There were once a man and a woman who had long in vain wished for achild. At length the woman hoped that God was about to grant herdesire. These people had a little window at the back of theirhouse from which a splendid garden could be seen, which was fullof the most beautiful flowers and herbs. It was, however, surroundedby a high wall, and no one dared to go into it because it belonged toan enchantress, who had great power and was dreaded by all the world.One day the woman was standing by this window and looking down into thegarden, when she saw a bed which was planted with the most beautifulrampion (rapunzel), and it looked so fresh and green that she longed forit, she quite pined away, and began to look pale and miserable.
Thenher husband was alarmed, and asked: «What ails you, dear wife?» «Ah,’she replied, «if I can’t eat some of the rampion, which is in thegarden behind our house, I shall die.» The man, who loved her, thought:«Sooner than let your wife die, bring her some of the rampionyourself, let it cost what it will.» At twilight, he clambered downover the wall into the garden of the enchantress, hastily clutched ahandful of rampion, and took it to his wife. She at once made herselfa salad of it, and ate it greedily.
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