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The story of Rumpelstiltskin and its themes have appeared in literature and other forms of art. This page provides a small discussion of some of the better known treatments by authors and other artists.Novels produced by romance publishers are not listed on this page, but can be found on Romance Novels: Fairy Tale Romances at Rumpelstiltskin.

Literature   Poetry   Music   Film   Theatre

Literature: Novels

A Curse Dark as Gold by Elizabeth C. Bunce

Bunce, Elizabeth C. A Curse Dark as Gold. New York: Arthur A. Levine Books, 2008.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover.

NOVEL: From the publisher: "If you'll allow me to demonstrate, I do think I could be of some help to you here."

I smiled tightly. "You'd have to be able to make gold appear from thin air to be much help to us now, I'm afraid."

"Gold, you say?" he said quietly. "Well, not out of the air, maybe, but--" He reached toward Rosie and drew a length of straw free from her hat. From out of a pocket in his jacket appeared an old-fashioned handheld drop spindle, the kind no one uses anymore, and he sent it spinning with a turn of his hand. Slowly, as we watched, he drew out the straw and spun it--spun it!

As if it were a roving of wool! Rosie and I stood there and watched him, moment by moment, as the spindle bobbed and twirled. Something pulled out from the brown straw and through his knobby fingers, and where it should have gone onto the spindle, the finest strands of gleaming gold threads appeared. Round and round the spindle went, and the gleaming of gold turned with it. I don't know how long we watched it, turning and turning, flashing gold with every revolution. I could not take my eyes away."

Possession by A. S. Byatt

Byatt, A. S. Possession. New York: Random House, 1990.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

NOVEL: From the publisher: "A. S. Byatt writes some of the most engaging and skillful novels of our time. Possession, for which Byatt won England's prestigious Booker Prize, was praised by critics on both sides of the Atlantic when it was first published in 1990. The novel traces a pair of young academics—Roland Michell and Maud Bailey—as they uncover a clandestine love affair between two long-dead Victorian poets. Interwoven in a mesmerizing pastiche are love letters and fairytales, extracts from biographies and scholarly accounts, creating a sensuous and utterly delightful novel of ideas and passions."

Sleeping in Flame by Jonathan CarrollSleeping in Flame by Jonathan Carroll

Carroll, Jonathan. Sleeping in Flame. New York: Doubleday, 1989.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in ebook or hardcover or paperback.

NOVEL: This is an interesting rendition of the Rumpelstiltskin tale. Synopsis from Amazon.com: Walker Easterling, an actor confused about his orphan past, falls passionately in love with a beautiful supermodel. When they establish their lives together in Vienna, a series of bizarre events reveals that Walker has led many past lives. An unresolved conflict may lead to the death of their unborn child.

The Riddle of the Gnome by P. W. Catanese

Catanese, P. W. The Riddle of the Gnome. New York: Aladdin, 2007.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in paperback.

NOVEL: Rumpelstiltskin retelling for middle readers.

Catanese writes a series of books featuring the further adventures of well-known fairy tale characters.

It's Not about the Straw! by Veronika Martenova Charles (Author), David Parkins (Illustrator)

Charles, Veronika Martenova. It's Not about the Straw! New York: Tundra Books, 2013.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in ebook or paperback.

NOVEL: More first books for fledgling readers that offer the enjoyment of a good story with the thrill of accomplishment that comes from independent reading. Written in short, easy phrases with carefully selected vocabulary and plentiful illustrations, each book helps youngsters achieve success as they have fun.

The series follows three friends who love to share stories. In each book, one is reminded of a well-known story. As one friend starts his story, the others are reminded of versions they know so each volume has three stories within one framework. The stories come from around the world, and Veronika Martenova Charles provides a note at the end of each book to describe the origins.

Cunningham, Elizabeth. How to Spin Gold: A Woman's Tale. Barrytown Limited, 1997.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

NOVEL: From publisher: "Modern transformation of the Rumpelstiltskin fairytale. Written as the autobiography of a mysteriously deformed girl who runs away from her medieval village and becomes the apprentice and successor to "The Wise Woman of the Western Woods," the book blends magical realism and psychological wisdom."

Farjeon, Eleanor. The Silver Curlew. London: Viking, 1953.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover.

NOVEL: Children's book.

Gordon, Frances. Changeling: An Immortal Tale. Headline Book Pub Ltd, 1998.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

NOVEL: Horror.

