Rumpelstiltskin is a story that originated in central Europe, probably the area now called Germany. Because there is a magical troll in the story, it is considered a fairy tale, (also known as "a tale of enchantment.")
It is part of the Grimms Fairy Tale collection.
In some ways, this is a "Cautionary" folktale/fairy tale. That is because one of the main characters in the story is warned not to "brag" which was considered unacceptable behavior. He continued his bragging, and sure enough, there was trouble. The story has a happy ending, as many fairy tales do.
Please note that not all the characters are sufficiently punished for bad behavior. It is a good idea to discuss this observation with a child so that he or she may learn from the story.
CLICK