Grimm's Household Tales

There was once a poor woman who gave birth to a little son. Because he was born with a caul on his head, it was predicted that in his fourteenth year he would marry the King’s daughter. Soon afterward the King came into the village. No one knew that he was the King, and when he asked the people what news there was, they answered, “A child has just been born with a caul on. Whatever anyone born that way undertakes turns out well. It is also prophesied that in his fourteenth year he will marry the King’s daughter.”

The King, who had a wicked heart and was angry about the prophecy, went to the parents. Seeming quite friendly, he said, “You poor people, let me have your child, and I will take care of it.” At first they refused, but the stranger offered them a large amount of gold for the child, and they thought, “He is a lucky child, and everything must turn out well for him.” At last they consented and gave him the child.

The King put the child in a box and rode away with it until he came to a deep body of water. Then he threw the box into it and thought, “I have freed my daughter from her unexpected suitor.”

The box, however, did not sink. It floated like a boat, and not a drop of water made its way into it. It floated to within two miles of the King’s chief city, where there was a mill, and it came to a standstill at the millpond’s dam. A miller’s boy, who by good luck was standing there, noticed it and pulled it out with a hook. He thought he had found a great treasure, but when he opened the box, a pretty boy lay inside, quite fresh and lively. He took the baby to the miller and his wife, and since they had no children, they were glad and said, “God has given him to us.” They took great care of the foundling, and he grew up in all goodness.

Once, during a storm, the King went into the mill and asked the millers whether the tall young man was their son. “No,” they answered, “he is a foundling. Fourteen years ago he floated down to the dam in a box, and the mill boy pulled him out of the water.”

Then the King knew that this was none other than the lucky child he had thrown into the water. He said, “My good people, could the young man take a letter to the Queen? I will give him two gold pieces as a reward.” “Just as the King commands,” they answered, and they told the boy to get ready. Then the King wrote a letter to the Queen in which he said, “As soon as the boy arrives with this letter, have him killed and buried. All of this must be done before I come home.”

The boy set out with the letter, but he lost his way, and in the evening he came to a large forest. In the darkness he saw a small light. He went toward it and reached a cottage. When he went in, an old woman was sitting by the fire, quite alone. She was startled when she saw the boy and said, “Where do you come from, and where are you going?” “I come from the mill,” he answered, “and I wish to go to the Queen, to whom I am taking a letter. But since I have lost my way in the forest, I would like to stay here overnight.” “You poor boy,” said the woman, “you have come into a den of thieves, and when they come home, they will kill you.” “Let them come,” said the boy. “I am not afraid, but I am so tired that I cannot go any farther.” He stretched himself out on a bench and fell asleep.

Soon afterward the robbers came and angrily asked who the strange boy lying there was. “Ah,” said the old woman, “he is an innocent child who has gotten lost in the forest. Out of pity I have let him come in. He has to take a letter to the Queen.” The robbers opened the letter and read it, and it said that the boy was to be put to death as soon as he arrived. Then the hard-hearted robbers felt pity, and their leader tore up the letter and wrote another, saying that as soon as the boy arrived, he should be married at once to the King’s daughter. Then they let him lie quietly on the bench until the next morning, and when he awoke, they gave him the letter and showed him the right way.

And the Queen, when she had received the letter and read it, did as it said. She had a splendid wedding feast prepared, and the King’s daughter was married to the lucky child. Since the young man was handsome and pleasant, she lived with him in joy and contentment.

After some time the King returned to his palace and saw that the prophecy had been fulfilled and that the lucky child had married his daughter. “How did that happen?” he said. “I gave quite a different order in my letter.”

So the Queen gave him the letter and said that he could see for himself what was written in it. The King read the letter and saw plainly that it had been exchanged for the other one. He asked the young man what had become of the letter entrusted to him and why he had brought another one instead. “I know nothing about it,” he answered. “It must have been changed in the night, when I slept in the forest.” The King said in a rage, “You shall not have everything quite so much your own way. Whoever marries my daughter must fetch me three golden hairs from the head of the devil, in hell. Bring me what I want, and you shall keep my daughter.” In this way the King hoped to be rid of him forever. But the lucky child answered, “I will fetch the golden hairs. I am not afraid of the devil.” Then he took leave of them and began his journey.

The road led him to a large town, where the watchman at the gates asked him what his trade was and what he knew. “I know everything,” answered the lucky child. “Then you can do us a favor,” said the watchman, “if you will tell us why our market fountain, which once flowed with wine, has become dry and no longer gives even water.” “You shall know,” he answered. “Only wait until I come back.”

Then he went farther and came to another town, and there too the gatekeeper asked him what his trade was and what he knew. “I know everything,” he answered. “Then you can do us a favor and tell us why a tree in our town that once bore golden apples now does not even put forth leaves.” “You shall know that,” he answered. “Only wait until I come back.”

Then he went on and came to a wide river that he had to cross. The ferryman asked him what his trade was and what he knew. “I know everything,” he answered. “Then you can do me a favor,” said the ferryman, “and tell me why I must always be rowing back and forth and am never set free.” “You shall know that,” he answered. “Only wait until I come back.”