Katzenbach, John. The Analyst. New York: Ballantine Books, 2002.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

NOVEL: Suspense. From the publisher: "Happy fifty third birthday, Doctor. Welcome to the first day of your death. Dr. Frederick Starks, a New York psychoanalyst, has just received a mysterious, threatening letter. Now he finds himself in the middle of a horrific game designed by a man who calls himself Rumplestiltskin. The rules: in two weeks, Starks must guess his tormentor’s identity. If Starks succeeds, he goes free. If he fails, Rumplestiltskin will destroy, one by one, fifty-two of Dr. Starks’ loved ones—unless the good doctor agrees to kill himself. In a blistering race against time, Starks’ is at the mercy of a psychopath’s devious game of vengeance. He must find a way to stop the madman—before he himself is driven mad. . . ."

Never After by Rebecca Lickiss

Lickiss, Rebecca. Never After. New York: Ace, 2002
Amazon.com: Buy the book in paperback.

NOVEL: A novel featuring elements from many fairy tales, including Sleeping Beauty, Rumpelstiltskin, Frog Prince, and The Princess and the Pea. From publisher: "Take a princess, two bumbling wizards, an enchanted frog, a wicked stepmother, a handsome prince, and you have the most delightfully non-Grimm fairy tale of the year."

Rumpelstiltskin by Ed McBainRumpelstiltskin by Ed McBain

McBain, Ed. Rumpelstiltskin. New York: Penguin, 1981.
 Amazon.com: Buy the book in ebook or hardcover or paperback.

NOVEL: Mystery: Part of McBain's Matthew Hope series.

When Victoria Miller and her backing band, Wheat, broke out with a string of gold records in the sixties, the sultry chanteuse seemed shy of crowds, refusing to perform in public. Years after her last success, Victoria makes her stage debut, but the magic is long gone, and shortly after that, so is she—the victim of a brutal murder. Victoria’s six- year-old daughter, Allison, is missing too, but nobody’s come forward for a ransom. The only clue is a mysterious call—I’ll be stopping by to collect—but who’s collecting, and what? Even if Allison could be found, lawyer Matthew Hope can’t seem to locate Victoria’s missing will with Allison’s guardianship. And when Victoria’s old producer comes forward, claiming Victoria wasn’t quite the natural talent she’d seemed to be, Matthew’s left wondering who gave her the golden touch and why they’d take it back right now. Part of Ed McBain’s masterful Matthew Hope series, Rumpelstiltskin finds the good-hearted lawyer in a plot where everyone’s a suspect, and all debts are paid in full.

Spinners by Donna Jo Napoli

Napoli, Donna Jo. Spinners. New York: Dutton, 1999.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

NOVEL: From Amazon.com: In Spinners, Napoli and coauthor Richard Tchen weave a tale of a young tailor who cripples himself while spinning gold thread on a magic wheel to win his beloved's hand. Spurned for his ugliness, he watches her marry the miller and die giving birth to the child he knows is his own. The girl grows up to become a master spinner, but only when the cruel young king commands her to spin straw into gold do we begin to sense a creeping familiarity. When a deformed man demands her firstborn child as a return for spinning the gold, we are almost sure. But not until the very last, when to save her baby the young mother must guess her unknown father's secret name, do we, like her, know that this is Rumpelstiltskin, of whom we've heard tell long ago. In Napoli's story-spinning hands, however, Rumpelstiltskin is not a spiteful dwarf but a lonely outcast yearning for the love of his grandchild; rather than a hand- wringing victim, the young queen shows herself to be a strong and resourceful survivor given to imaginative solutions.

Rumpelstiltskin Returns by Maggie Pearson

Pearson, Maggie. Rumpelstiltskin Returns. New York: Franklin Watts, 2012.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

NOVEL: A famous fairy tale character makes a surprise appearance to a young school girl. Although Rumpelstiltkin is a reformed character he still ends up causing lots of trouble...Race Ahead with Reading is the perfect introduction to reading chapters with brand new page turning reads in five short bite size chapters, to encourage children to take the driving seat with their reading.

My Unfair Godmother by Janette Rallison

Rallison, Janette. My Unfair Godmother. New York: Walker Childrens, 2011.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in ebook or hardcover or paperback.

