Rapunzel (part 1)

Kings and their kingdoms
of history(so said)
had very strange rules
about daughters and wed.

Instead of the girl
having choice of her own
the king and queen thought
that she wasn't full grown.

And as was the custom
there was but 2 ways ,
a door less high tower
where the princess now stays.

And someday if somehow
a prince was so rare,
he'd climb to the top
with some help and some hair.

And he'd save the sweet lady
that up there did stay,
so the 2 would be married
the very next day.

The second opinion
perhaps was the best,
10 princes were chosen
and put through a test.

the one that would win
would be husband and wed
the fattest or thin,
Just as long as good bred.

Now the princess Rapunzel
was the youngest of 10,
and all of her sisters
were wed with good men.

Both options were used,
each decided by lot,
so Rapunzel's turn came
and they drew for the plot.

It fell to the second,
10 princes soon came,
all put through the test
and but one did remain.

Now Rapunzel for one
had some brains of her own,
and she knew very well
that she was tall and grown.

The prince that had won
she most truly despised
so the night she did run
to the tower to hide.

And there she would stay
till she starved or could plan
how to get far away
from that terrible man.

And that is the story,
Rapunzel's first part,
of a girl with a mind
and some guts and a heart.