A few years passed.
One morning Rapunzel was in her room.
She was writing a letter.
Dear Mama and Papa,
The witch is mean, but I am fine.
I like to help in the garden.
I like to mix potions for her too.
The witch says magic words over the potions.
But she will not teach me magic.
Ha! Maybe she's afraid I'll put a spell on her!
Every week we go to the market to sell potions.
Sometimes the king's servant visits us.
He comes for hair potion.
The king does not want to go bald!
I will be 13 soon.
The witch thinks I forgot about you.
But I never will!
Love, Rapunzel
Rapunzel sighed.
She wrote to her parents every week.
But there was no way to send the letters.
So she just ripped them up.
Once the witch saw Rapunzel writing a letter.
She snatched it away from her.
Then she locked Rapunzel in her room for a week.
Rapunzel ripped up the newest letter.
"Someday I will escape," she thought.
"Someday I will go home again."
Suddenly she heard a shout from the hall.
"A hedgehog!" the witch yelled.
"It's in the house!
I hate hedgehogs!"
Rapunzel gasped.
"Oh no! Prickle!" she thought.
"The witch found him!"
She ran into the hall.
The witch was looking around.
"I saw a hedgehog.
It is hiding somewhere.
Rapunzel, help me find it!"
Rapunzel ran to one end of the hall.
The witch went the other way.
"Prickle?" Rapunzel whispered.
Something nearby moved.
It was Prickle.
He dashed into a nearby room.
Rapunzel gulped. "Oh no!"
Prickle was in the library!