NOVEL: Tansy Miller has always felt that her divorced father has never had enough time for her. But mistakenly getting caught on the wrong side of the law wasn' texactly how she wanted to get his attention. Enter Chrysanthemum "Chrissy" Everstar, Tansy's fairy in shining, er, high heels. Chrissy is only a fair godmother, of course, so Tansy's three wishes don't exactly go according to plan. And if bringing Robin Hood to the twenty-first century isn't bad enough for Tansy, being transported back to the Middle Ages to deal with Rumpelstiltskin certainly is. She'll need the help of her blended family, her wits, and especially the cute police chief 's son to stop the gold-spinning story from spinning wildly out of control. Janette Rallison pulls out all the stops in this fresh, fun-filled follow-up to the popular My Fair Godmother.

Straw Into Gold by Gary Schmidt

Schmidt, Gary D. Straw Into Gold. New York: Clarion, 2001.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover.

NOVEL: Book description from jacket: What fills a hand fuller than a skein of gold? By order of the king, two boys, Tousle and Innes, must find the answer to this puzzling riddle within seven days or be killed. A former nursemaid to the queen's child tells the boys that the banished queen may have the answer they seek. Danger presents itself at every turn, for the boys are pursued by the Great Barons, who are secretly plotting against the king. Another pursuer, the greedy King's Grip, reveals a strange story of a little man who once spun straw into gold of incredible beauty for the queen but then disappeared with her firstborn son. Tousle realizes that the man he calls Da is the strange little man and, even more amazing, that he himself may be the lost prince. Or could it be Innes, who although cruelly blinded can hear the music of the dawn? This skillful blend of fantasy and adventure reveals what might have happened before the queen makes her third and last guess and the story of Rumpelstiltskin--as we know it--ends.

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin

Shurtliff, Liesl. Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin. New York: Knopf Books for Young Readers, 2013.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in ebook or hardcover or paperback.

NOVEL: In a magical kingdom where your name is your destiny, 12-year-old Rump is the butt of everyone's joke. But when he finds an old spinning wheel, his luck seems to change. Rump discovers he has a gift for spinning straw into gold. His best friend, Red Riding Hood, warns him that magic is dangerous, and she’s right. With each thread he spins, he weaves himself deeper into a curse. To break the spell, Rump must go on a perilous quest, fighting off pixies, trolls, poison apples, and a wickedly foolish queen. The odds are against him, but with courage and friendship—and a cheeky sense of humor—he just might triumph in the end.

The Crimson Thread: A Retelling of "Rumpelstiltskin" by Suzanne Weyn

Weyn, Suzanne. The Crimson Thread: A Retelling of "Rumpelstiltskin". New York: Simon Pulse, 2008.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in paperback.

NOVEL: From the publisher: A Retelling of Rumpelstiltskin. The year is 1880, and Bertie, having just arrived in New York with her family, is grateful to be given work as a seamstress in the home of textile tycoon J. P. Wellington. When the Wellington family fortune is threatened, Bertie's father boasts that Bertie will save the business, that she is so skillful she can "practically spin straw into gold." Amazingly, in the course of one night, Bertie creates exquisite evening gowns -- with the help of Ray Stalls, a man from her tenement who uses an old spinning wheel to create dresses that are woven with crimson thread and look as though they are spun with real gold. Indebted to Ray, Bertie asks how she can repay him. When Ray asks for her firstborn child, Bertie agrees, never dreaming that he is serious...."

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Literature: Short Stories

Breaking the Magic Spell by Jack Zipes

Brender, Irmela. "Rumpelstiltskin." Jack Zipes, translator. Breaking the Magic Spell: Radical Theories of Folk and Fairy Tales. Jack Zipes, ed. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 1979.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in paperback.

SHORT STORY

Silver Birch, Blood Moon

Briggs, Patricia. "The Price." Silver Birch, Blood Moon. Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, eds. New York: Avon, 1999.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in paperback.

SHORT STORY

Teller of Tales by William J. Brooke

Brooke, William. "Rumpelstiltskin By Any Other Name." Teller of Tales. New York: Harper Collins, 1994.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

SHORT STORY

Black Heart, Ivory Bones edited by Datlow and Windling

de Lint, Charles. "My Life as a Bird." Black Heart, Ivory Bones. Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, eds. New York: Avon, 2000.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in paperback.

