Once upon a time, there was a rich hatmaker who loved to tell tall tales. He was so wealthy that nobody minded his fibs. “He’s just joking,” they would say with a laugh. The hatmaker enjoyed going to fancy parties where rich people shared stories.
One lady bragged, “My husband shot a turkey from three kilometers away.” Another man boasted, “My son is so smart; he teaches his teachers.” Yet another lady said, “My cat is so clever; she fetches sticks like a dog.”
The hatmaker wanted to join in, so he told a whopper: “My daughter is so amazing; she can turn hay into gold.” The rich folks nodded and smiled, pretending to believe him.
Suddenly, a loud voice boomed from the back of the room. It was the king! “She can turn hay into gold?” he asked. Everyone bowed as the king approached the hatmaker. “Bring her to me!” he commanded.
The next morning, the hatmaker brought his daughter, Sophie, to the palace. Sophie was confused. “Why am I here?” she asked.
The king explained, “Your father said you can turn hay into gold. I think it’s a lie, and I hate liars. Here’s some hay; turn it into gold by morning, or your father will be in trouble.”
Sophie was left alone, worried about what to do. “I can’t turn hay into gold!” she thought.
Just then, a funny little man appeared. He had curly hair, a black hat, and red shoes. “What do you have for me?” he asked.
“I need to turn this hay into gold,” Sophie said. “I can do it for you,” the little man replied.
He pulled out knitting needles and started knitting the hay into golden clothes. Soon, there was a pile of golden scarves, hats, and socks. “What do you have for me?” he asked.
Sophie offered her diamond necklace. The little man took it, laughed, and disappeared.
The king was amazed the next morning. “How did you do this?” he asked. Sophie’s father proudly said, “I told you she’s amazing!”
The king led Sophie to another room with more hay. “Do it again,” he ordered, locking the door.
Sophie called for the little man, who appeared again. He knitted the hay into golden sweaters and gloves. Sophie gave him a ruby ring, and he vanished.
The king was even more amazed the next day. “You really are amazing!” he said.
The king took Sophie to a room full of hay. “Turn it all into gold,” he said. “No one can help you this time.”
Sophie searched for the little man, but he wasn’t there. She cried and fell asleep. When she woke up, the hay was gone, and there was a pile of gold. The little man was sitting on top.
“Thank you!” Sophie cried. “What do you want?”
“Your first child,” the little man said. Sophie was upset but agreed to the deal.
Years later, Sophie had a baby boy. The little man returned, asking for the child. “Guess my name, and you can keep him,” he said.
Sophie guessed many names: Tim, Jack, Chris, but none were right. On the last day, she went for a walk in the forest and overheard a woman calling, “Rumpelstiltskin!”
That night, the little man returned. Sophie guessed, “Is it Rumpelstiltskin?”
The little man was furious. “How did you know?” he cried. But he had to let Sophie keep her son.
Sophie and her family lived happily ever after. But remember, when people tell big lies, Rumpelstiltskin might be nearby, ready to make a deal!
Gold from Hay Craft: Let’s pretend we are like Sophie and the little man! Gather some yellow yarn or string and create your own “golden” crafts. You can make bracelets, necklaces, or even little hats. Think about how you can turn something simple into something special. Share your creations with your family and tell them the story of how you made your “gold.”
Name Guessing Game: Just like Sophie had to guess the little man’s name, let’s play a name guessing game. Write down the names of your family members or friends on pieces of paper and put them in a hat. Take turns picking a name and giving clues without saying the name. See if others can guess who it is! This will help you think about how names are special and unique.
Tall Tales Time: The hatmaker loved telling tall tales. Can you come up with your own tall tale? Think of something amazing or funny that you would like to share. Maybe your dog can fly, or your cat can sing! Draw a picture of your tall tale and share it with your class or family. Remember, it’s all about using your imagination!
