. But the little man said "that is not my name".

On the third day the messenger found no more new names but he watched the little man in the forest. He was dancing round a fire and singing "What my name is, no one knows.
Soon the Queen's child with me goes. None can beat me at my game,  Rumpelstiltskin is my name!"

When the little man appeared again, the Queen asked him "Is it Boccaccio?" – "No" shouted the man with a giggle. "Is it Rodney?" – "No" he shouted gleefully. "Could it be Rumpelstiltskin?" – "The devil must have told you that!", screamed the little man and, out of sheer rage, he ripped himself into two pieces.

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