SHORT STORY

Kissing the Witch by Emma Donoghue

Donoghue, Emma. "The Tale of the Spinster." Kissing the Witch: Old Tales in New Skins. New York: Harper Collins, 1997.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

SHORT STORY

Rumpelstiltskin and Other Grimm Tales by Carol Ann Duffy Collected Grimm Tales by Carol Ann Duffy

Duffy, Carol Ann. "Rumpelstiltskin." Rumpelstiltskin and Other Grimm Tales. London: Faber and Faber, 1999.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in paperback.
Amazon.co.uk: Buy the book in paperback.

Also available in:
Duffy, Carol Ann. "Rumpelstiltskin." Collected Grimm Tales. Dramatization by Tim Supple. London: Faber and Faber, 2003.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in paperback.
Amazon.co.uk: Buy the book in paperback.

Duffy, Carol Ann. "Rumpelstiltskin." More Grimm Tales. Dramatization by Tim Supple. London: Faber and Faber, 1997.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in paperback.
Amazon.co.uk: Buy the book in paperback.

SHORT STORY

Truly Grim Tales by Priscilla Galloway

Galloway, Priscilla. "The Name." Truly Grim Tales. New York: Delacorte, 1995.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in paperback.

SHORT STORY

Politically Correct Bedtime Stories: Modern Tales for Our Life and Times by James Finn Garner

Garner, James Finn. "Rumpelstiltskin." Politically Correct Bedtime Stories: Modern Tales for Our Life and Times. New York: Hungry Minds Inc, 1994.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover.

SHORT STORY

Fractured Fairy Tales by A. J. Jacobs

Jacobs, A. J. "Rumpelstiltskin." Fractured Fairy Tales. New York: Bantam, 1997.
 Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

SHORT STORY

Jacobs, A. J. "Son of Rumpelstiltskin." Fractured Fairy Tales. New York: Bantam, 1997.
 Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

SHORT STORY

Rubly Slippers, Golden Tears

Kilworth, Garry. "Masterpiece." Ruby Slippers, Golden Tears. Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, eds. New York: Avon, 1996.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

SHORT STORY

Black Thorn, White Rose edited by Datlow and Windling

Kress, Nancy. "Words Like Pale Stones." Black Thorn, White Rose. Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, eds. New York: Avon, 1995.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

SHORT STORY

Kunzler, Rosemarie. "Rumpelstiltskin." Jack Zipes, translator. Breaking the Magic Spell: Radical Theories of Folk and Fairy Tales. Jack Zipes, ed. Austin, TX: University of Texas Press, 1979.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in paperback.

SHORT STORY

Leaping Beauty by Gregory Maguire

Maguire, Gregory. "Rumplesnakeskin." Leaping Beauty: And Other Animal Fairy Tales. New York: HarperCollins, 2004.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover.

SHORT STORY

Goldilocks on Management: 27 Revisionist Fairy Tales for Serious Managers

Mayer, Gloria Gilbert and Thomas Mayer. "Rumpelstiltskin." Goldilocks on Management: 27 Revisionist Fairy Tales for Serious Managers. New York: American Management Association, 1999.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover.

SHORT STORY

Silver Birch, Blood Moon

McKinley, Robin. "Marsh-Magic." Silver Birch, Blood Moon. Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, eds. New York: Avon, 1999.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in paperback.

SHORT STORY

Twice Upon A Time edited by Denise Little

Miller, P. Andrew. "One Fairy Tale, Hard-Boiled." Twice Upon A Time. Denise Little, ed. New York: DAW Books, 1999.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in paperback.

SHORT STORY

Nye, Jody Lynn. "Spinning A Yarn." Twice Upon A Time. Denise Little, ed. New York: DAW Books, 1999.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in paperback.

SHORT STORY

Black Swan, White Raven

Oates, Joyce Carol. "In the Insomniac Night." Black Swan, White Raven . Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, eds. New York: Avon, 1997.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

SHORT STORY

Newfangled Fairy Tales #2 edited by Bruce Lansky

Sanford, Jason. "Rumpelstiltskin, Private Eye."Newfangled Fairy Tales: Book #2. Bruce Lansky, ed. New York: Meadowbrook Press, 1998.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in paperback.

