Alena Dingeldein Rumpelstiltskin: A Modern Retelling

Rumpelstiltskin: A Modern Retelling

Alena Dingeldein

Once upon a time, there lived a young couple in a big city. They were poor, but they were happy because they had each other. The man, Thomas, was an artist, working to sell his art, but truly had little luck. The woman, Bernadette, was studying to be a nurse, looking to provide a better life for the couple. The two were engaged, although money for a wedding was nonexistent. One cold October morning would turn their situation upside down. Thomas opened the mail, rubbing his scalp with his fingers as he observed the bold red letters on the paper.

“Eviction Notice”

The poor couple had one week to pay the rent or be sent out into the street. Bernadette was pacing back and forth, equally as worried as her fiancé. “What are we going to do? We barely have enough money to eat, let alone pay rent!” She sighed and slumped into the chair across from the worried Thomas.

Thomas hung his head into his hands, eyes still fixed on the large red letters. “I’ll have to work overtime to make more art; going to get a loan will just push us further into debt.”

Bernadette let out a heavy sigh, her fingers rubbing her temples. “I need to go for a walk to think about it.” She got up from her seat, grabbing her coat hanging from her chair.

Thomas looked up at his fiancé. “Be careful, it’s getting dark.”

Bernadette would wander the gloomy city streets, quietly weeping to herself at the hopelessness of the situation. As she walked by the narrow alleyway, she heard the voice of a man speaking to her. “Why the tears, miss?”

Bernadette turned to see a short man wearing a long black cloak and a top hat. His face appeared pale with a tattered uneven beard and yellowing teeth. Although repulsed by the appearance of the man, she would answer his question with a sigh, leaning against the wall of the alley. “I’m broke. My fiancé and I will be out on the street if we don’t pay in a week.” Bernadette dropped her face into her hands and began to cry.

“That is a good reason to cry, being punished without a penny to your name. Perhaps I can help you.” The man spoke up, Bernadette looking back up at him.

“You can? How?” She wiped her face to clear her eyes as the man fiddled with his cloak.

“Anything I can do, with a price, that is.”

Bernadette’s hopeful mood quickly faded. “A price? But I have nothing!”

The little man looked down at her hand. “How much is that ring worth?”

Bernadette quickly covered her ring with her other hand. “No, I can’t sell you this, it’s my engagement ring.”

Staring at the ring on her finger, Bernadette would ponder. Taking a deep breath, she pulled the ring away from her finger, reaching it over to the little man. The little man reached out, taking the ring from her hand.

“A wise choice, my dear. I’ll make sure you get a better ring soon.”

Bernadette was aching from her sacrifice, but also grateful for his generosity. “Thank you, Mister…um, what’s your name?”

The little man let out a hearty laugh. “No need to worry about that.” With a swish of his cloak and a gust of wind, the little man was gone.

The following morning, Bernadette had checked her bank account to see a huge amount of money, enough to pay off the overdue rent. She cried out in joy, almost fainting in her seat. Thomas heard his fiancée’s cries and came rushing in. Bernadette pointed to the amount of money displayed on the screen, Thomas was relieved but also in shock. “Where did this money come from? There’s no name displayed. Bernadette told the story of the strange little man, Thomas staring in disbelief. He was angry that Bernadette gave away the engagement ring, but his anger quickly subsided, promising a new ring in the future.

One month later, just as things were looking up for the young couple, bad luck would fall upon them once again. Thomas was behind on selling his work, money was short, leaving the couple unable to pay bills. Desperate, Bernadette threw on her coat and went out into the alley to find the strange little man that helped them out before. As luck would have it, the little man was found in the same place they had met before.

The little man looked up at Bernadette, a smirk on his face. “Fallen into bad luck again, my dear?”

Bernadette nodded. “Yes, please, I need help!” She cried out, putting her hands together, begging for help from the little man.

“That necklace looks awfully nice.” The little man gestured to the gold necklace around her neck.

Bernadette covered it with her hand, shaking her head. “No, I can’t! It was my grandmother’s!”

The little man just gave a shrug. “It’s your choice.”

The little man did have a point, she thought. With a heavy sigh, Bernadette unhooked the chain of the necklace, extending it out to his hand.

“Excellent, again, you won’t regret this.”

