The boy placed himself by the brink of the well,
and often saw a golden fish or a golden snake show itself therein,
and took care that nothing fell in. As he was thus sitting, his
finger hurt him so violently that he involuntarily put it in the
water. He drew it quickly out again, but saw that it was quite
gilded, and whatsoever pains he took to wash the gold off again,
all was to no purpose. In the evening iron Hans came back, looked
at the boy, and said, what has happened to the well. Nothing,
nothing, he answered, and held his finger behind his back, that
the man might not see it. But he said, you have dipped your finger
into the water, this time it may pass, but take care you do not
again let anything go in. By daybreak the boy was already sitting
by the well and watching it. His finger hurt him again and he
passed it over his head, and then unhappily a hair fell down into
the well. He took it quickly out, but it was already quite gilded.
Iron Hans came, and already knew what had happened. You have let a
hair fall into the well, said he. I will allow you to watch by it
once more, but if this happens for the third time then the well is
polluted, and you can no longer remain with me.
On the third day, the boy sat by the well, and did
not stir his finger, however much it hurt him. But the time was
long to him, and he looked at the reflection of his face on the
surface of the water. And as he still bent down more and more
while he was doing so, and trying to look straight into the eyes,
his long hair fell down from his shoulders into the water. He
raised himself up quickly, but the whole of the hair of his head
was already golden and shone like the sun. You can imagine how
terrified the poor boy was. He took his pocket-handkerchief and
tied it round his head, in order that the man might not see it.
When he came he already knew everything, and said, take the
handkerchief off. Then the golden hair streamed forth, and let the
boy excuse himself as he might, it was of no use. You have not
stood the trial, and can stay here no longer. Go forth into the
world, there you will learn what poverty is. But as you have not a
bad heart, and as I mean well by you, there is one thing I will
grant you. If you fall into any difficulty, come to the forest and
cry, iron Hans, and then I will come and help you. My power is
great, greater than you think, and I have gold and silver in
abundance.
Then the king's son left the forest, and walked by
beaten and unbeaten paths ever onwards until at length he reached
a great city. There he looked for work, but could find none, and
he had learnt nothing by which he could help himself. At length he
went to the palace, and asked if they would take him in. The
people about court did not at all know what use they could make of
him, but they liked him, and told him to stay. At length the cook
took him into his service, and said he might carry wood and water,
and rake the cinders together. Once when it so happened that no
one else was at hand, the cook ordered him to carry the food to
the royal table, but as he did not like to let his golden hair be
seen, he kept his little cap on. Such a thing as that had never
yet come under the king's notice, and he said, when you come to
the royal table you must take your hat off. He answered, ah, lord,
I cannot. I have a bad sore place on my head. Then the king had
the cook called before him and scolded him, and asked how he could
take such a boy as that into his service, and that he was to send
him away at once. The cook, however, had pity on him, and
exchanged him for the gardener's boy. And now the boy had to plant
and water the garden, hoe and dig, and bear the wind and bad
weather.
Once in summer when he was working alone in the
garden, the day was so warm he took his little cap off that the
air might cool him. As the sun shone on his hair it glittered and
flashed so that the rays fell into the bed-room of the king's
daughter, and up she sprang to see what that could be. Then she
saw the boy, and cried to him, boy, bring me a wreath of flowers.
He put his cap on with all haste, and gathered wild field-flowers
and bound them together. When he was ascending the stairs with
them, the gardener met him, and said, how can you take the king's
daughter a garland of such common flowers. Go quickly, and get
another, and seek out the prettiest and rarest. Oh, no, replied
the boy, the wild ones have more scent, and will please her
better. When he got into the room, the king's daughter said, take
your cap off, it is not seemly to keep it on in my presence. He
again said, I may not, I have a sore head. She, however, caught at
his cap and pulled it off, and then his golden hair rolled down on
his shoulders, and it was splendid to behold.
He wanted to run out, but she held him by the arm,
and gave him a handful of ducats. With these he departed, but he
cared nothing for the gold pieces. He took them to the gardener,
and said, I present them to your children, they can play with
them. The following day the king's daughter again called to him
that he was to bring her a wreath of field-flowers, and when he
went in with it, she instantly snatched at his cap, and wanted to
take it away from him, but he held it fast with both hands. She
again gave him a handful of ducats, but he would not keep them,
and gave them to the gardener for playthings for his children. On
the third day things went just the same. She could not get his cap
away from him, and he would not have her money. Not long
afterwards, the country was overrun by war. The king gathered
together his people, and did not know whether or not he could
offer any opposition to the enemy, who was superior in strength
and had a mighty army. Then said the gardener's boy, I am grown
up, and will go to the wars also, only give me a I am grown up,
and will go the the wars also, only give me a horse.