SHORT STORY

The Rumpelstiltskin Problem by Vivian Vande VeldeThe Rumpelstiltskin Problem by Vivian Vande Velde

Velde, Vivian Vande. The Rumpelstiltskin Problem. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 2000.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

SHORT STORY ANTHOLOGY: This book contains six tales, all based on the Rumpelstiltskin tale. The tales include: "A Fairy Tale in Bad Taste," "Straw Into Gold," "The Domovoi," "Papa Rumpelstiltskin," "Mrs. Rumpelstiltskin," and "As Good As Gold."

Tales From the Brothers Grimm and Sisters Weird by Vivian Vande Velde

Vande Velde, Vivian. "Straw Into Gold."Tales From the Brothers Grimm and the Sisters Weird. San Diego, CA: Harcourt Brace, 1995.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

SHORT STORY

Little Red Riding Hood in the Big Bad City

Wilson, David Niall. "If You Only Knew My Name." Little Red Riding Hood in the Big Bad City. Martin H. Greenberg and John Helfers, eds. New York: DAW, 2004.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in paperback.

SHORT STORY

Yolen, Jane. "Granny Rumple." Black Thorn, White Rose. Ellen Datlow and Terri Windling, eds. New York: Avon, 1995.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

SHORT STORY

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Poetry

Bennett, Bruce. "Straw Into Gold." The Poets' Grimm: 20th Century Poems from Grimm Fairy Tales. Jeanne Marie Beaumont and Claudia Carlson, editors. Ashland, OR: Story Line Press, 2003. p. 78.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in paperback.

Beginning with O by Olga Broumas

Broumas, Olga. "Rumpelstiltskin." Beginning with O. New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 1977.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

Carlson, Claudia. "Rumplestiltskin Keeps Mum." The Poets' Grimm: 20th Century Poems from Grimm Fairy Tales. Jeanne Marie Beaumont and Claudia Carlson, editors. Ashland, OR: Story Line Press, 2003. p. 125.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in paperback.

Carryl, Guy Wetmore. "How Rumplestilz Held Out in Vain for a Bonus." Grimm Tales Made Gay. Boston: Houghton, Mifflin & Co., 1902.

Read the poem on this site at How Rumplestilz Held Out in Vain for a Bonus.

Hathaway, William. "Liar Rumplestiltskin Loves." Disenchantments: An Anthology of Modern Fairy Tale Poetry. Wolfgang Mieder, ed. Hanover, NH: University Press of New England, 1985.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

This poem and the others by Hathaway below originally appeared in:
Hathaway, William. "Liar Rumplestiltskin Loves." A Wilderness of Monkeys. Ithaca House, 1975.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover.

Hathaway, William. "Rumplestiltskin's Plan." Disenchantments: An Anthology of Modern Fairy Tale Poetry. Wolfgang Mieder, ed. Hanover, NH: University Press of New England, 1985.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

Hathaway, William. "Antistrophe."Disenchantments: An Anthology of Modern Fairy Tale Poetry. Wolfgang Mieder, ed. Hanover, NH: University Press of New England, 1985.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

Hathaway, William. "The Gold Factory."Disenchantments: An Anthology of Modern Fairy Tale Poetry. Wolfgang Mieder, ed. Hanover, NH: University Press of New England, 1985.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

Hathaway, William. "In Dead Air, Under Furious Sun."Disenchantments: An Anthology of Modern Fairy Tale Poetry. Wolfgang Mieder, ed. Hanover, NH: University Press of New England, 1985.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

Story Hour by Sara Henderson Hay

Hay, Sara Henderson. "The Name." Story Hour. Fayetteville, AS: University of Arkansas Press, 1998.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

Hay, Sara Henderson. "The Worrier."Story Hour. Fayetteville, AS: University of Arkansas Press, 1998.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

This poem is really about King Midas, but it is closely related to Rumpelstiltskin in its message.

Dreaming Frankenstein and Collected Poems by Liz Lochhead

Lochhead, Liz. "Rapunzstiltskin." Dreaming Frankenstein and Collected Poems. London: Polygon Books, 1984.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

This poem originally appeared in:

Lochhead, Liz. The Grimm Sisters. London: Next Editions (In Association with Faber & Faber), 1981.

Maxwell, Glyn. "Rumpelstiltskin."The Atlantic Monthly. January 1992. Volume 269, No. 1; page 89.

Read this poem on The Atlantic Monthly's website at Rumpelstiltskin.

