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Rumpelstiltskin's Daughter: A Humorous Classic About Cleverness, Kindness, and Outwitting Greed for Children
Once upon a time a miller's daughter was given an impossible task by a cruel and greedy king. She had to spin straw into gold. And who should show up to help her but an odd little man named Rumpelstiltskin.
According to tradition, the gold-bedazzled king and the miller's daughter are wed. But wait just a minute! This king is definitely not husband material, and there's someone else who is -- a hardworking guy who's supportive and nice looking, and who really comes through in a pinch.
Why not marry Rumpelstiltskin?
In Diane Stanley's merry rethinking of the traditional tale, Rumpelstiltskin and the miller's daughter are wed...and then sixteen years later their only daughter is stuck in the same dilemma: She's been locked in a room full of straw to spin for a greedy king! She could call for help from her father, but this fairy-tale heroine has some canny plans of her own.
How Rumpelstiltskin's daughter sets things to rights in the troubled kingdom, while achieving a unique place for herself, makes for a wise and witty tale of kindness and cleverness rewarded. Diane Stanley's wickedly funny text and zesty illustrations put a delightful new spin on a classic fairy tale.
Rumpelstiltskin's daughter may not be able to spin straw into gold, but she is more than a match for a monarch whose greed has blighted an entire kingdom.
2000-2001 Georgia's Picture Storybook Award & Georgia's Children's Book Award Masterlist
01-02 Land of Enchantment Book Award Masterlist (Gr. 3-6)
99-00 Children's Book Award
According to tradition, the gold-bedazzled king and the miller's daughter are wed. But wait just a minute! This king is definitely not husband material, and there's someone else who is -- a hardworking guy who's supportive and nice looking, and who really comes through in a pinch.
Why not marry Rumpelstiltskin?
In Diane Stanley's merry rethinking of the traditional tale, Rumpelstiltskin and the miller's daughter are wed...and then sixteen years later their only daughter is stuck in the same dilemma: She's been locked in a room full of straw to spin for a greedy king! She could call for help from her father, but this fairy-tale heroine has some canny plans of her own.
How Rumpelstiltskin's daughter sets things to rights in the troubled kingdom, while achieving a unique place for herself, makes for a wise and witty tale of kindness and cleverness rewarded. Diane Stanley's wickedly funny text and zesty illustrations put a delightful new spin on a classic fairy tale.
Rumpelstiltskin's daughter may not be able to spin straw into gold, but she is more than a match for a monarch whose greed has blighted an entire kingdom.
2000-2001 Georgia's Picture Storybook Award & Georgia's Children's Book Award Masterlist
01-02 Land of Enchantment Book Award Masterlist (Gr. 3-6)
99-00 Children's Book Award
32 pages, Paperback
First published April 25, 1997
6 people are currently reading
886 people want to read
About the author
Diane Stanley
79 books177 followersDiane Stanley is an American children's author and illustrator, a former medical illustrator, and a former art director for the publisher G.P. Putnam's Sons. Born in 1943 in Abilene, Texas, she was educated at Trinity University (in San Antonio, TX) and at Johns Hopkins University. She is perhaps best known for her many picture-book biographies, some of which were co-authored by her husband, Peter Vennema. (source: Wikipedia)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 149 reviews
September 8, 2017
A very fun retelling reworking of the classic fairy tale. In Stanley's version, the miller's daughter marries Rumpelstiltskin instead of the king, and they produce a wonderfully clever daughter. And that's where the story really begins.
September 10, 2019
This book was the rockstar of the read aloud tonight! It started out as the usual Rumplestiltskin story and then it veered off into a new ”spin.” (See what I did there? Pun intended!) It was a startling surprise for everyone who had hunkered down for the usual storyline. Add to that the hilarious illustrations and you have a five star, five thumbs, up five children (?) winner!
January 19, 2023
The final sentences were my favorites: “Oh, and I forgot to tell you—Rumpelstiltskin’s daughter had a name, too. It was Hope.”
September 4, 2019
I've stopped reading the summaries when I check out picture books because they usually give away so much of the story, and reveal all the surprises. But I'm glad I read this one. I didn't know that tradition had the miller's daughter marrying the greedy king who wanted her to spin straw into gold. I liked that this had the miller's daughter marrying Rumpelstiltskin, but I was bothered that this was about their daughter who was in the same predicament, because theirs sounded like a better story! I felt like we were missing out on their story and there should have been that story first.
The images of the coins, gold strands, straw, and postcards were a nice touch. They were letters the daughter was sending to her parents letting them know what was going on.
It was funny that she used the modern phrase "whopper" when saying that the miller told a whopper that his daughter could spin straw into gold. I usually don't like modern phrases in an historical tale. And I really didn't like it when she had Rumpelstiltskin say he would coach Little League to the child. It's one thing to use a word from the present, it's another to say they had this sport at that time.
When she wrote that the king had made the miller's daughter an offer she couldn't refuse, I wondered what that was. Major details should not be held back! You need to actually say what he offered her.
I couldn't believe that Rumpelstiltskin looked the way he did. He was tiny and extremely short, didn't even come to her shoulders, with a sharp nose, and big, bulging eyes. And I don't know why so many illustrators make those tiny, spindly legs with long feet. It looks bizarre.
Rumpelstiltskin offered to spin straw into gold for her in exchange for her cheap necklace. The second time it was for her ring.
I couldn't believe she used the word "apoplectic." What are you thinking?! I can't stand when authors of picture books use words that are big for even adults.
After the second transformation, the king offered her marriage if she turned all of the straw from all of the barns in town. Meredith told Rumpelstiltskin that if he spun it into gold she would marry the king, and if he didn't she would die. Creepily, Rumpelstiltskin wanted to do it because she would surely pay him anything to be a queen, and he wanted a child to love and care for. It is really creepy and suspect that a man wants a child, like not loving at all. And it was ironic that she thought it was more romantic to marry her to Rumpelstiltskin and not the king, when Rumpelstiltskin stole her first-born in the original. What's lovable about that? She spun the tale here that he just wanted a child of his own, wanting to sing lullabies and read to the child.
It was such a stretch that Meredith said she would rather marry him than the jerk, because she likes his ideas on parenting, he'd be a good provider, and she has a weakness for short men. Okayyy...It's so weird to prefer a height of person to me. And it's not romantic in the slightest to get married in this way, to avoid a bad fate and to prefer one person above an evil, murderous king. Anyone would look good compared to that. But I was glad that she told some of their story.