The others laughed, and said, seek one for
yourself when we are gone, we will leave one behind us in the
stable for you. When they had gone forth, he went into the stable,
and led the horse out. It was lame of one foot, and limped
hobblety jig, hobblety jig, nevertheless he mounted it, and rode
away to the dark forest. When he came to the outskirts, he called
'iron Hans, three times so loudly that it echoed through the
trees. Thereupon the wild man appeared immediately, and said, what
do you desire. I want a strong steed, for I am going to the wars.
That you shall have, and still more than you ask for. Then the
wild man went back into the forest, and it was not long before a
stable-boy came out of it, who led a horse that snorted with its
nostrils, and could hardly be restrained, and behind them followed
a great troop of warriors entirely equipped in iron, and their
swords flashed in the sun. The youth made over his three-legged
horse to the stable-boy, mounted the other, and rode at the head
of the soldiers. When he got near the battle-field a great part of
the king's men had already fallen, and little was wanting to make
the rest give way.
Then the youth galloped thither with his iron
soldiers, broke like a hurricane over the enemy, and beat down all
who opposed him. They began to flee, but the youth pursued, and
never stopped, until there was not a single man left. Instead of
returning to the king, however, he conducted his troop by byways
back to the forest, and called forth iron Hans. What do you
desire, asked the wild man. Take back your horse and your troops,
and give me my three-legged horse again. All that he asked was
done, and soon he was riding on his three-legged horse. When the
king returned to his palace, his daughter went to meet him, and
wished him joy of his victory. I am not the one who carried away
the victory, said he, but a strange knight who came to my
assistance with his soldiers. The daughter wanted to hear who the
strange knight was, but the king did not know, and said, he
followed the enemy, and I did not see him again. She inquired of
the gardener where his boy was, but he smiled, and said, he has
just come home on his three-legged horse, and the others have been
mocking him, and crying, here comes our hobblety jig back again.
They asked, too, under what hedge have you been
lying sleeping all the time. So he said, I did the best of all,
and it would have gone badly without me. And then he was still
more ridiculed. The king said to his daughter, I will proclaim a
great feast that shall last for three days, and you shall throw a
golden apple. Perhaps the unknown man will show himself. When the
feast was announced, the youth went out to the forest, and called
iron Hans. What do you desire, asked he. That I may catch the
king's daughter's golden apple. It is as safe as if you had it
already, said iron Hans. You shall likewise have a suit of red
armor for the occasion, and ride on a spirited chestnut-horse.
When the day came, the youth galloped to the spot, took his place
amongst the knights, and was recognized by no one. The king's
daughter came forward, and threw a golden apple to the knights,
but none of them caught it but he, only as soon as he had it he
galloped away. On the second day iron Hans equipped him as a white
knight, and gave him a white horse. Again he was the only one who
caught the apple, and he did not linger an instant, but galloped
off with it.
The king grew angry, and said, that is not
allowed. He must appear before me and tell his name. He gave the
order that if the knight who caught the apple, should go away
again they should pursue him, and if he would not come back
willingly, they were to cut him down and stab him. On the third
day, he received from iron Hans a suit of black armor and a black
horse, and again he caught the apple. But when he was riding off
with it, the king's attendants pursued him, and one of them got so
near him that he wounded the youth's leg with the point of his
sword. The youth nevertheless escaped from them, but his horse
leapt so violently that the helmet fell from the youth's head, and
they could see that he had golden hair. They rode back and
announced this to the king. The following day the king's daughter
asked the gardener about his boy. He is at work in the garden. The
queer creature has been at the festival too, and only came home
yesterday evening. He has likewise shown my children three golden
apples which he has won. The king had him summoned into his
presence, and he came and again had his little cap on his head.
But the king's daughter went up to him and took it
off, and then his golden hair fell down over his shoulders, and he
was so handsome that all were amazed. Are you the knight who came
every day to the festival, always in different colors, and who
caught the three golden apples, asked the king. Yes, answered he,
and here the apples are, and he took them out of his pocket, and
returned them to the king. If you desire further proof, you may
see the wound which your people gave me when they followed me. But
I am likewise the knight who helped you to your victory over your
enemies. If you can perform such deeds as that, you are no
gardener's boy, tell me, who is your father. My father is a mighty
king, and gold have I in plenty as great as I require. I well see,
said the king, that I owe thanks to you, can I do anything to
please you. Yes, answered he, that indeed you can. Give me your
daughter to wife. The maiden laughed, and said, he does not stand
much on ceremony, but I have already seen by his golden hair that
he was no gardener's boy, and then she went and kissed him. His
father and mother came to the wedding, and were in great delight,
for they had given up all hope of ever seeing their dear son
again. And as they were sitting at the marriage-feast, the music
suddenly stopped, the doors opened, and a stately king came in
with a great retinue. He went up to the youth, embraced him and
said, I am iron Hans, and was by enchantment a wild man, but you
have set me free. All the treasures which I possess, shall be your
property. |