In the Brothers Grimm tale “Rapunzel,” the imprisoned girl uses her long hair to let the prince climb to her tower.
Rapunzel is held in a tower with no door or staircase by an enchantress commonly called Dame Gothel. The enchantress reaches the tower by calling, “Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your hair.” The prince learns the phrase and uses Rapunzel’s hair in the same way.
The Grimm version differs from some later children’s adaptations. The prince’s visits lead to Rapunzel becoming pregnant, and the enchantress discovers what has happened after Rapunzel innocently remarks that her clothing has become tight. The enchantress cuts Rapunzel’s hair and banishes her to the wilderness.
The prince is later blinded after falling from the tower’s window onto thorns. He eventually finds Rapunzel, whose tears restore his sight. The famous hair motif is therefore part of a larger story involving captivity, deception, separation, and reunion.