Rumpelstiltskin

Never forget the story of the little man who spun gold for the promise of things to come.  After having being duped by her father, the miller's pretty young daughter, in turn, duped the strange little man whom she charmed into trusting her.  As you may recall, the young maiden was supposed to have had the artistry to spin straw into gold.  Of course, this couldn't be done. Yet, after the little man heard the crying of the young, pretty maiden, he offered to spin the straw into gold for her, in exchange for things of no real importance.  Alas, the magical little man demanded a price that was too high.  The former damsel in distress was to be married to the king if she could complete the last straw spinning task,  which would also assure the king of being married to the richest person in his kingdom.  The pretty young maiden readily agreed to give her firstborn to this funny little man.  It was the price he asked for helping her this last time.  Okay, done!  It seemed to be a win-win situation.

The avaricious king traded gold for a rich marriage; one of convenience.  The maiden was willing to trade her first born child for the spun gold.  The little man traded his spun gold for a misplaced trust in the superficiality of the pretty young maiden. He spun the straw into gold because she had given him her word that she would, indeed, forfeit her first born child to him.  Annie Lennox told us that "everybody's looking for something".

The little man found himself in quite the predicament when the queen's loyal servant discovered the little man's secret; his most prized and highly guarded possession-his most unusual name.  Rumpelstiltskin stomped himself into the floor, cutting his right leg off at the knee; then seizing his left foot with both his hands, he furiouly split himself in two, "and there was an end of him."

Poor Rumpelstiltskin.  Poor us.  Were the Brothers Grimm on to something?  Have we trusted too much and spoken too soon?  Did we celebrate the election of a kinder, more decent administration prematurely?  Are we doomed for self-destruction?  I think we are, if we, as a democracy, regardless the party, don't act to stop the taking of the gold without the deliverance of past promises.  Promises that will prove beneficial to the republic that just completed the voting process, electing who we thought was best for our glorious country.  We need a more equitable society and we need it now.

maverickchild
December 2, 2012