She said there was a pile of straw the size of a bus. There weren't buses back then!
Rumpelstiltskin would give his daughter the gold wires he made, and talk spread through town that reached the king. When she went to town to trade the gold into coins, the king had men waiting to take her. It was clever how Meredith knew that she could get her dad to get her out of it, but if he turned the straw into gold then he would always be stuck doing that until there wasn't any straw left. For some reason she said her grandpa was the one who could make gold but he's dead. She lied and said he grew gold and told the king to give everyone gold coins to bury in the ground and then promise to give them another in the fall when the gold grows.
I couldn't believe Meredith stayed with the king through the summer until the fall. That was a long time for her parents not to rescue her. If I hadn't remembered back to the postcards in the beginning I would have thought she didn't have any communication with them.
In the fall they visited the first farm and he thought the golden fields were gold until she told him it was wheat, which was better than gold. The family was so happy, they loaded the wagon with all the food they had grown, and kissed his hand. He was taken aback by it and of course didn't get angry when he had such admiration and happiness.
The palace cooked the food, and he insisted she had been wrong about how her grandpa made gold. Meredith was cold and realized what she had to do next. She said her grandpa knitted gold, so she had him to around the kingdom and give out wool and needles and a gold coin to pay everyone. Of course we could see why she was doing it.
I didn't understand why they asked at each place for a granny, like only grandmas knit, not young women, not mothers, but specifically grandmas.
He went to collect on the gold but she said this was better because his people would be warm in the winter. Everyone gave him articles of clothing in thanks. No word this time either on him paying them a gold coin each.
His guards were always gnashing their teeth, clutching swords, and looking with shifty eyes, for some reason. Meredith talked him into getting rid of them, and tearing down the walls and moat and getting rid of the crocodiles, because his people love him and he doesn't need those things anymore. Ridiculously, they used the stones to build zoos for the crocodiles. Why not just release them into the wild? But they did build houses for the poor too.
One day the king asked if she really didn't remember how her grandpa made gold and she said she didn't. He said it's a pity but she tried and as a reward he'd make her his queen. She suggested he make her prime minister instead so he did. Whenever he asked about gold she took him on a tour through the land to make him feel better with all the good will for him. And the author said she forgot to tell us her name was Hope. I thought her name was Meredith and I had been calling her that the entire story, forgot it was her mom's name. In the author bio, we learn she came from a family of independent women and that was clearly the case here. It was evident from the beginning that Hope was going to get herself out of the situation and not rely on a man. She was a leader and cared about others and had clever ideas.
The images of the coins, gold strands, straw, and postcards were a nice touch. They were letters the daughter was sending to her parents letting them know what was going on.
It was funny that she used the modern phrase "whopper" when saying that the miller told a whopper that his daughter could spin straw into gold. I usually don't like modern phrases in an historical tale. And I really didn't like it when she had Rumpelstiltskin say he would coach Little League to the child. It's one thing to use a word from the present, it's another to say they had this sport at that time.
When she wrote that the king had made the miller's daughter an offer she couldn't refuse, I wondered what that was. Major details should not be held back! You need to actually say what he offered her.
I couldn't believe that Rumpelstiltskin looked the way he did. He was tiny and extremely short, didn't even come to her shoulders, with a sharp nose, and big, bulging eyes. And I don't know why so many illustrators make those tiny, spindly legs with long feet. It looks bizarre.
Rumpelstiltskin offered to spin straw into gold for her in exchange for her cheap necklace. The second time it was for her ring.
I couldn't believe she used the word "apoplectic." What are you thinking?! I can't stand when authors of picture books use words that are big for even adults.
After the second transformation, the king offered her marriage if she turned all of the straw from all of the barns in town. Meredith told Rumpelstiltskin that if he spun it into gold she would marry the king, and if he didn't she would die. Creepily, Rumpelstiltskin wanted to do it because she would surely pay him anything to be a queen, and he wanted a child to love and care for. It is really creepy and suspect that a man wants a child, like not loving at all. And it was ironic that she thought it was more romantic to marry her to Rumpelstiltskin and not the king, when Rumpelstiltskin stole her first-born in the original. What's lovable about that? She spun the tale here that he just wanted a child of his own, wanting to sing lullabies and read to the child.
It was such a stretch that Meredith said she would rather marry him than the jerk, because she likes his ideas on parenting, he'd be a good provider, and she has a weakness for short men. Okayyy...It's so weird to prefer a height of person to me. And it's not romantic in the slightest to get married in this way, to avoid a bad fate and to prefer one person above an evil, murderous king. Anyone would look good compared to that. But I was glad that she told some of their story.
She said there was a pile of straw the size of a bus. There weren't buses back then!
Rumpelstiltskin would give his daughter the gold wires he made, and talk spread through town that reached the king. When she went to town to trade the gold into coins, the king had men waiting to take her. It was clever how Meredith knew that she could get her dad to get her out of it, but if he turned the straw into gold then he would always be stuck doing that until there wasn't any straw left. For some reason she said her grandpa was the one who could make gold but he's dead. She lied and said he grew gold and told the king to give everyone gold coins to bury in the ground and then promise to give them another in the fall when the gold grows.
I couldn't believe Meredith stayed with the king through the summer until the fall. That was a long time for her parents not to rescue her. If I hadn't remembered back to the postcards in the beginning I would have thought she didn't have any communication with them.
In the fall they visited the first farm and he thought the golden fields were gold until she told him it was wheat, which was better than gold. The family was so happy, they loaded the wagon with all the food they had grown, and kissed his hand. He was taken aback by it and of course didn't get angry when he had such admiration and happiness.
The palace cooked the food, and he insisted she had been wrong about how her grandpa made gold. Meredith was cold and realized what she had to do next. She said her grandpa knitted gold, so she had him to around the kingdom and give out wool and needles and a gold coin to pay everyone. Of course we could see why she was doing it.
I didn't understand why they asked at each place for a granny, like only grandmas knit, not young women, not mothers, but specifically grandmas.
He went to collect on the gold but she said this was better because his people would be warm in the winter. Everyone gave him articles of clothing in thanks. No word this time either on him paying them a gold coin each.
His guards were always gnashing their teeth, clutching swords, and looking with shifty eyes, for some reason. Meredith talked him into getting rid of them, and tearing down the walls and moat and getting rid of the crocodiles, because his people love him and he doesn't need those things anymore. Ridiculously, they used the stones to build zoos for the crocodiles. Why not just release them into the wild? But they did build houses for the poor too.
