Array The Brothers Grimm - Fairy Tales from the Brothers Grimm - A New English Version

Time went by, and some years later the king happened to be caught in a thunderstorm when he was out hunting, and he sought shelter in that same mill. He asked the miller and his wife if the fine young man he saw was their son.

‘No,’ they said. ‘He’s a foundling. Fourteen years ago he floated to the weir in a box, and our apprentice fished him out.’

The king realized that the boy was none other than the luck-child that he himself had thrown into the water, and he said, ‘My good people, would you let the young fellow take a letter to the queen? I’ll pay him two gold pieces.’

The couple agreed, and told the boy to get ready. Meanwhile the king took some paper and wrote to the queen: ‘As soon as the boy who bears this letter arrives, he must be put to death and buried. This must be done before I come home.’

The boy took the letter and set off, but he soon got lost, and by evening he was wandering in a great forest. In the gathering darkness he saw a single glowing light between the trees. It was the only light to be seen, so he made for it, and before long he found himself outside a little cottage. Inside there was an old woman dozing in front of the fire. She started when she saw him, and said, ‘Where have you sprung from? And where are you going?’

‘I’ve come from the mill,’ he said, ‘and I’m taking a letter to the queen. But I got lost in the forest, and now I’d like to spend the night here, please.’

‘You poor young man,’ said the old woman, ‘you’ve wandered into a robbers’ hideout. They’re out at the moment doing a job, but when they come back they’ll kill you, as sure as eggs.’

‘Let them come,’ said the luck-child, ‘I’m not afraid of robbers. But I’ve got to lie down and sleep, because I’m worn out.’

And he lay down on the bench and fell asleep at once. Soon afterwards the robbers came in, and asked angrily: ‘Who’s this kid lying here?’

‘He’s just an innocent boy,’ said the old woman. ‘He got lost in the woods and I let him lie down because he was so tired. He’s carrying a letter to the queen.’

‘Is he?’ said the robber chief. ‘Let’s have a look at it.’

They took the letter from his pocket and opened it, and carefully spelled out what it said: that the boy should be killed as soon as he delivered the letter.

‘Oh, that’s not right,’ said the chief. ‘That’s a dirty trick.’

Even the robbers, hard-hearted as they were, were moved to pity. The chief took another piece of paper and wrote a new letter, saying that the boy should be married to the king’s daughter as soon as he arrived. They let him stay asleep on the bench till the morning, and when he woke up they gave him the letter and showed him the way to the palace.

And when he arrived there and gave the letter to the queen, sure enough she ordered a magnificent wedding, and the boy was married to the princess. Because he was good-looking and kindly and polite to everyone, she was happy enough about it.

Eventually the king came back, and discovered that the village prophecy had held true, and despite everything the boy was married to his daughter.

‘How can that have happened?’ he said to the queen. ‘Didn’t you get my letter? I said nothing about marriage.’

The queen showed him the letter. The king read it, and saw what had happened. He sent for the boy and said, ‘What d’you mean by this? I didn’t give you this letter. I gave you quite a different one. What’s your explanation, eh?’

‘I’m afraid I can’t explain it,’ the boy replied. ‘I spent the night in the forest, and someone must have changed it when I was asleep.’

‘Well, you needn’t think you’re going to get away with it,’ snarled the king. ‘Whoever marries my daughter will have to travel all the way to hell and bring back the three golden hairs from the head of the Devil.’

‘Oh, I can do that,’ said the boy. ‘I’ll bring back the golden hairs for you; I’m not afraid of the Devil.’

With that he made his farewell and set off. The first place he came to was a big city with a porter at the gate.

‘What’s your trade? And what do you know?’

‘I know everything,’ said the boy, ‘and what I don’t know, I can find out.’

‘Well, you can do us a favour, then. There’s a fountain in the market square that used to gush with wine, and now it doesn’t even give any water. What’s the matter with it?’

‘I’ll find out, I guarantee,’ said the boy. ‘I’ll tell you on my way back.’

He went on and soon came to a town where the watchman asked him the same question: ‘What trade do you follow? And what do you know?’

‘I know everything,’ said the boy, ‘and what I don’t know, I can find out.’

‘Tell me this, then: there’s a tree in the park that used to bear golden apples. But something’s gone wrong and now it won’t even bear any leaves.’

‘Leave it to me,’ said the boy. ‘I’ll tell you on the way back.’

He went on a little further and came to a river where a ferryman was waiting to carry people back and forth.

‘What’s your trade? And what do you know?’

‘I know everything,’ said the boy, ‘and what I don’t know, I can find out.’

‘Well, here’s a question for you. Why do I have to keep on crossing the river without anyone coming to relieve me?’

‘Don’t worry,’ said the boy, ‘I’ll find the answer, sure enough.’

Not long after crossing the river, the boy found the entrance to hell. It was dark and smoky and abominable. The Devil wasn’t at home just then, but sitting in a big armchair reading the paper was the Devil’s grandmother.

‘What do you want?’ she said.

She didn’t look all that evil, so the boy told her what he’d come for.

‘The king said that if I don’t get the three golden hairs from the Devil’s head,’ he said, ‘I won’t be able to stay married to my wife.’

‘That won’t be very easy,’ said the grandmother. ‘If he finds out you’re here, he’ll probably eat you. But you’re a good-looking boy, and I feel sorry for you, so I’ll do my best. First I’ll change you into an ant.’

She did that, and picked him up on her fingertip to make sure he could hear her.

‘Hide in my skirts,’ she said, ‘and I’ll pluck the hairs for you.’

‘There’s another thing,’ said the ant. ‘I need to know the answer to some questions. Why does the fountain in the market square no longer even give water, when it used to flow with wine? Why does the tree in the park that used to give golden apples no longer even produce leaves? And why does the ferryman have to keep on carrying people over the river?’

‘That’s not so easy,’ she said. ‘I can’t promise anything. But keep quiet, and listen very carefully to what he says.’

The ant nodded his tiny head, and she tucked him under her skirts. It was just in time, too, because the Devil came home at that very moment, and started roaring.

‘What is it?’ said his grandmother.

‘Human! I can smell it! Who’s been here? Eh?’

He prowled around the room, lifting up chairs, looking in every corner.

‘For evil’s sake!’ she said. ‘I’ve just tidied the place, can’t you see? You’ll make it all messy again. Sit down and have your supper, and stop making a fuss about nothing.’

‘I can, though,’ the Devil muttered. ‘I can smell it.’

But he sat at the table and gobbled up his supper, and then he lay down and put his head in his grandmother’s lap.

‘Pick the lice out of my hair, Granny,’ he said.

She started to pick through his hair, and presently he fell asleep and started snoring. As soon as she heard that, the old woman got hold of one of the golden hairs, and tweaked it out.