In a land not so far away, there once lived a moderately successful man who owned a couple of mills. One mill ground wheat into flour; the other corn into meal. This man's wife had died, leaving him with a daughter. The Miller's daughter grew into a beautiful young. By this time, the man had become dissatisfied with his state in life, in spite of his success. He yearned for a higher place in society and so he was determined to establish a friendship with the region's leading politician. Knowing the man's taste in women, the miller saw his daughter as a way into the politician's circle.
So when the miller finally was introduced to the politician at a fundraiser, he made sure to bring his daughter into the conversation.
'She sounds delightful,' said the politician. 'I might have a place for her on my staff. Tell me, what experience does she have?'
This was the miller's big chance and he didn't want to blow it with some run of the mill talent, so he lied. 'My daughter can turn paper into gold,' he boasted in a stage whisper.
'She what?'
'My daughter can turn paper into gold.'
'How does she do that?'
'That's a family secret, but if you need proof put her to the test. You won't be disappointed and then perhaps we can discuss the property next to mine where I want to expand my mills.'
'Fine. Fine. Bring her to my home tomorrow and we'll see that she can do.'
'You told him what? Father! How could you tell such a preposterous lie? What did you hope to gain from this? You know I can't--'
'I know no such thing, and neither do you. Have you ever tried to turn paper into gold?'
'You know I haven't.'
'Well, there you are then. We can't say you can't when you've never tried. I'm sure it isn't that difficult if you put your mind to it. Now, hurry and get dressed. I want you to look your best today when you meet him. He'll be s dazzled by your beauty, he'll forget why we're there.'
'Good morning, miller. This must be your daughter. Come this way. I've prepared a room for her to work her magic.'
The three of them walked down a hall and then down a flight of stairs, down another hall, and then the politician opened a door and gestured for them to enter.
'Such a large room,' the miller commented as he gazed gobsmacked around the space.
'It's filled with stacks and stacks of paper.'
'Not just paper, my dear, these are stacks and bundles of dollar bills. All of my campaign contributions and such. You'll find a stool over there in the corner. Will you need anything else?'
'Sir, I don't know what my father--'
'The stool to sit down is all my daughter requires. Perhaps we should go somewhere we can chat privately so she can get to work.'
'Of course. We'll leave you to it then. You should have everything you need. I'll check back with you in the morning.'
'In the morning? You mean you're leaving me in this dungeon overnight?'
'I assumed changing this much paper into gold would take that long. If you finish early you can press this button and one of my maids will come to get you.'
With that, the two men left, closing and locking the door behind them.
The miller's daughter plopped down on the stool and began to cry. Suddenly, she heard something rustling from the opposite side of the chamber and a funny-looking little man emerged out a one of the larger piles of paper.
'How can anyone get any sleep with you making all that noise?'
'I have a better question, little man, how is anyone supposed to change all these paper dollars into gold by tomorrow morning when she hasn't a clue how?'
'Change paper dollars into gold?'
'That's right. Can you believe my father told this man I can do that AND he believed it? God, it might as well be straw!'
'You can you know.'
'No, I don't know. That's why I was crying.'
'Easy as pie.'
'I don't know how to bake either.'
'All right. Easy as blowing your nose. Here, take my handkerchief.'
The young woman blew her nose and put the kerchief in her pocket. 'I'll want that back after it's been laundered.'
'Of course. Now tell me how I can change dollars into gold. We need to get busy here.'
"You are the eager lass, aren't you?' She glared at him. 'Okay. What you need to do to get started is--' Want to know Rumpelstiltskin's secret? Click Here
So when the miller finally was introduced to the politician at a fundraiser, he made sure to bring his daughter into the conversation.
'She sounds delightful,' said the politician. 'I might have a place for her on my staff. Tell me, what experience does she have?'
This was the miller's big chance and he didn't want to blow it with some run of the mill talent, so he lied. 'My daughter can turn paper into gold,' he boasted in a stage whisper.
'She what?'
'My daughter can turn paper into gold.'
'How does she do that?'
'That's a family secret, but if you need proof put her to the test. You won't be disappointed and then perhaps we can discuss the property next to mine where I want to expand my mills.'
'Fine. Fine. Bring her to my home tomorrow and we'll see that she can do.'
'You told him what? Father! How could you tell such a preposterous lie? What did you hope to gain from this? You know I can't--'
'I know no such thing, and neither do you. Have you ever tried to turn paper into gold?'
'You know I haven't.'
'Well, there you are then. We can't say you can't when you've never tried. I'm sure it isn't that difficult if you put your mind to it. Now, hurry and get dressed. I want you to look your best today when you meet him. He'll be s dazzled by your beauty, he'll forget why we're there.'
'Good morning, miller. This must be your daughter. Come this way. I've prepared a room for her to work her magic.'
The three of them walked down a hall and then down a flight of stairs, down another hall, and then the politician opened a door and gestured for them to enter.
'Such a large room,' the miller commented as he gazed gobsmacked around the space.
'It's filled with stacks and stacks of paper.'
'Not just paper, my dear, these are stacks and bundles of dollar bills. All of my campaign contributions and such. You'll find a stool over there in the corner. Will you need anything else?'
'Sir, I don't know what my father--'
'The stool to sit down is all my daughter requires. Perhaps we should go somewhere we can chat privately so she can get to work.'
'Of course. We'll leave you to it then. You should have everything you need. I'll check back with you in the morning.'
'In the morning? You mean you're leaving me in this dungeon overnight?'
'I assumed changing this much paper into gold would take that long. If you finish early you can press this button and one of my maids will come to get you.'
With that, the two men left, closing and locking the door behind them.
The miller's daughter plopped down on the stool and began to cry. Suddenly, she heard something rustling from the opposite side of the chamber and a funny-looking little man emerged out a one of the larger piles of paper.
'How can anyone get any sleep with you making all that noise?'
'I have a better question, little man, how is anyone supposed to change all these paper dollars into gold by tomorrow morning when she hasn't a clue how?'
'Change paper dollars into gold?'
'That's right. Can you believe my father told this man I can do that AND he believed it? God, it might as well be straw!'
'You can you know.'
'No, I don't know. That's why I was crying.'
'Easy as pie.'
'I don't know how to bake either.'
'All right. Easy as blowing your nose. Here, take my handkerchief.'
The young woman blew her nose and put the kerchief in her pocket. 'I'll want that back after it's been laundered.'
'Of course. Now tell me how I can change dollars into gold. We need to get busy here.'
"You are the eager lass, aren't you?' She glared at him. 'Okay. What you need to do to get started is--' Want to know Rumpelstiltskin's secret? Click Here
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