#312 of 1001 · June 8, 2021

Forward Rumpelstiltskin Week! Here is a version written by John Cech and illustrated by Martin Hargreaves. This Rumpelstiltskin cuts a rather dapper figure in his chocolate-brown suit and orange waistcoat, though his bushy beard, spiked hair, and bulging eyes lend him a slightly manic appearance. Cech elects to have his villain extract an unspecified favor from the queen, the demand for her baby thus coming as a nasty shock. At the climax, he omits Rumpelstiltskin’s violent suicide as related in the Grimms’ later editions, opting instead to have him stomp out of the royal garden and never return. A note for folklore enthusiasts: The back matter details a number of Rumpelstiltskin variants. Each tale derives its title from the name of the sinister antagonist—“Purzinigele” in Austria, “Tarandando” in Italy, “Tom Tit Tot” in England. #spin #spinning #wheel #gold #queen #baby #name #book #books #childrensbooks #beautifulbooks #picturebook #picturebooks #picturebookillustration #picturebookillustrations #picturebookart #childrensbookillustration #childrensliterature #illustration #kidlit #kidsbooks #bookworm #booklover #booklovers #bibliophile #bookstagram #bookstagrammer #bookstagrammers #instabook #instabooks