One day the king asked if she really didn't remember how her grandpa made gold and she said she didn't. He said it's a pity but she tried and as a reward he'd make her his queen. She suggested he make her prime minister instead so he did. Whenever he asked about gold she took him on a tour through the land to make him feel better with all the good will for him. And the author said she forgot to tell us her name was Hope. I thought her name was Meredith and I had been calling her that the entire story, forgot it was her mom's name. In the author bio, we learn she came from a family of independent women and that was clearly the case here. It was evident from the beginning that Hope was going to get herself out of the situation and not rely on a man. She was a leader and cared about others and had clever ideas.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2019
Fantastic concept, wonderful hero(ine), plenty of humor in both text and illustrations. The only thing is, I don't get how the schemes worked... the people gave up everything to the king each time, and the first time they didn't even actually get anything. I really wish someone could carefully explain to me how such limited resources turned into so much bounty in such a short time.
January 11, 2021
What if the miller's daughter didn't marry the king? And what if her daughter found herself with the same dilemma as her mom--having to spin straw into gold, or else? The variation on this fairy tale is amusing and has a great moral. A fun twisted fairy tale with amusing illustrations
August 2, 2018
A fun reworking of the classic story of Rumpelstiltskin!
October 8, 2016
Rumpelstiltskin's Daughter was a wonderful tale of many lesson's. The one that stood out was love, lies, greed and the power of giving. The tale was about a Miller who told a lie saying that his daughter named Meredith could spin straw into gold. So the King decided to kidnap her and force her to spin gold. Rumpelstiltskin appeared and did it for her. The King was greedy and he wanted more and more gold. Unlike the traditional tale of Rumpelstiltskin, he decided to help her escape and they ran off and began a new life. They had a daughter and once their daughter hope became of age she was asked to take gold that her father had spun out of straw into town. The King found out about her and kidnapped her because he believed she could spin gold out of straw. She was clever and convinced the King to do some kind things for the people in the village which she had noticed was really poor. It made him feel good and he eventually gave her a job working for him.
This is a great tale for all ages. It is a long read for younger children 0-3 years old. However, it had several endings within the story. So it could be broken up into at least three small tales. I enjoyed the tale and it was nothing like I thought it would be. This was my first time reading this version of Rumpelstiltskin and I truly enjoyed it and I will be using it in my classroom.
This is a great tale for all ages. It is a long read for younger children 0-3 years old. However, it had several endings within the story. So it could be broken up into at least three small tales. I enjoyed the tale and it was nothing like I thought it would be. This was my first time reading this version of Rumpelstiltskin and I truly enjoyed it and I will be using it in my classroom.
May 16, 2025
This story is an extension of the traditional tale Rumpelstiltskin. In this version, Rumpelstiltskin saves the miller's daughter from having to risk death or marry the king. They marry each other instead and have their own daughter and a simple yet happy life on a farm far from the king. The king eventually discovers the gold Rumpelstiltskin is able to spin and captures Rumpelstiltskin's daughter to make her spin gold. However, Rumpelstiltskin's daughter does not follow the traditional tale's script. She finds a way for the king to be kind to his people - not once - but twice! The story also ends with her becoming the kingdom's prime minister who ensures the happiness of the kingdom's subjects.
This picture book has engaging illustrations to complement the text. They clearly show both the major action of the text and also include numerous visual suprises for viewers, such as humorous versions of famous paintings in the backgrounds or characters doing silly things just beyond the major action of a frame. The illustrations also strongly hint at the reign of Louix XIV, the French Sun King, who lived very extravagantly during his time. These winks will likely keep adult readers or older readers just as entertained as the younger readers engaging with the text.
Since this is a spin-off on a traditional tale, there are some inescapable tropes, such as female characters subject to the whims of powerful men, wealthy and powerful people mistreating the poor, and an assumption that a woman will see a marriage proposal as a reward for "good behavior." That said, this author does the best she can to modernize these tropes by making the female protagonist a clever problem-solver who does not fear an authoritative ruler. This story would be a great addition to any teacher's traditional tales unit, from second through fourth grade. Students could compare and contrast this story with other tellings of Rumpelstiltskin, they could study cause and effect, or explore the little extras that appear in the story's illustrations.
This picture book has engaging illustrations to complement the text. They clearly show both the major action of the text and also include numerous visual suprises for viewers, such as humorous versions of famous paintings in the backgrounds or characters doing silly things just beyond the major action of a frame. The illustrations also strongly hint at the reign of Louix XIV, the French Sun King, who lived very extravagantly during his time. These winks will likely keep adult readers or older readers just as entertained as the younger readers engaging with the text.
Since this is a spin-off on a traditional tale, there are some inescapable tropes, such as female characters subject to the whims of powerful men, wealthy and powerful people mistreating the poor, and an assumption that a woman will see a marriage proposal as a reward for "good behavior." That said, this author does the best she can to modernize these tropes by making the female protagonist a clever problem-solver who does not fear an authoritative ruler. This story would be a great addition to any teacher's traditional tales unit, from second through fourth grade. Students could compare and contrast this story with other tellings of Rumpelstiltskin, they could study cause and effect, or explore the little extras that appear in the story's illustrations.
May 5, 2014
My friend Kim says that this is one of her favorite reimagined fairy tales—she'd never liked the old tale of Rumpelstiltskin, anyway. I can see why.
Reinterpreting fairy tales and myths is a big business these days... pretty much any cultural touchstone is fair game. Rumpelstiltskin's Daughter does not hesitate to insert both new characters and new agency into the old story. No longer is it simply a negotiation between the greedy king and the miller, with poor, sour Rumpelstiltskin the butt of a rather nasty betrayal and the miller's daughter a distant fourth in terms of importance. Now... well, the title gives some indication of how much more happily this story ends for all concerned. No one dies or gets betrayed, and while there is still some trickery involved, it's for a good cause and has the happiest of outcomes.
The back of the book says it's for ages 5 and up, but I think you'll want to have made sure that your child is already familiar with the original tale. Coming into this one cold would not offer the same pleasure. The language is fairly elevated for a younger listener, too—this edition seems to have been written more for the adults than to a naive listener's level—but with a grown-up's help, or access to a good dictionary, words like "apoplectic" shouldn't be too much of a hurdle.