**Rumpelstiltskin**
Once upon a time, there was a rich hatmaker. He told many lies, but he was so wealthy that nobody cared. “He’s just joking,” they all laughed. The rich hatmaker loved to attend dances with other wealthy people. At these dances, the rich would stand around and tell stories to each other.
“My husband shot a turkey from three kilometers away,” said a rich lady.
“My son is so smart; he teaches his teachers,” said a rich man.
“My cat is so clever; she fetches sticks like a dog,” said another rich lady.
The rich hatmaker wanted to join the conversation, so he told his biggest lie yet: “My daughter is so amazing; she can turn hay into gold.” The rich people nodded and smiled, “Oh yes, how wonderful!”
Suddenly, a loud voice came from the back of the room. “She can turn hay into gold?” It was the king. Everybody bowed and gasped as he approached the hatmaker. “Did you say she can turn hay into gold? Oh, what a myth!” stammered the hatmaker. “Bring her to me!” bellowed the king as he stormed out of the room.
“Oh dear,” thought the hatmaker, “what do I do now?”
The next morning, the hatmaker brought his daughter, Sophie, to a small room in the palace. Sophie was very confused. “Why am I here?” she asked.
“Your father is a liar,” explained the king. “Last night, he said that you can turn hay into gold. I think that is a lie, and I hate liars. Here is a bundle of hay; please turn it to gold. It must be done by morning.”
Sophie gasped. “Oh, and one more thing,” said the king. “If you fail, I will feed your father to my crocodiles. I hate liars.”
Everyone left, and Sophie was alone. “Oh dear,” thought Sophie, “what do I do?” Night fell, and Sophie felt angry. “How ridiculous!” she fumed. “I can’t turn hay into gold; it’s impossible!”
Just then, she heard a strange little laugh. “What do you have for me?” A little man appeared in the corner of the room. He was very small, with brown curly hair, a black hat, and red pointy shoes. “I need some help, my dear,” he asked.
“I need to turn this hay into gold,” said Sophie. “That’s ridiculous; it’s not possible!”
“Oh, it is possible. I can do it for you,” said the little man.
“Yes, please help me!” begged Sophie.
The little man pulled two knitting needles out of his pocket and began to knit the hay into clothes. As the hay passed through his needles, it turned into beautiful golden thread. He knitted golden scarves, hats, and socks. Soon, the hay was gone, and there was a pile of golden clothes on the floor.
“And now, what do you have for me?” asked the little man.
“This diamond necklace,” suggested Sophie.
“Perfect,” said the man. “I need the diamond necklace.” Sophie gave him her necklace, and he said, “Teehee,” and disappeared.
The next morning, the king returned to the room. He opened the door and could not believe what he saw. “Is this a trick? How did you do this?” he demanded. Sophie’s father interrupted, “I told you my daughter is amazing; her mother was the same!”
“Store Lorn!” shouted the king. “Sophie, come with me!”
The king led Sophie to another room. Inside were ten piles of hay. “If you did it once, you can do it again,” said the king. “It must be done by morning, and this time I’m locking the door.” Everyone left, and the door was locked. Sophie was alone.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake!” But this time, Sophie knew what to do. She searched the entire room, looking high and low, behind curtains, and on top of shelves. “Little man, little man, are you here?” Just then, she heard a funny little laugh. “Teehee! What do you have for me?” The little man appeared in the corner of the room once again.
He pulled out his knitting needles and started to knit the hay. He made golden sweaters, gloves, and underpants. Soon, the hay was gone, and there was a pile of golden clothes on the floor.
“And now, what do you have for me?”
“This ruby ring,” suggested Sophie.
“Perfect,” said the man. “I need a ruby ring.” Sophie gave him her ring, and he said, “Teeheehee,” and disappeared.
When the king opened the door the next morning, he could not believe what he saw. “How did you do this?” he yelled.
Sophie shrugged. “I taught myself to knit last winter.”
