The Selected Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm: "Rumpelstiltskin" by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

In return for help in spinning straw into gold, a miller's daughter must give her firstborn child to a dwarf, unless she can guess his name. Read the full text here. Translated by Edgar Taylor and Marian Edwardes.
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Full list of words from this list:

words only definitions & notes
  1. mill
    machinery that processes materials by grinding or crushing
    By the side of a wood, in a country a long way off, ran a fine stream of water; and upon the stream there stood a mill.
  2. shrewd
    marked by practical hardheaded intelligence
    She was, moreover, very shrewd and clever; and the miller was so proud of her, that he one day told the king of the land, who used to come and hunt in the wood, that his daughter could spin gold out of straw.
  3. boast
    a statement expressing pride or self-regard
    Now this king was very fond of money; and when he heard the miller’s boast his greediness was raised, and he sent for the girl to be brought before him.
  4. in vain
    without a successful result or effect
    It was in vain that the poor maiden said that it was only a silly boast of her father, for that she could do no such thing as spin straw into gold: the chamber door was locked, and she was left alone.
  5. fate
    your overall circumstances or condition in life
    She sat down in one corner of the room, and began to bewail her hard fate; when on a sudden the door opened, and a droll-looking little man hobbled in, and said, ‘Good morrow to you, my good lass; what are you weeping for?’
  6. droll
    comical in an odd or whimsical manner
    She sat down in one corner of the room, and began to bewail her hard fate; when on a sudden the door opened, and a droll-looking little man hobbled in, and said, ‘Good morrow to you, my good lass; what are you weeping for?’
  7. hobble
    walk unevenly due to pain, injury, or weakness
    She sat down in one corner of the room, and began to bewail her hard fate; when on a sudden the door opened, and a droll-looking little man hobbled in, and said, ‘Good morrow to you, my good lass; what are you weeping for?’
  8. reel
    wind onto or off a revolving spool
    ‘Round about, round about,
    Lo and behold!
    Reel away, reel away,
    Straw into gold!’
  9. grieve
    feel intense sorrow, especially due to a loss
    Then she grieved sorely at her misfortune, and said she would give him all the wealth of the kingdom if he would let her off, but in vain; till at last her tears softened him, and he said, ‘I will give you three days’ grace, and if during that time you tell me my name, you shall keep your child.’
  10. misfortune
    a state resulting from unfavorable outcomes
    Then she grieved sorely at her misfortune, and said she would give him all the wealth of the kingdom if he would let her off, but in vain; till at last her tears softened him, and he said, ‘I will give you three days’ grace, and if during that time you tell me my name, you shall keep your child.’
  11. bandy
    curved outward at the knees
    The second day she began with all the comical names she could hear of, BANDY-LEGS, HUNCHBACK, CROOK-SHANKS, and so on; but the little gentleman still said to every one of them, ‘Madam, that is not my name.’
  12. shank
    the part of the human leg between the knee and the ankle
    The second day she began with all the comical names she could hear of, BANDY-LEGS, HUNCHBACK, CROOK- SHANKS, and so on; but the little gentleman still said to every one of them, ‘Madam, that is not my name.’
  13. sly
    marked by skill in deception
    ‘Can your name be RUMPELSTILTSKIN?’ said the lady slyly.
  14. crow
    express pleasure verbally
    Then he made the best of his way off, while the nurse laughed and the baby crowed; and all the court jeered at him for having had so much trouble for nothing, and said, ‘We wish you a very good morning, and a merry feast, Mr RUMPLESTILTSKIN!’
  15. jeer
    laugh at with contempt and derision
    Then he made the best of his way off, while the nurse laughed and the baby crowed; and all the court jeered at him for having had so much trouble for nothing, and said, ‘We wish you a very good morning, and a merry feast, Mr RUMPLESTILTSKIN!’
Created on Wed Nov 01 12:42:32 EDT 2023 (updated Thu Nov 02 12:09:12 EDT 2023)

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