Diane Stanley did her own artwork for the book, in a clean, brightly-colored style that fits in well with the text.
All in all, I can see why Kim likes this one. I did too, and I can easily envision myself reading this one aloud to a niece or nephew or someday, perhaps, even a grandchild.
Reinterpreting fairy tales and myths is a big business these days... pretty much any cultural touchstone is fair game. Rumpelstiltskin's Daughter does not hesitate to insert both new characters and new agency into the old story. No longer is it simply a negotiation between the greedy king and the miller, with poor, sour Rumpelstiltskin the butt of a rather nasty betrayal and the miller's daughter a distant fourth in terms of importance. Now... well, the title gives some indication of how much more happily this story ends for all concerned. No one dies or gets betrayed, and while there is still some trickery involved, it's for a good cause and has the happiest of outcomes.
The back of the book says it's for ages 5 and up, but I think you'll want to have made sure that your child is already familiar with the original tale. Coming into this one cold would not offer the same pleasure. The language is fairly elevated for a younger listener, too—this edition seems to have been written more for the adults than to a naive listener's level—but with a grown-up's help, or access to a good dictionary, words like "apoplectic" shouldn't be too much of a hurdle.
Diane Stanley did her own artwork for the book, in a clean, brightly-colored style that fits in well with the text.
All in all, I can see why Kim likes this one. I did too, and I can easily envision myself reading this one aloud to a niece or nephew or someday, perhaps, even a grandchild.
February 9, 2010
Reading Level:Grades 3-5
This derivative of Rumpelstiltskin begins just like the traditional tale, but, then with a twist, the millers daughter escapes with the troll, Rumpelstiltskin (makes more sense than marrying a king who threatens to kill you). They live happily ever after, spinning their own straw into gold as needed. They have a daughter named Hope and one day the king hears about this girl (16 yrs old) trading spun gold thread for coins. She is brought to the greedy king's castle and asked to explain where she got this gold and how to make more. This wise girl devises a plan and tricks the king into spreading his wealth throughout his kingdom. The king is so happy with his new popularity, he asks her to marry him but this spunky girl has a better plan. The illustrations are fun and full of wit - like a portarit of the king portrayed like Mona Lisa. One picture that might raise some eyebrows and create giggles throughout the classroom is a nude portrait of the king covered only by his long silly wig!
This would be a good book to use for teaching spin offs of traditional tales to grade school students. It can also be used to discuss the theme of greed vs social consciousness.
This derivative of Rumpelstiltskin begins just like the traditional tale, but, then with a twist, the millers daughter escapes with the troll, Rumpelstiltskin (makes more sense than marrying a king who threatens to kill you). They live happily ever after, spinning their own straw into gold as needed. They have a daughter named Hope and one day the king hears about this girl (16 yrs old) trading spun gold thread for coins. She is brought to the greedy king's castle and asked to explain where she got this gold and how to make more. This wise girl devises a plan and tricks the king into spreading his wealth throughout his kingdom. The king is so happy with his new popularity, he asks her to marry him but this spunky girl has a better plan. The illustrations are fun and full of wit - like a portarit of the king portrayed like Mona Lisa. One picture that might raise some eyebrows and create giggles throughout the classroom is a nude portrait of the king covered only by his long silly wig!
This would be a good book to use for teaching spin offs of traditional tales to grade school students. It can also be used to discuss the theme of greed vs social consciousness.
February 9, 2011
Unlike the original story, the King does not marry the girl because the girl thinks the King is a jerk. She instead marries Rumpelstiltskin because he is kind to her and has many good parenting qualities. They have a daughter together and when the King hears of the daughter he sends out his troops to capture her. When they return to the castle with the girl, the King demands she spin gold like her father. The girl thinks up a scheme and tricks the King into giving his money to the village. The village prospers and the King realizes the mistakes he made. He then marries the girl and they live happily ever after.
I think this is a valuable book to use in the classroom when studying fairy tales. Reading the original Rumpelstiltskin to students is the first part of the lesson, and a teacher can ask students to write a story about what they think would happen if the girl married Rumpelstiltskin instead. The students can write and share their stories and the teacher can read this book after the students finished their own stories.
Also, this book can focus on character education because the girl taught the King to be a better person. She taught him to care about others and not to be greedy. In the end, the King's decisions make him happy and all the people in his village happy.
I think this is a valuable book to use in the classroom when studying fairy tales. Reading the original Rumpelstiltskin to students is the first part of the lesson, and a teacher can ask students to write a story about what they think would happen if the girl married Rumpelstiltskin instead. The students can write and share their stories and the teacher can read this book after the students finished their own stories.
Also, this book can focus on character education because the girl taught the King to be a better person. She taught him to care about others and not to be greedy. In the end, the King's decisions make him happy and all the people in his village happy.
February 22, 2015
This is by far my favorite Rumpelstiltskin story. Opposite to Paul O. Zelinsky’s version, Diane Stanley presents an amusing story with some added twists to the plot. The illustrations are colorful, with many details, the pictures are a little grotesque but funny.
The story is mainly about Rumpelstiltskin’s daughter and her adventure with the King. The title makes you question, when did Rumpelstiltskin have a daughter? The author explains this within the first few pages by telling the original story up to the point when Rumpelstiltskin asks the miller’s daughter, whose name is Mildred, to let him adopt her first born in exchange for his help. Mildred was not thrilled about her fate: dying or marrying the king. So she finds running away with Rumpelstiltskin a better solution to her problem, plus, she has “a weakness for short men.” Years pass by and Rumpelstiltskin’s daughter is called to the presence of the King. Here you’ll find a story of lies, deception, and good humor for a good cause.
The story is mainly about Rumpelstiltskin’s daughter and her adventure with the King. The title makes you question, when did Rumpelstiltskin have a daughter? The author explains this within the first few pages by telling the original story up to the point when Rumpelstiltskin asks the miller’s daughter, whose name is Mildred, to let him adopt her first born in exchange for his help. Mildred was not thrilled about her fate: dying or marrying the king. So she finds running away with Rumpelstiltskin a better solution to her problem, plus, she has “a weakness for short men.” Years pass by and Rumpelstiltskin’s daughter is called to the presence of the King. Here you’ll find a story of lies, deception, and good humor for a good cause.
