"The Tale of the Tower"

Having heard rumors of what happened to Rapunzel’s keeper, Elvira vows not to befall a similar end and so stows away her beautiful ward, Zerlina, in a tall tower in the middle of the sea.

“One of my more brilliant ideas,” Elvira brags to the witches’ council. “Not a chance that the little darling will escape. Not only can’t she swim, but I’ve cut her hair short as a pixie’s.”

Meanwhile, in a faraway kingdom, Prince Gian sets out on a quest to rescue the daughter of the great mage, Masetto.

“My daughter is very beautiful,” Masetto tells Prince Gian. “I offer you her hand if you can bring her back safely. A witch has taken her across the land toward the sea.”

Eager to win the hand of such a conquest, Prince Gian seeks the help of every troll, gnome, and hobbit to point him in the right direction. Soon enough, he finds his way to the edge of the sea with a view of a tall tower that stands quite a distance from the shore. The waves look too violent to swim and he has no boat, so Prince Gian falls to his knees and cries.

From beneath the water, a figure appears. “My name is Leporello. I have tasted the salt of your tears in the water and have come to help, for there is nothing more true of heart than the weeping of lost love.”

“I cannot reach the maiden in the tower. I must rescue her and have her for my bride.”

“Then I will get you there.”

Leporello waves his trident and parts the sea. Prince Gian walks across the sea floor to the base of the tower.

When Prince Gian discovers there is no way into the tower, he cries again. A winged figure appears from the sky. “My name is Ottavio. I have smelled the salt of your tears on the wind and have come to help, for there is nothing more true of heart than the weeping of lost love.”

“I cannot reach the maiden in the tower. I must rescue her and have her for my bride.”

“Then I will get you there.”

Ottavio takes Prince Gian by the hand and carries him to the window of the tower.

Prince Gian sets eyes upon the beautiful Zerlina and bows. “My dearest, I have come to rescue you and take you back to my kingdom where I will make you my bride.”

Before Zerlina can answer, the witch Elvira lands her broomstick on the windowsill. “Who are you? How did you get inside my tower?”

“I have been carried by the wings of love. I will rescue Zerlina and take her for my bride. You cannot stop us.”

Elvira poises to attack, but Zerlina shouts. “Wait! He will leave of his own accord.”

Elvira and Prince Gian look to Zerlina, confused.

“He will leave because there is no love for him here to be found.” Zerlina eyes Prince Gian. “How like a man to assume you can win my hand simply by scaling this tower. I bet my father even put you up to the task. No. I will stay here. Elvira has provided me with food and shelter and companionship, not to mention the most wonderful library. I love her and if she’ll have me, I wish to stay with her forever."

Elvira rushes to Zerlina and wraps her in a warm embrace. Prince Gian jumps from the tower into the soft mud of the sea floor and trudges back to his kingdom to wallow sadly ever after.


This story was written in response to a picture writing prompt for my writing group (shown above). The story (in case you didn't catch on) was a mashup of Rapunzel and the opera Don Giovanni. As I wrote the opening to my story, the name Zerlina popped into my head (a character from Don Giovanni) so I figured what the heck? and stole all the character's names from the opera. Also, the womanizing character of Don Giovanni gave me the idea to have the maiden disgusted by the prince in the end (Gian is short for Giovanni). This mashup was so fun, I may just have to think of some more fairy tale/opera mashups to do!

Update: I wrote another mashup! Read it here.