Nolan, James. "Poem About Straw." The Poets' Grimm: 20th Century Poems from Grimm Fairy Tales. Jeanne Marie Beaumont and Claudia Carlson, editors. Ashland, OR: Story Line Press, 2003. p. 252.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in paperback.

Pastan, Linda. "This Enchanted Forest: Rumpelstiltskin." Carnival Evening: New and Selected Poems, 1968-1998. New York: W.W. Norton & Co., 1998.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in paperback.

Return to Magic by Clive Sansom

Sansom, Clive. "Pelstilt?" Return to Magic. London: Leslie Frewin, 1969.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover.

Sansom, Clive. "Sorcerer." Return to Magic. London: Leslie Frewin, 1969.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover.

Transformations by Anne Sexton

Sexton, Anne. "Rumpelstiltskin." Transformations. Houghton Mifflin Co., 1979.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

This poem is available online through Plagiarist.com at Rumpelstiltskin by Anne Sexton.

Story Hour by Sara Henderson Hay

Strauss, Gwen. "Her Shadow." Trail of Stones. New York: Alfred A. Knopf, 1990.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

Also available in:
Strauss, Gwen. "Her Shadow." The Poets' Grimm: 20th Century Poems from Grimm Fairy Tales. Jeanne Marie Beaumont and Claudia Carlson, editors. Ashland, OR: Story Line Press, 2003. p. 79.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in paperback.

Sad Underwear and Other Complications : More Poems fo Children and Their Parents by Judith Viorst

Viorst, Judith. "...And When the Queen Spoke Rumpelstiltskin's Name, He Became So Enraged That He Tore Himself in Two." Sad Underwear and Other Complications: More Poems for Children and Their Parents. New York: Atheneum, 1995.
Amazon.com: Buy the book in hardcover or paperback.

Webb, Charles. "Rumpelstiltskin Convention." Real Things: An Anthology of Popular Culture in American Poetry. Jim Elledge, editor. Bloomington: Indiana University Press, 1999.

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Music

Also see Rumpelstiltskin on the Folklore and Fairy Tale Music page.

I have listed primarily classical compositions of music using the themes of this fairy tale in either ballet, opera or some other musical style. I have also provided links to popular recordings of the music when available at Amazon.com. The advantage to these links is that you can listen to samples of the music at no charge.

"Rumpelstiltskin" by David Sanborn from the album Songs from the Night Before (1996) Elektra/Asylum
iTunes Store Button Download the song.

"Rumpelstiltskin" by Andy Summers from the album The Last Dance of Mr. X (1997)
Amazon.com: Buy the CD or Download the song.
iTunes Store Button Download the song.

"Rumpelstiltskin" by Brian Dewan from the album The Operating Theater (2000)
iTunes Store Button Download the song.

"Rumpelstiltskin" by Girl Next Door from the album Transition (2000)
iTunes Store Button Download the song.

"Rumpelstiltskin" by Jupiter Coyote from the album Waxing Moon (2001)
Amazon.com: Buy the CD or Download the song.
iTunes Store Button Download the song.

"Rumpelstiltskin" by Mary Lafleur from the album More Pink Elephants: Fairy Tale Songs and Poetry (2006)
iTunes Store Button Download the song.

"Rumpelstiltskin" by John Otway from the album The Ultimate & Penultimate (2007)
Amazon.com: Download the song.
iTunes Store Button Download the song.

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Film

To learn more about these films, please visit the
Internet Movie Database.

Rumpelstiltskin (1915). Raymond B. West, director.

Cast:
Kenneth Browne .... Prince Cole
Betty Burbridge .... Polly
George Fisher .... Captain Pilkin
Louis Morrison .... King Cole
J. Barney Sherry .... Jim Crow
Margaret Thompson .... Good Fairy
Clyde Tracy .... Rumpelstiltskin

A silent film. "The Grimms' tale itself has been somewhat altered for this film; strangely, the best-remembered detail (the heroine must guess Rumpelstiltskin's bizarre name in order to save herself) is eliminated, while other fairy tale characters such as Simple Simon and King Cole are thrown into the mix, but over all the atmosphere feels right." (IMDB.com)

Rumpelstilzchen (1955). Herbert B. Fredersdorf, director.

Cast:
Werner Krüger .... Rumpelstilzchen
Liane Croon .... Müllerstochter Marie

Rocky and Bullwinkle Season 1 featuring Fractured Fairy Tales

Fractured Fairy Tales: Rumpelstilskin (1959-60) (TV). In Rocky and Bullwinkle. Jay Ward Productions.
Buy the collection on DVD.