February 23, 2010
I enjoyed Diane Stanley version of the traditional oral story of Rumpelstiltskin. Rumpelstiltskin's Daughter is the story of how the miller's granddaughter,tricks the King (the rival) in giving back to the townspeople.The townspeople grow to love the King. The King is so grateful he asks her to marry him but she prefers to be prime minister of the town (I love it), which he grants. The story line is full of unexpected twists. I enjoyed this book because the heroine is not portrayed as a victim. She is intelligent and knows what she wants. It is an intertaining version of the original. If I were a teacher I would create a chart and ask children to define characteristics of the heroine (miller daughter) and the rival (king)and then compare and contrast them. As we read other stories I would have them keep adding to the chart of characteristics. In the end we would have a nice vocabulary list.
March 20, 2010
This amusing twist to the classic fairy tale will leave students and readers mesmerized. Accompanied with the humorous tale are the Renaissance style illustrations that bring the story to life. This book is a great choice for a read-aloud since the story is so engaging and the pictures are worth a thousand words that all students should be exposed to. Teachers can read this book in class to accompany a unit on fairly tales, varied versions of a fairy tale, or Renaissance art. Students can also read this book and other versions to inspire thier own version and illustrations of the classic fairy tale.
February 9, 2010
Grades 5-8
Stanley's entertaining adaptation casts Rumpelstiltskin as a handsome do-gooder who gladly rescues Meridith in exchange for a 10-cent necklace and a cigar pinkie ring. Meredith, who likes his "ideas on parenting and has "a weakness for short men," escapes with Rumpelstiltskin and lives happily ever after, until years later, their child catches the curiosity of the greedy king. Rumpelstiltskin's daughter uses her wit and persuasion to change the king's philosophy on what it means to be rich. This parody explores relevant issues of government and power.
Stanley's entertaining adaptation casts Rumpelstiltskin as a handsome do-gooder who gladly rescues Meridith in exchange for a 10-cent necklace and a cigar pinkie ring. Meredith, who likes his "ideas on parenting and has "a weakness for short men," escapes with Rumpelstiltskin and lives happily ever after, until years later, their child catches the curiosity of the greedy king. Rumpelstiltskin's daughter uses her wit and persuasion to change the king's philosophy on what it means to be rich. This parody explores relevant issues of government and power.
August 9, 2015
This is just plain fun. After revealing that the miller's daughter, Meredith, ditched the greedy king and decided to marry Rumpelstiltskin instead, things just get better. Their daughter winds up dealing with the same idiot king, and she doesn't know how to spin straw into gold, but she's smart, and that fixes pretty much everything. Frankly, I loved this one.
August 10, 2016
This is a bit long, but I had to give it 5 stars for creating a much more empowering and holistic story from the original Rumpelstiltskin tale.
August 14, 2016
Gave me goosebumps. Did not have similar experience for my listener - she fell asleep.
October 23, 2019
I don't know why in this adaptation Rumpelstiltskin is someone who just wants to be a father, and read lullabies. It’s a wonder he didn’t have his own kid at some point. I guess I forgot about the title of this book, because I expected Rumpelstiltskin to be evil.
The first two times she helps him, he takes her necklace and her cigar ring. It didn't say why he wanted them. It seemed like he was only helping her to get stuff from her.
When Meredith tells him the king wants her to spin gold, and if she does, he'll make her his queen, and Rumpel tells her he'll do it, but he wants to adopt her firstborn child. She says she'd rather marry him than that jerk, meaning the king. Which isn't a compliment. I mean, those are two not so great choices, and being told you're better than the jerk king who's forcing her to spin gold for him isn't saying she likes you either, you're just the better choice out of the two.
The dialogue was very modern, mentioning Little League, and how Meredith has "has a thing for short men." It took away from the story. Also, in the inside cover, there were postcards Hope had written to her parents that were completely modern. The postcards themselves were modern. People didn't send postcards then. At one point the size of the hay the king gave her to spin into gold was compared to the size of a bus. They didn't have buses back then, either. How hard was it to find a historical comparison, like a wagon or coach?
I couldn’t have been more surprised to read that Meredith married Rumpelstiltskin. He fashioned a ladder out of gold and they went far away and lived happily together.
Her mom looked like a child, way too young to get married. And she didn’t age either. She still looked young 16 years later.
They went searching for grannies to knit clothes, as if only grandmothers knitted.
I thought it was weird to use the walls to build a zoo for crocodiles. There weren't zoos back then, either.
This didn’t end like I thought it would. Unknowing to the king, Rumpel's daughter makes him give the peasants food and clothing, making him beloved in the process. She has him get rid of his guards, the high walls, and the moat with the crocodiles. Then when he tells her she’ll become his queen, she asks to become his prime minister. It's clever the way she handled things, but I don't know why she'd want to work alongside him. Or even why she made the people love him when he wasn't a good king. They need a new king. Her name was Hope, which was sort of odd, because it's not like her parents knew she'd end up being the kingdom's hope.
The expressions on the character's faces were very animated and comical. The king showing her the loom and making her spin gold, little Rumpelstiltskin sitting at the loom and eyeing the straw; he looked so funny with his big eyes! And the kid with the sagging diaper.
I wanted the parents to make a reappearance but they didn’t show up in the story again. We didn’t even get their reaction to their daughter being taken, and by the same king her mom was taken by. That was a huge oversight.
I did think she’d have magical gifts like her dad did, so I was surprised when she didn't have magical powers.
I felt we needed more of Rumpel’s backstory. He just wasn't the Rumpelstiltskin I've heard of in stories, like the one he was in Shrek, which I would expect him to be like.
The first two times she helps him, he takes her necklace and her cigar ring. It didn't say why he wanted them. It seemed like he was only helping her to get stuff from her.
When Meredith tells him the king wants her to spin gold, and if she does, he'll make her his queen, and Rumpel tells her he'll do it, but he wants to adopt her firstborn child. She says she'd rather marry him than that jerk, meaning the king. Which isn't a compliment. I mean, those are two not so great choices, and being told you're better than the jerk king who's forcing her to spin gold for him isn't saying she likes you either, you're just the better choice out of the two.
The dialogue was very modern, mentioning Little League, and how Meredith has "has a thing for short men." It took away from the story. Also, in the inside cover, there were postcards Hope had written to her parents that were completely modern. The postcards themselves were modern. People didn't send postcards then. At one point the size of the hay the king gave her to spin into gold was compared to the size of a bus. They didn't have buses back then, either. How hard was it to find a historical comparison, like a wagon or coach?