Bernadette just sighed in relief. “Thank you again…what was your name?”

The little man let out a hearty laugh and with a swish of his cloak and a gust of wind, he was gone.

Or so they thought. They made plans for a wedding, but money ran out. Desperate, Bernadette went out to seek the little man once again. She went to the alley where they had met before, finding the little man once again.

He peeked up from his hat. “In trouble again, my dear?” Bernadette dropped to her knees; hands clasped together as she begged for help.

“You know the deal, give me something and I’ll help you.” Bernadette sighed in defeat.

“But I gave you everything valuable I had.”

The man scratched his chin to think. He then had a bright idea. “You and Thomas are to be wed, correct?”

Confused, Bernadette answered. “Yes, why?”

“I’ll help you now, in exchange for your firstborn child later.”

Bernadette was shocked in hearing such an odd request. However, she had no other choice and agreed to his deal. As the two shook hands, the little man disappeared with the wind. It was the very next night that Bernadette and Thomas would become husband and wife.

A full year would pass, Bernadette had almost forgotten about the strange little man and his deal. She would give birth to a beautiful baby boy, and they named him Damian. One peaceful night, Bernadette was rocking him to sleep in his cradle humming a soft lullaby when she saw a familiar figure in the dark corner of the room. She gasped when she recognized the little man from long ago. His hands were outstretched towards the cradle as he approached it.

“I’ve come to collect your side of the deal, my dear.”

Bernadette quickly lifted her son from the cradle, holding him in her arms. “No! I won’t let you take him away!”

The little man grimaced and snarled. “We made a deal, now give me the boy!”

Bernadette still refused, for she loved her son.

The little man grunted in annoyance, crossing his arms. “I’ll tell you what, my dear, I’ll let you keep the boy if you can guess my name in three days’ time.”

Bernadette began to think about every name she had ever heard of. “Is it Michael?”

The little man laughed. “Guess again.”

“Is it Felix?”

“Wrong again.”

“Is it Phineas?” The little man gave another loud laugh before disappearing.

Bernadette began to ask everyone she knew, friends, coworkers, her boss, even her husband, of every single name of which they could think. The next night, she would try

her guesses with the little man, but no luck. She could not get it right. She would spend her days thinking of different names, some that were not so common. The second night, she would try the unusual names, but none of them worked. Only one night remained, Bernadette was getting nowhere. To clear her mind, she went to walk along the woods. As she was walking, she heard what she believed to be music. Following the sound, she saw a little hut. Outside of the hut was a cauldron, filled with boiling water. Coming out of the hut was the little man!

He hummed a song to himself, dancing around the cauldron. “Tonight, tonight, my plans I make, tomorrow, tomorrow, the baby I take. The girl will never win my game, for Rumpelstiltskin is my name!” Hearing his name finally, Bernadette ran home.

The following night, the little man would appear in her room. “Make your best guess, my dear.” The little man laughed, feeling confident he would win. Bernadette would pretend to think.

“Hmm, is it Sean?”

The little man let out a hearty laugh. “Incorrect, two more guesses.”

Bernadette would look to the side, pretending to think some more. “Is it Bradley?”

The little man snickered. “One more try, bet you can’t guess right!” He let out a loud laugh.

Bernadette would then look at him with a confident smile. “Is it…Rumpelstiltskin?”

The smile from his face quickly faded into a shocked frown. “What did you say?”

Bernadette stood up, staring down at the little man. “Is your name Rumpelstiltskin?”

His eye would twitch in anger. “That is correct.”

Bernadette smiled. “Now leave.” Rumpelstiltskin yelled out in rage, stamping his foot into the floor.

“You wretched girl! I never lose at my games!” As his foot stamped through the floor, his foot would break the floorboards, getting it stuck. He would try to pull out his foot, but the floor sucked him inside, causing him to struggle more. Rumpelstiltskin was dragging his nails against the floor, trying to keep himself from being pulled into the floor. With a loud scream, he disappeared into the floor. As if like magic, the boards would float and repair the floor, as if he were never there. Thomas came inside the room, looking at the shocked Bernadette.

“Bernadette, what happened?”

“Don’t worry about it.” Bernadette just looked at her husband with a smile.

Bernadette never spoke of Rumpelstiltskin again.

And they all lived happily ever after.

THE END