ANIMATION SHORT: The Fractured Fairy Tales segment became a popular part of the first season of the Rocky and Bullwinkle Show (known under various names through the years) that premiered in the fall of 1959. They have remained in syndication ever since. Rumpelstilskin originally aired in Episode 8 of Season 1.

Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale TheatreFaerie Tale Theatre: RumpelstiltskinFaerie Tale Theatre: Rumpelstiltskin

Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre: Rumpelstiltskin (1982) (TV). Emile Ardolino, director.
Amazon.com: Buy the series on DVD.

Cast:
Herve Villechaize ... Rumplestiltskin
Ned Beatty ... The King
Shelley Duvall ... Miller's Daughter
Paul Dooley ... Miller
Jack Fletcher ... Wizard

This television series originally aired on Showtime for six seasons and a total of 27 episodes. To see a full episode list, go to Shelley Duvall's Faerie Tale Theatre.

Storybook International DVD Set

"The Widow's Lazy Daughter." Part of the Storybook International series. 1985.
Amazon.com: Buy the movie on DVD.

LIVE ACTION: In this tale reminiscent of Rumpelstiltskin, lazy Bridget must accomplish three difficult tasks to placate her future mother-in-law. Three strange old women arrive and offer their assistance, asking only to be invited to the wedding. Will Bridget's secret be discovered?

Cannon Movie Tales: RumpelstiltskinCannon Movie Tales: Rumpelstiltskin

Cannon Movie Tales: Rumpelstiltskin (1987). David Irving, director.
Amazon.com: Buy it on DVD or VHS.

Cast:
Billy Barty .... Rumpelstiltskin
Joseph Bee .... Farmer
Ya'ackov Ben-Sira .... Guard (as Yaacov Ben-Sira)
Susan Berlin .... Clerk's Wife
Igor Borisov .... Cook
Julian Chagrin .... Blacksmith
Yehuda Efroni .... Count Flax
Johnathan Gurfinkel .... Clerk's Child
Jerry Hyman .... Advisor
Amy Irving .... Katie
Austin Irving .... Clerk's Child
Samini Koresh .... Midget Driver
Jack Messinger .... Alf
John Moulder-Brown .... Prince Henry
Yael Neeman .... Clerk's Child
Johnny Phillips .... Ralph
Priscilla Pointer .... Queen Grizelda
Clive Revill .... King Mezzer

Filmed in Israel, this was a family affair: writer-director Irving is Amy's brother, and Pointer (who plays the Queen) is her mother. For the record, this was the first of Cannon Films' fairy-tale features.

From Sony Pictures: "Happily ever after has never been so golden! Amy Irving (Tuck Everlasting) stars as a miller's daughter who must learn magic from a troll to perform a miracle in this dazzling musical adaptation of the beloved Brothers Grimm fairy tale. Billy Barty (Willow), the "dean of the screen's little people" (Los Angeles Times), co-stars as the mischievous troll whose name is the kingdom's best-kept secret! After Katie's (Irving) father boasts to the king that she can turn grain into gold, she finds herself thrown in a dungeon with orders to spin straw into gold…or else! A crafty troll (Barty) agrees to help her perform the seemingly impossible feat – and land the king's handsome son – but his assistance comes at a price. Unless she can figure out his unusual name, she must hand over her firstborn child!"

To see a full list of Cannon Movie Tales, go to Cannon Movie Tales.

Muppet Classic Theater

"Rumpelstiltskin" in Muppet Classic Theater (1994). Jim Henson Studios.
Buy the movie on VHS.

The six stories included are "The Three Little Pigs," "King Midas," "Rumplestiltskin," "The Boy Who Cried Wolf," "The Elves & The Shoemaker," and "The Emperor's New Clothes."

Rumpelstiltskin (1996). Mark Jones, director.
Buy the movie on VHS. or Buy the movie on DVD.

Cast:
Kim Johnston Ulrich .... Shelley Stewart
Tommy Blaze .... Max Bergman
Allyce Beasley .... Hildy
Max Grodénchik .... Rumpelstiltskin
Vera Lockwood .... Matilda

This is a horror movie, critically and popularly panned, with Rumpelstiltskin plot elements incorporated into the story. It is not recommended for children. It's not recommended for anyone!