I couldn’t have been more surprised to read that Meredith married Rumpelstiltskin. He fashioned a ladder out of gold and they went far away and lived happily together.
Her mom looked like a child, way too young to get married. And she didn’t age either. She still looked young 16 years later.
They went searching for grannies to knit clothes, as if only grandmothers knitted.
I thought it was weird to use the walls to build a zoo for crocodiles. There weren't zoos back then, either.
This didn’t end like I thought it would. Unknowing to the king, Rumpel's daughter makes him give the peasants food and clothing, making him beloved in the process. She has him get rid of his guards, the high walls, and the moat with the crocodiles. Then when he tells her she’ll become his queen, she asks to become his prime minister. It's clever the way she handled things, but I don't know why she'd want to work alongside him. Or even why she made the people love him when he wasn't a good king. They need a new king. Her name was Hope, which was sort of odd, because it's not like her parents knew she'd end up being the kingdom's hope.
The expressions on the character's faces were very animated and comical. The king showing her the loom and making her spin gold, little Rumpelstiltskin sitting at the loom and eyeing the straw; he looked so funny with his big eyes! And the kid with the sagging diaper.
I wanted the parents to make a reappearance but they didn’t show up in the story again. We didn’t even get their reaction to their daughter being taken, and by the same king her mom was taken by. That was a huge oversight.
I did think she’d have magical gifts like her dad did, so I was surprised when she didn't have magical powers.
I felt we needed more of Rumpel’s backstory. He just wasn't the Rumpelstiltskin I've heard of in stories, like the one he was in Shrek, which I would expect him to be like.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 23, 2019
I was torn about this one - lots that I liked, but lots that I didn't too. I'll split the difference and say 2.5, rounded up to 3 (it is worth a read, if only to decide your own opinion).
Things I liked:
* The message. Hope was very forgiving. Though she tricked the king into giving back to his population, she did make sure that he learned too, seeing all the benefits. Great theme of kindness and giving back and redemption.
* Not a classic, but still a clever take on a traditional story. And we all know, I'm a sucker for a good fractured fairy tale.
* The art. The faces are very expressive, and there are some great details hidden in the pictures. Like all the works of art, featuring the king's face! Though the king as Venus rising from the sea was a little weird.
Things I didn't:
* Some unresolved plot threads. For example, Rumpelstiltskin's unusual requests (cigar band ring?).
* Why did Hope even want to help the king? He was a horrible king when her parents were young and had only gotten worse. Why not just help a new king come to power? I know that would ruin the message of redemption, but the story never really explained why she'd give him the chance.
* Quite honestly, Rumpelstiltskin and Meredith's story sounded very interesting. I'd have loved to have heard more.
* Why do only the grannies knit? ...asks the woman who's been knitting since she was 18 (and learned when she was 10).
* The language was very modern, and could be a little jarring. Rumpelstiltskin wanted to coach Little League?
* The art. As much as I like the details and fun facial expressions, I wasn't so fond of some things. The bug eyes (especially on Rumpelstiltskin), the teeth, etc. Just personal taste.
Would I use it for a storytime? No, not really. There's more to the plot that what my average storytime crown would be able to follow (I have a younger crowd). Plus, the illustrations have so much detail, it'd be lost on a larger audience. Much better as a one-on-one read, I think.
Things I liked:
* The message. Hope was very forgiving. Though she tricked the king into giving back to his population, she did make sure that he learned too, seeing all the benefits. Great theme of kindness and giving back and redemption.
* Not a classic, but still a clever take on a traditional story. And we all know, I'm a sucker for a good fractured fairy tale.
* The art. The faces are very expressive, and there are some great details hidden in the pictures. Like all the works of art, featuring the king's face! Though the king as Venus rising from the sea was a little weird.
Things I didn't:
* Some unresolved plot threads. For example, Rumpelstiltskin's unusual requests (cigar band ring?).
* Why did Hope even want to help the king? He was a horrible king when her parents were young and had only gotten worse. Why not just help a new king come to power? I know that would ruin the message of redemption, but the story never really explained why she'd give him the chance.
* Quite honestly, Rumpelstiltskin and Meredith's story sounded very interesting. I'd have loved to have heard more.
* Why do only the grannies knit? ...asks the woman who's been knitting since she was 18 (and learned when she was 10).
* The language was very modern, and could be a little jarring. Rumpelstiltskin wanted to coach Little League?
* The art. As much as I like the details and fun facial expressions, I wasn't so fond of some things. The bug eyes (especially on Rumpelstiltskin), the teeth, etc. Just personal taste.
Would I use it for a storytime? No, not really. There's more to the plot that what my average storytime crown would be able to follow (I have a younger crowd). Plus, the illustrations have so much detail, it'd be lost on a larger audience. Much better as a one-on-one read, I think.
October 29, 2017
Rumpelstiltskin's Daughter is a creative take on the original traditional fairy tale. In the original story, Rumpelstiltskin is the greed character who tries to trick the King and the Miller's daughter. However, in this story, it is the King who is the greedy one.
In the beginning of this story, instead of Rumpelstiltskin spinning the hay into gold for the miller's daughter, the two run away together and get married. The Miller's daughter and Rumpelstiltskin hide from the King who searches for the man who stole his maid who was spinning him gold. Rumpelstiltskin and the miller's daughter have a child of their own. When the King discovers that this child could possibly spin gold like her father, he kidnaps her and demands that she spin hay into gold for him.
Rumpelstiltskin's daughter was as clever as her father, and used the King's greed to trick him. She promises that she remembered how her father did it and instead took matters into her own hands. She made the King command farmers to plant the hay and paid them to do so, and commanded the older women of the village to use gold yarn to spin many threads. The King thought that he was going to gain gold from these demands, but in reality he was making the entire kingdom wealthier, full with food, and clothed with yarn. Rumpelstiltskin's daughter made the kingdom a better place and used the King's greed to do so.
This story was a great take on the original and I loved the outcome of this story. Rumpelstiltskin is not a favorite tale of mine, but I enjoyed this version. The main theme in this story was "greed will not make you successful or give you want you want." I think that this book could be used in the classroom to teach these types of lessons.
In the beginning of this story, instead of Rumpelstiltskin spinning the hay into gold for the miller's daughter, the two run away together and get married. The Miller's daughter and Rumpelstiltskin hide from the King who searches for the man who stole his maid who was spinning him gold. Rumpelstiltskin and the miller's daughter have a child of their own. When the King discovers that this child could possibly spin gold like her father, he kidnaps her and demands that she spin hay into gold for him.