The king led Sophie to yet another room in the palace. This room was completely full of hay from floor to ceiling. “Here are 100 bundles of hay,” said the king, “and there are ten guards outside the door. This time, nobody can help you. I hope you are not lying, dear Sophie,” the king said quietly. “Remember, all liars will be fed to the crocodiles.”
Everyone left, and Sophie was alone with ten guards outside the door. Again, Sophie knew what to do. She searched the entire room, looking high and low, under tables, and in the closet. “Little man, little man, where are you?” But the little man wasn’t there.
Sophie sat down and cried. Soon, she fell into a deep sleep. When she woke up, she couldn’t believe her eyes. Every single piece of hay was gone, and there was a huge pile of gold and clothes on the floor. The little man was sitting on top of the clothes.
“Oh, thank you!” cried Sophie. “I thought it was crocodile food for sure!”
The little man smiled. “And now, what do you have for me?”
“This sapphire bracelet,” said Sophie.
“No, I don’t need a bracelet.”
“These silver earrings,” suggested Sophie.
“No, I don’t wear earrings.”
Sophie grew angry. “I don’t have anything else to give you!” she said.
“Hmm, I know what I want,” said the little man. “Many years from now, give me your first child.”
“What? No!” cried Sophie. “Or I will tell the king you are a liar!”
Sophie had no other choice; she agreed to the little man’s deal.
When the king returned, he was amazed. When he opened the door, there was a huge pile of golden clothes stacked from floor to ceiling. “You really are amazing! You may go, but maybe one day you can teach me how to knit too.”
Sophie agreed and ran out of the palace as fast as she could.
Ten years passed. Sophie grew into a clever and accomplished woman. She married a kind man, and they had a baby boy. One morning, while playing with her son in the garden, she heard that strange little laugh.
“What do you have for me?” The little man stepped out from behind a bush.
“No, you can’t have him!” screamed Sophie, holding the baby close to her chest. She cried and cried.
“We had a deal, my dear,” said the little man. “But I will make you another deal. Guess my name. If you know my name, you can keep your son. You have three days. Is it a deal?”
Sophie cried, “It’s a deal!”
The next night, the little man returned, and Sophie guessed all the common names.
“Is it Tim?”
“No.”
“Is it Jack?”
“No.”
“Is it Chris?”
“No.”
On the second night, she guessed some less common names.
“Is it Balthazar?”
“No.”
“Is it Ferdinand?”
“No.”
“Is it Alphonse?”
“No.”
On the third day, Sophie was panicking. She went for a walk in the forest to clear her head. It was already getting late. “His feet are pointed like a Norwegian,” she thought, “so maybe his name is Bjorn. But his nose is red like an Australian, so maybe his name is Keith. But his hat looks Turkish, so maybe his name is Mustafa.”
Sophie walked deeper and deeper into the forest. She jumped over logs and climbed over rocks, and then turned a corner. She was very surprised to see a small house. A woman was sitting on the porch, knitting baby clothes and singing quietly. On her neck was Sophie’s necklace, and on her finger was Sophie’s ring.
“Rumpelstiltskin!” the woman laughed. “Can you come here?”
Sophie ducked down behind a bush. How lucky! She ran home as fast as she could. That night, the little man came to see Sophie. He seemed very happy.
“It’s time, my dear,” he said. “So do you know my name?”
“Is it rhubarb?”
“No.”
“Is it Roquefort?”
“No.”
“Is it Rumpelstiltskin?”
The little man’s face turned red with anger. He screamed and shouted and stomped his feet. “How did you know my name? How did you know my name?” But then he stopped and cried. He looked up at Sophie. “We would have loved your son very much,” he whispered. The little man wiped his tears away with a yellow handkerchief and disappeared.
After that, Sophie and her family lived happily ever after, just like in the stories. But what happened to the little man? Well, look closely when you hear people telling big lies, because big lies always need a big payment. Rumpelstiltskin will usually be there, under the table or on top of the cupboard, always waiting to make a good deal.
