Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, lived a lonely couple who longed for a child. They prayed every day and kept their house neat and clean, in the hope that a child might be granted to them from the orphanage. Then one day, a beautiful baby girl with bright, golden hair was brought to their doorstep. Upon seeing the baby, the man and woman wept tears of joy.
“Take good care of her,” said the homely-looking woman who had brought the baby to them. “I will come to check every month to ensure that you are looking after her.”
The couple thanked the woman and took their baby inside their humble cottage. She was named Rapunzel. Her parents doted on her, giving her all that she desired. Rapunzel grew up to be a beautiful, young woman with long, golden hair. She had a sweet voice and was often found sitting outside her cottage, combing her long hair and singing.
One day, a prince was passing by the woods and heard the sweetest melody. He followed the sound and found Rapunzel sitting outside her cottage. She was so beautiful that he immediately fell in love with her and decided he wanted to marry her. He approached her and declared, “You are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen. Your voice is like a soothing balm. Will you marry me and become a princess?”
Rapunzel had never been in love before. She looked upon the handsome, young man who had approached her and felt her heart stutter. This must be what love feels like, she thought. She agreed to marry the prince.
“Are you sure, Rapunzel?” her mother asked her. “You don’t know this young man at all. Take some time before you decide.” But Rapunzel was adamant. She had made up her mind.
The following week, a grand wedding was arranged, and the entire town was invited. On their wedding night, the prince led Rapunzel to a tower. It had a small wooden door at the bottom and a window right at the top.
“Come,” he said, gesturing for her to follow him.
“Where are you taking me?” Rapunzel asked.
“To your new home,” the prince replied, smiling.
Rapunzel followed him, without a second thought, excited to begin her new life. The prince led her up a long set of winding stairs. Just when Rapunzel was getting tired of climbing, he turned and said, “Here we are!”
He opened the wooden door and led her into a circular room. It was lavishly furnished with a four-poster bed, thick velvet curtains, a floor-to-ceiling bookshelf, a large almirah, a dressing table with a chair and a mirror. The washroom was equally large, fitted with a bathtub and a host of pots and potions Rapunzel could use. Her almirah had been filled with the most beautiful dresses and gowns.
“Oh! What a beautiful room!” Rapunzel exclaimed. “But Prince, where are your clothes?”
“My clothes are in my room in the castle. This place is just for you. My special Rapunzel,” the prince said softly. Confusion washed over Rapunzel. Why was the prince staying in the castle? Was she going to live here alone? Before she could voice her concern, the prince said, “You are too beautiful to share with the world, my Rapunzel. I want to keep you safe. Many in this kingdom would not think twice before they harm you. I am doing this for your security.” He kissed her hands softly. Rapunzel believed him.
“Will I see you every day?” she asked. “Yes, of course,” he responded. “I will come every evening to see you. I promise. This door is very special,” he said, holding up a simple key. “The key cannot be replicated. I had it made specially for you. Only I can come visit you.” With that, he closed the room door, locked it and left Rapunzel alone.
As the months passed, Rapunzel grew increasingly distressed. The prince did not allow her parents and friends to visit. He did not let her leave her room in the tower. After a while, he stopped coming to see her every day and grew distant. He began making excuses, and Rapunzel was sure he was lying. She could not call for help as the tower was isolated, with no one living nearby.
One night, the prince came to visit her very late. He was drunk on wine. His breath smelled foul, and he was unable to stand. This is my chance to free myself from the prince, Rapunzel thought. A plan formed in her head.
Rapunzel urged him to rest for a while and made him lie down on her bed. Soon enough, the prince was fast asleep. Then Rapunzel got to work. She took the keys from the prince’s jacket pocket and unlocked the door. Then she slowly dragged the prince out of her room, closed the door and locked it from inside. She knew that if she ran, the prince would find her. She would not be safe anywhere in the kingdom. “He cannot harm me if I stay in this room. He cannot get it in,” she whispered, looking at the key. She tied the key with a string around her neck. “I will leave when it’s safe,” she told herself.
The next morning, the prince woke up and started banging on the door.
“Rapunzel! Rapunzel! Let me in! What have you done?”
But Rapunzel ignored him. He came every evening, begging her to forgive him, promising her a life filled with wealth and adventure outside the tower. But Rapunzel remained silent.
“I will give you whatever you want, Rapunzel. Please let me in,” he begged. But he never heard from her again. After weeks of trying, he gave up and stopped coming.
Rapunzel spent her days reading, singing and dreaming of her life beyond the tower. “I will go when it’s safe,” she would repeat to herself. “One day it will be safe, but not today.”
Her parents came to visit her, but she did not open the door for them. Her friends tried to coax her to come out, but she did not relent. “It’s not yet time,” she would say. “Please go away.”
As the years passed, Rapunzel’s parents died. Her friends got married and forgot about her. Rapunzel continued to live in her tower, thinking of the day she would finally leave. Then one day, she woke up, packed a small satchel with a few essentials, and decided to start a new life. But the door would not open. She searched and searched, but the key was nowhere to be found. She screamed from her window till her voice was hoarse, banged on the door till her knuckles bled. But no one came to her rescue. As the sky darkened, Rapunzel finally collapsed on the floor, miserable.
She had forgotten that she did not need help. She had forgotten, that many years ago, she had secured her freedom. And that the key had always been with her, hanging on a thread around her neck. All she had to do was reach for it.
Fairytale Series / No.3
No. 3 in a 4-part series
I am exploring the fairy tales I grew up reading and, in turn, have read to my daughter. What I considered magical now lacks its lustre. The stories lead me to believe that homes were safe spaces, a prince would always rescue me, I would find a supportive community of friends, and there is always a happy ending. But what happens when we subvert the story? Does it hold relevance in today's world? Is there a need to rewrite the narrative so that our children may know how to protect themselves and learn to draw firm boundaries? And are there happy endings at all?
Naqab (Mask) explores the many masks I wear as an Indian woman. It is my attempt to unravel, and discover my deep-seated conditioning, biases, strengths and weaknesses, one portrait at a time.
The project will span a year, with one portrait every week.
Head here for the entire series.
If you liked this project, please consider sharing or recommending my publication. It would immensely help a new writer like me reach a wider audience.
I would love to hear from you! Drop in a comment and let me know your thoughts.
This is absolutely fabulous. So heart breaking n true