One day, a young prince was riding through the forest when he heard Rapunzel singing. Her voice drifted through the trees like something from a dream. He followed the sound and found the tower, but there was no way in — no door, no stairs, nothing.

He came back the next day, and the next. He could not forget the voice. Then, while hiding behind a tree, he saw the enchantress arrive at the base of the tower. He watched as she called out, "Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!" He watched as the golden braid tumbled from the window and the enchantress climbed up.

The prince waited until the enchantress left. Then he stood at the base of the tower and called out in the same way:

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair!"

The golden braid fell from the window. The prince grabbed it and climbed.

Rapunzel was terrified when she saw a young man climb through her window instead of the enchantress. She had never seen anyone else before — no man, no boy, no person other than her captor. She screamed and backed away.

"Don't be afraid!" said the prince gently. "I heard your singing and I had to find you. I am not going to hurt you."

Slowly, Rapunzel calmed down. The prince told her about the world outside the tower — the forests, the rivers, the cities, the people. Rapunzel had never seen any of these things. She listened with wide, fascinated eyes. She told him about her life in the tower, her singing, her loneliness.

The prince visited her every evening, when the enchantress was away. They talked for hours. They fell in love. The prince brought Rapunzel gifts — books, flowers, silk threads. Together, they made a plan. Each visit, the prince would bring a piece of silk rope. Rapunzel would weave the pieces into a ladder. When the ladder was long enough, she would climb down from the tower and be free.

But one day, Rapunzel made a mistake. While the enchantress was climbing her hair, Rapunzel said without thinking, "Why are you so much heavier than the prince?"

The enchantress's face turned white, then red, then purple with rage. "What prince? You wicked, deceitful girl! I thought I had hidden you from the world, but you have tricked me!"