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Theatre

Duffy, Carol Ann. "Rumpelstiltskin." Collected Grimm Tales. Dramatization by Tim Supple. London: Faber and Faber, 2003.
Buy the book in paperback at Amazon.com. or
Buy the book in paperback at Amazon.co.uk.

Also available in:
Duffy, Carol Ann. "Rumpelstiltskin." More Grimm Tales. Dramatization by Tim Supple. London: Faber and Faber, 1997.
Buy the book in paperback at Amazon.com. or
Buy the book in paperback at Amazon.co.uk.

SHORT PLAY

Johanson, Robert and Albert Evans. Rumpelstiltskin. Book, lyrics and music by Robert Johanson and Albert Evans. Woodstock, IL: Dramatic Publishing Company of Chicago.
Read more about the play on the Dramatic Publishing website.

MUSICAL: The kingdom of Wipple is in big trouble. Inflation has destroyed the economy—there's no more gold! An ambitious miller claims that his "miraculous" daughter can actually weave straw into gold, which she is ordered to do immediately on pain of death. She is saved from this cruel fate by the mysterious arrival of a funny little man who actually can perform this miracle, but for a high price. He demands her first-born child. This delightful story based on the Grimm Brothers' fairy tale and the English "Tom Tit Tot" tells how the miller's daughter saves herself from this devilish bargain by discovering the little man's unusual name. She is helped in her quest by zany members of the court, as well as the audience itself. There are charming songs, lots of laughs and a happy ending that includes the little man's redemption by allowing him to remain on as godfather to the new "Prince Charming."

Kidd, Virginia. Happily Ever Once Upon. New York: Samuel French.

FULL-LENGTH PLAY: Parody. After twenty years of marriage, Cinderella and Prince Charming have some problems: the Enchanted Kingdom teeters on the brink of bankruptcy. Cinderella's fairy godmother is blackmailing her, the Prince's adviser has one arm and one swan's wing and an unfortunate habit of breaking everything he encounters, and Red Riding Hood has set her cap for the Prince. Though hoping Rumplestilskin can spin gold from straw, the Prince fears he may have to make the Enchanted Kingdom a tourist attraction. Cinderella resolves their difficulties by confronting her godmother and opening the Kingdom to writers who promise them royalties from their stories.

Larson, Peter and Edna Kuder. Rumpelstiltskin. Music and Lyrics by Peter Larson. Book by Peter Larson and Edna Kuder. New York: Samuel French.

MUSICAL: Children's musical. This humorous and enchanting musical brings the classic story to life with delightful songs, dancing, clever dialogue, and even some audience participation.

Montley, Patricia. "Bumble Stiltskin and the Baby Business." Not So Grim Fairy Tales. New York: Samuel French.

SHORT PLAY: Satire. Five scenes present unusual variations on familiar tales. In "Little Red and the Big Bad She Wolf," Red is invited by Mae Wolf to quit Harvard Business School and get a start in the service-selling business—despite Granny's opposition (she is Mae's senior partner). In "Bumble Stiltskin and the Baby Business," Rumpel's put-upon wife implores the Queen to keep her royal baby and offers to set up a Day Care Center if she gets government support. Also included are "Snow White and the Anti-Freeze," "Jack and the Marijuana Stalk," and "Cinderella."

Robbins, Norman. Rumpelstiltzkin. New York: Samuel French.

FULL-LENGTH PLAY: Pantomine. In this adaptation of the Grimms' story, children are discovered playing 'Ladder-words', changing one world to another, a letter at a time, retaining an actual word during each change. Grettle says she can change 'flax' into 'gold'. Unfortunately, the King, whose gold has been mysteriously disappearing, hears this and mistakes it for an actual boast. He orders Grettle to work the change, or she will lose her head, despite the Prince's protests who's in love with her. She's shut in the Tower to perform her task, and Rumpelstiltzkin, the gnome, offers to help her—at a price. The play then follows the gnome's defeat by the guessing of his secret name and, despite other complications from the wicked Baron and his henchmen, all ends happily.

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Rumpelstiltskin illustrated by Paul Zelinsky

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The Whuppity Stoorie by John W. Stewig
 
©Heidi Anne Heiner, SurLaLune Fairy Tales
E-mail: heidi@surlalunefairytales.com
Page created 1/1999; Last updated 8/2/2013
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