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Rumpelstiltskin
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Rumpelstiltskin

fairy tale
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Article History

Rumpelstiltskin, German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm for their Grimm’s Fairy Tales (1812–22). Other variations occur in European folklore; in some British versions the title character is named Terrytop, Tom Tit Tot, or Whuppity Stoorie.

The title character is a mysterious gnomelike man who spins straw into gold for the benefit of a beautiful miller’s daughter, in exchange for her future firstborn child. The little man reappears to demand his payment when the young woman, now the queen, bears her first child. After she begs him to release her from her thoughtless vow, he allows her three days in which to discover his name. If she cannot, he will take the child. All seems lost until someone overhears his premature celebration of his good fortune and gives the queen the information she needs to keep her child.

This article was most recently revised and updated by Kathleen Kuiper.