Three Hairs from the Giant

There was once a poor woman who gave birth to a little son and it was foretold that in his fourteenth year he would have the King’s daughter for his wife. Soon, the King, in disguise, came into the village and when he asked the people what news there was, they answered, “A child has just been born and it is prophesied that in his fourteenth year he will have the King’s daughter for his wife.”

The King, who had a bad heart, and was angry about the prophecy, went to the parents and offered to care for their son. At first they refused, but when the stranger offered them a large amount of gold, they thought, “It is a luck-child, and everything must turn out well for him.” And so they agreed and gave him the child.

The King put the baby in a box and rode until he came to a deep piece of water, then he threw the box into it and thought, “I have freed my daughter from her unlooked-for suitor.”

The box, however, did not sink. Instead, it floated like a boat to within two miles of the King’s chief city, where it came to a stand-still at the milldam. The miller and his wife, who had no children, found the box and were glad. “God has given him to us,” they said and they took great care of him.

It happened that once in a storm, the King went into the mill and he asked the mill-folk if the tall youth was their son. “No,” they told him. “Fourteen years ago he floated down to the mill-dam in a box, and we pulled him out of the water.”

Then the King knew that it was none other than the luck-child which he had thrown into the water. He then asked if the youth could take a letter to the Queen. “I will give him two gold pieces as a reward.” The miller and his wife told the boy to do as the King commanded. Then the King wrote a letter to the Queen, wherein he said, “As soon as the boy arrives with this letter, let him be killed and buried, and all must be done before I come home.”

The boy set out with this letter but he lost his way and in the evening came to a large forest. In the darkness, he saw a small cottage where he met an old woman sitting by the fire quite alone. “Where do you come from, and where are you going?” she asked him.

“I come from the mill,” he answered, “and wish to go to the Queen, to whom I am taking a letter.” He then explained that he lost his way in the forest and asked to stay the night.

“You poor boy,” replied 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.”

He was not afraid but he was tired and soon fell asleep. Later, the robbers came and angrily asked about the strange boy. The old woman told them he had become lost in the forest, and that she had let him in out of pity. She also told them he had to take a letter to the Queen. The robbers opened the letter and read that the boy was to be put to death as soon as he arrived. The hard-hearted robbers felt pity, and their leader tore up the letter and wrote another, saying, that as soon as the boy came, he should be married at once to the King’s daughter. Then they let him lie sleep until the next morning, and when he awoke they gave him the letter, and showed him the right way.

When she received the letter and read it, the Queen did as was written in it, and had a splendid wedding-feast prepared, and the King’s daughter was married to the luck-child, and as the youth was handsome and agreeable she lived with him in joy and contentment.

After some time the King returned to his palace to find the boy married to his daughter. He then confronted the boy and said in a passion, “You shall not have everything quite so much your own way; whosoever marries my daughter must fetch me from hell three golden hairs from the head of the giant; 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 boy was not afraid and immediately set out on 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 boy. “Then you can tell us why our market-fountain, which once flowed with wine has become dry?” the watchman asked. “That you shall know,” answered the boy, “only wait until I come back.”

Then he went farther and came to another town, and there also the gatekeeper asked him what he knew. “I know everything,” he said again. “Then you can do us a favour and tell us why a tree in our town which once bore golden apples now does not even put forth leaves?” “You shall know that,” answered the boy, “only wait until I come back.”

Then he went on and came to a wide river, where a ferryman was waiting. The ferryman asked him what he knew. “I know everything,” he answered again. “Then you can do me a favour and tell me why I must always be rowing backwards and forwards, and am never set free?” the ferryman asked. “You shall know that,” answered the boy, “only wait until I come back.”

When he had crossed the water, he found the entrance to Hell. The giant was not at home, but his grandmother was sitting in a large arm-chair. “What do you want?” she asked. He told her he came for three golden hairs from the giant’s head and to know the answers to the questions he had been asked by the watchman, the gatekeeper and the ferry-man, or else he would lose his wife.

“That is a good deal to ask for,” the woman said. “But as I pity you, I will see if I can help you.”

She changed him into an ant and put him into the folds of her dress to keep him safe and then told him to be quiet and to pay attention to the giant’s words.

The giant eventually returned home and he quickly ate and drank as he was tired, then he laid his head in his grandmother’s lap. Soon he was fast asleep, snoring and breathing heavily. The old woman then took hold of a golden hair and pulled it out. “What are you doing?” cried the giant “I have had a bad dream,” she answered, “so I seized hold of your hair.” “What did you dream then?” asked the giant. “I dreamed that a fountain in a marketplace from which wine once flowed was dried up. What is the cause of it?” “Oh, ho!,” answered the giant, “there is a toad sitting under a stone in the well; if it is killed, the wine would flow again.”

He went to sleep again and snored until the windows shook. Then she pulled the second hair out. “What are you doing?” cried the giant angrily. “I dreamt that there stood an apple-tree which had once borne golden apples, but now would not even bear leaves. What do you think was the reason?” the woman answered. “Oh! A mouse is gnawing at the root; if they killed this they would have golden apples again,” he answered before returning to sleep again.

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 giant jumped up and roared out. “Who can help bad dreams?” the old woman said. “What was the dream, then?” asked the giant, who was quite curious. “I dreamt of a ferry-man who complained that he must always ferry from one side to the other, and was never released. What is the cause of it?” “Ah! The fool,” answered the giant, “When any one comes and wants to go across he must put the oar in his hand, and the other man will have to ferry and he will be free.” As she had gotten the three golden hairs and the three questions were answered, the old woman let the giant sleep until daybreak.

When the giant had gone out again the old woman took the ant out of the folds of her dress, and gave the boy his human shape again. “You have what you want,” she said as she gave him the hairs, “and now you can go your way.” He thanked the old woman for helping him and set out for home.

When he came to the ferry-man, he was expected to give the promised answer. “Ferry me across first,” said the boy, “and then I will tell you how you can be set free.” When he reached the opposite shore, he gave him the giant’s advice: “Next time any one comes and wants to be ferried over, just put the oar in his hand.”

He also returned to the gatekeeper and the watchman and gave them the answers he had promised. They thanked him and each gave him two horses laden with gold as a reward.

At last the boy returned home and gave the King the giant’s three golden hairs. But it was the horses laden with gold that captured the King’s attention and he asked the boy where he had found the gold. “I was rowed across a river,” he answered, “and got it there; it lies on the shore instead of sand.” “Can I too fetch some of it?” asked the King. “As much as you like,” the boy answered. “There is a ferry-man 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 ferry-man to take him across. The ferry-man agreed but when they got to the other shore he put the oar in the King’s hand and sprang out. From then on, the King had to ferry, as a punishment for his sins.

“Three hairs from the Giant” is adapted from “The Devil With the Three Golden Hairs,” a German fairy tale collected by the Brothers Grimm.