Rumpelstiltskin's daughter was as clever as her father, and used the King's greed to trick him. She promises that she remembered how her father did it and instead took matters into her own hands. She made the King command farmers to plant the hay and paid them to do so, and commanded the older women of the village to use gold yarn to spin many threads. The King thought that he was going to gain gold from these demands, but in reality he was making the entire kingdom wealthier, full with food, and clothed with yarn. Rumpelstiltskin's daughter made the kingdom a better place and used the King's greed to do so.
This story was a great take on the original and I loved the outcome of this story. Rumpelstiltskin is not a favorite tale of mine, but I enjoyed this version. The main theme in this story was "greed will not make you successful or give you want you want." I think that this book could be used in the classroom to teach these types of lessons.
February 22, 2021
(reviewed and posted on my blog ladyinreadwrites.com originally in 2012; reposted 2021)
What It Is
In short– a charming, modern twist on an age-old fairy tale.
Our Thoughts
My Thoughts
Illustrations that are colorful, bright and manage to convey the feelings in the story comically and a story with strong female characters make this a good read.
[Note: not spoilers as this is part of the book description too.] In this story, Rumpelstiltskin is not the villain! The miller’s daughter chooses him over the greedy king and when their daughter is imprisoned by the king years later in a tale of ‘history repeats itself’, the daughter uses her wits to help the king and his kingdom with great success.
The illustrations do a great job of depicting the greedy king’s lavish lifestyle and you get to see great artwork too on the walls of the palace – including works by Picasso and Van Gogh
My little ones thoughts
Both my children (5 and 8) loved the book and the illustrations. My daughter loved it, as it is a little longer than most other books I have read to her and this means more time reading. My son loved the twist in the story having read Rumpelstiltskin and loved how the daughter used her ‘noodle’.
Both loved the illustrations – they laughed aloud at some of the funny pictures.
What It Is
In short– a charming, modern twist on an age-old fairy tale.
Our Thoughts
My Thoughts
Illustrations that are colorful, bright and manage to convey the feelings in the story comically and a story with strong female characters make this a good read.
[Note: not spoilers as this is part of the book description too.] In this story, Rumpelstiltskin is not the villain! The miller’s daughter chooses him over the greedy king and when their daughter is imprisoned by the king years later in a tale of ‘history repeats itself’, the daughter uses her wits to help the king and his kingdom with great success.
The illustrations do a great job of depicting the greedy king’s lavish lifestyle and you get to see great artwork too on the walls of the palace – including works by Picasso and Van Gogh
My little ones thoughts
Both my children (5 and 8) loved the book and the illustrations. My daughter loved it, as it is a little longer than most other books I have read to her and this means more time reading. My son loved the twist in the story having read Rumpelstiltskin and loved how the daughter used her ‘noodle’.
Both loved the illustrations – they laughed aloud at some of the funny pictures.
October 16, 2019
A miller made up a story about his daughter being able to spin straw into gold. When the king found out, he ordered her to come to his palace and spend her time spinning all of the straw into gold for him. Once the miller's daughter was locked into a palace room, a small man appeared and told her that he actually could spin straw into gold. She gave him her necklace and Rumpelstiltskin began spinning the straw into gold. Once the king became too greedy, Rumpelstiltskin and Meredith decided to used the gold to build a ladder and escape from the palace. They got married and resided in the country. They had a daughter and she eventually got put into the same situation as her mother, Meredith. Meredith helped set things right in the kingdom and bring wealth to the community.
This book could be used to explore new vocabulary. I would have a list of vocabulary words from the book and have the students come up with definitions for them after the book is read. They can use context clues to come up with the meanings. I would then give them a definition after groups have shared their thinking. I could also have students create a story map. They would identify the setting, characters, time, etc.
This book could be used to explore new vocabulary. I would have a list of vocabulary words from the book and have the students come up with definitions for them after the book is read. They can use context clues to come up with the meanings. I would then give them a definition after groups have shared their thinking. I could also have students create a story map. They would identify the setting, characters, time, etc.
Read
October 15, 2021In this book, a miller's daughter was given an impossible task by a cruel and greedy king. She had to spin straw into gold. And who should show up to help her but an odd little man named Rumpelstiltskin. According to tradition, the gold-bedazzled king and the miller's daughter are wed. This king is definitely not husband material, and there's someone else who is a hardworking guy who's supportive and nice looking, and who really comes through in a pinch. The two had a daughter, and when she finally got old enough, they allowed her to take the gold that Rumpelstiltskin made and take it into the town to buy what she wanted. However, the King heard about her and captured the daughter the next time she came. He demanded her to make his gold but took him on a roundabout way to give the people of the town what they needed to survive.
This book could be used in an economic class to teach about the effects of taking and giving items that can alter the economic status of a town. When the king takes all the gold and goods from the town, they can barely survive, but as Rumplestiltskin's daughter comes into town and makes him grow and give away the goods, the town turns upside down and the people are able to live happily ever after.
This book could be used in an economic class to teach about the effects of taking and giving items that can alter the economic status of a town. When the king takes all the gold and goods from the town, they can barely survive, but as Rumplestiltskin's daughter comes into town and makes him grow and give away the goods, the town turns upside down and the people are able to live happily ever after.
March 23, 2018
I'm someone who always loves a good re-working of a fairy tale and also someone who loves an awesome story focused on female empowerment. This magical little book does both. This revisionist fairy tale begins with the Miller's daughter proposing marriage to Rumplestiltskin, "I like your ideas on parenting, you'd make a good provider, and I have a weakness for short men". Many years later their child is given the same task for the greedy king, to spin all his straw into gold. Rumplestiltskin's daughter uses her wits and compassion to get herself out of a mess and help a troubled kingdom mired in poverty along the way. The words and message in this book are as beautiful as the illustrations.
February 19, 2019
It's the rare book that can succeed in reworking or expanding upon a classic fairytale or beloved children's story. For example, which brave soul would undertake a second installment of The Velveteen Rabbit? Fairytales are probably less terrifying to pursue because of the multitude of presentations. The authors mostly risk their renditions being forgettable. This one hits the mark.