When he had crossed the water, he found the entrance to hell. It was black and sooty inside, and the devil was not at home, but his grandmother was sitting in a large armchair. “What do you want?” she said to him, but she did not look very wicked. “I would like to have three golden hairs from the devil’s head,” he answered, “or else I cannot keep my wife.” “That is a lot to ask for,” she said. “If the devil comes home and finds you, it will cost you your life. But since I pity you, I will see if I can help you.”

She changed him into an ant and said, “Creep into the folds of my dress. You will be safe there.” “Yes,” he answered, “so far, so good. But there are three more things I want to know: why a fountain that once flowed with wine has become dry and no longer gives even water; why a tree that once bore golden apples does not even put forth leaves; and why a ferryman must always go back and forth and is never set free.”

“Those are difficult questions,” she answered, “but just be silent and quiet, and pay attention to what the devil says when I pull out the three golden hairs.”

As evening came on, the devil returned home. No sooner had he entered than he noticed that the air was not pure. “I smell human flesh,” he said. “Something is not right here.” Then he poked into every corner and searched, but he could not find anything. His grandmother scolded him. “It has just been swept,” she said, “and everything put in order, and now you are upsetting it again. You always have human flesh on your mind. Sit down and eat your supper.”

When he had eaten and drunk, he was tired and laid his head in his grandmother’s lap, and before long he was fast asleep, snoring and breathing heavily. Then the old woman took hold of a golden hair, pulled it out, and laid it down near her. “Oh!” cried the devil. “What are you doing?” “I had a bad dream,” answered the grandmother, “so I grabbed your hair.” “What did you dream, then?” said the devil. “I dreamed that a fountain in a marketplace from which wine once flowed had dried up, and not even water would flow out of it. What is the cause of it?” “Oh, ho! If only they knew,” answered the devil. “There is a toad sitting under a stone in the well. If they killed it, the wine would flow again.”

He went to sleep again and snored until the windows shook. Then she pulled out the second hair. “Ha! What are you doing?” cried the devil angrily. “Do not take it badly,” she said. “I did it in a dream.” “What did you dream this time?” he asked. “I dreamed that in a certain kingdom there stood an apple tree that had once borne golden apples but now would not even grow leaves. What do you think was the reason?” “Oh! If only they knew,” answered the devil. “A mouse is gnawing at the root. If they killed it, they would have golden apples again, but if it gnaws much longer, the tree will wither altogether. But leave me alone with your dreams. If you disturb me in my sleep again, you will get a box on the ear.”

The grandmother spoke gently to him until he fell asleep again and snored. Then she took hold of the third golden hair and pulled it out. The devil jumped up and roared, and he would have treated her badly if she had not calmed him once more and said, “Who can help bad dreams?” “What was the dream, then?” he asked, quite curious. “I dreamed of a ferryman who complained that he must always ferry people from one side to the other and was never released. What is the cause of it?” “Ah! The fool,” answered the devil. “When anyone comes and wants to go across, he must put the oar in that person’s hand. Then the other man will have to ferry, and he will be free.” Now that the grandmother had plucked out the three golden hairs and the three questions were answered, she left the old serpent alone, and he slept until daybreak.

When the devil had gone out again, the old woman took the ant out of the folds of her dress and gave the lucky child his human shape again. “Here are the three golden hairs for you,” she said. “I suppose you heard what the devil said to your three questions?” “Yes,” he answered, “I heard, and I will take care to remember.” “You have what you want,” she said, “and now you can go your way.” He thanked the old woman for helping him in his need and left hell well content that everything had turned out so fortunately.

When he came to the ferryman, the man expected him to give the promised answer. “Ferry me across first,” said the lucky child, “and then I will tell you how you can be set free.” When he reached the opposite shore, he gave him the devil’s advice: “The next time anyone comes who wants to be ferried over, just put the oar in his hand.”

He went on and came to the town where the barren tree stood, and there too the watchman wanted an answer. So he told him what he had heard from the devil: “Kill the mouse that is gnawing at its root, and it will bear golden apples again.” Then the watchman thanked him and gave him as a reward two donkeys laden with gold, which followed him.

At last he came to the town whose well was dry. He told the watchman what the devil had said: “A toad is in the well beneath a stone. You must find it and kill it, and the well will again give wine in plenty.” The watchman thanked him and also gave him two donkeys laden with gold.

At last the lucky child got home to his wife, who was heartily glad to see him again and to hear how well he had prospered in everything. He took the King what he had asked for, the devil’s three golden hairs, and when the King saw the four donkeys laden with gold, he was quite content and said, “Now all the conditions are fulfilled, and you can keep my daughter. But tell me, dear son-in-law, where did all that gold come from? This is tremendous wealth!” “I was rowed across a river,” he answered, “and I got it there. It lies on the shore instead of sand.” “Can I fetch some of it too?” said the King, quite eager. “As much as you like,” he answered. “There is a ferryman on the river. Let him ferry you over, and you can fill your sacks on the other side.” The greedy King set out in all haste, and when he came to the river, he beckoned to the ferryman to take him across. The ferryman came and told him to get in, and when they got to the other shore, he put the oar in the King’s hand and sprang out. From that time on, the King had to ferry people as a punishment for his sins. Perhaps he is ferrying still. If he is, it is because no one has taken the oar from him.