The author begins with the almost unimaginable notion that Rumplestiltskin got away with the girl. I mean, don't you remember what an ugly little man he was supposed to be? And that grating voice and creepy dancing? But kindness wins out over the greed of the king and he elopes with the enslaved girl in the tower.
Years later, their own daughter is in a similar predicament. I like how the witty and industrious girl gets one over on the greedy king time and time again and in doing so creates greater equality of opportunity for his subjects. It's another happy ending created by changing the previous happy ending.
The author begins with the almost unimaginable notion that Rumplestiltskin got away with the girl. I mean, don't you remember what an ugly little man he was supposed to be? And that grating voice and creepy dancing? But kindness wins out over the greed of the king and he elopes with the enslaved girl in the tower.
Years later, their own daughter is in a similar predicament. I like how the witty and industrious girl gets one over on the greedy king time and time again and in doing so creates greater equality of opportunity for his subjects. It's another happy ending created by changing the previous happy ending.
October 14, 2021
This is a tale of Rumpelstiltskin's daughter after he saved the girl in the tower first and fell in love. After the king found his daughter she tricked him into giving the kingdom back the wealth that he had built over time. As he waited for gold to grow, be sewn and other things the people of his kingdom learned to love the king for his generosity. After all was done Rumpelstiltskin's daughter became a prime minister and visited the king any time his greed caught up to him.
This is a great story of learning to not be selfish and give back to others when you have more that you can share. The good for others returns joy to you later.
This is a great story of learning to not be selfish and give back to others when you have more that you can share. The good for others returns joy to you later.
October 31, 2021
If you like fractured fairy tales even a little, you will LOVE this book! I loved it when I was a kid, and now my children love it too.
The premise of this book is that when the miller's daughter get whisked off to the castle and Rumpelstiltskin shows up to save her, she decides she would rather marry him instead. So they elope and have a daughter.
The daughter is eventually found by the king (yes the same one who wanted to marry her mother!) and offers the same deal. Spin straw into gold or die. But Rumpelstiltskin's daughter isn't just satisfied with pulling the wool (or rather straw) over the king's eyes. She wants to make the kingdom better, one golden plot at a time!
The premise of this book is that when the miller's daughter get whisked off to the castle and Rumpelstiltskin shows up to save her, she decides she would rather marry him instead. So they elope and have a daughter.
The daughter is eventually found by the king (yes the same one who wanted to marry her mother!) and offers the same deal. Spin straw into gold or die. But Rumpelstiltskin's daughter isn't just satisfied with pulling the wool (or rather straw) over the king's eyes. She wants to make the kingdom better, one golden plot at a time!
March 6, 2017
Stanley, Diane. Rumpelstiltskin's Daughter (1997). Harper Collins Publisher. Manufactured in China.
Traditional Literature: Folktale -- Same motif as King Midas: The Golden Touch by Demi.
This motif shared is that in both tales there is a gold greedy king who get tricked and learns his lesson for the better.
Target Range: Grades 2-5.
We all have heard the tale of the sly gold weaving Rumpelstiltskin, but did you know that wasn't the whole story. The tale tells the story of what really happened. How the king never married the girl but it was Rumpelstiltskin who did. This story focuses on how Rumpelstiltskin's daughter couldn't spin straw into gold, but rather how she could spin ideas (through wit and trickery) to make the king lose his greed, give his gold away, and win the hearts of his people.
The book is hard-cover. The pages are fairly thick making it easier to turn the pages. There are a few paragraphs on each page. The font is of a decent size and the line spacing is 1/5 to double spaced which can be appealing for students in the 4-5th grades as they would not be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of text on the pages. The artwork is in a slightly cartoon style and typically takes up two pages. As with the Midas book, this book emphasizes on gold colors through the coloring of items such as straw, the gold coins/carriages, wheat, and clothes. However, this does text does not use gold-leaf as the Midas text did. According to the post card illustrations on the dedication page the story seems to be set in the mid-to late 1500's. This distinction of the year can be seen through the old English clothing and the hair/parliamentary wigs worn by the king and his guards.
The strength of this text lies in the narrative. It really takes on a fresh take on the traditional story. The spin would be one that many people would like. Some may even take the twist at the end for a win for women's right as it defies old age customs of getting married and choosing a path of Hope's own, similar to ruling like Merida from Disney's "Brave". This would be very different from how things would go based on the time period. The cartoon style artwork would appeal to children in grades 2-5. However, it is this exact style of artwork that makes it a personal preference weakness for me as the artwork was not appealing. I also found the addition of the questionable dog who has extremely large eyes. The dog served no purpose in the story and was included on many pages in the text.
Traditional Literature: Folktale -- Same motif as King Midas: The Golden Touch by Demi.
This motif shared is that in both tales there is a gold greedy king who get tricked and learns his lesson for the better.
Target Range: Grades 2-5.
We all have heard the tale of the sly gold weaving Rumpelstiltskin, but did you know that wasn't the whole story. The tale tells the story of what really happened. How the king never married the girl but it was Rumpelstiltskin who did. This story focuses on how Rumpelstiltskin's daughter couldn't spin straw into gold, but rather how she could spin ideas (through wit and trickery) to make the king lose his greed, give his gold away, and win the hearts of his people.
The book is hard-cover. The pages are fairly thick making it easier to turn the pages. There are a few paragraphs on each page. The font is of a decent size and the line spacing is 1/5 to double spaced which can be appealing for students in the 4-5th grades as they would not be overwhelmed by the sheer amount of text on the pages. The artwork is in a slightly cartoon style and typically takes up two pages. As with the Midas book, this book emphasizes on gold colors through the coloring of items such as straw, the gold coins/carriages, wheat, and clothes. However, this does text does not use gold-leaf as the Midas text did. According to the post card illustrations on the dedication page the story seems to be set in the mid-to late 1500's. This distinction of the year can be seen through the old English clothing and the hair/parliamentary wigs worn by the king and his guards.
The strength of this text lies in the narrative. It really takes on a fresh take on the traditional story. The spin would be one that many people would like. Some may even take the twist at the end for a win for women's right as it defies old age customs of getting married and choosing a path of Hope's own, similar to ruling like Merida from Disney's "Brave". This would be very different from how things would go based on the time period. The cartoon style artwork would appeal to children in grades 2-5. However, it is this exact style of artwork that makes it a personal preference weakness for me as the artwork was not appealing. I also found the addition of the questionable dog who has extremely large eyes. The dog served no purpose in the story and was included on many pages in the text.
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