Therewasonceupon a time a kingwhohad a greatforestnearhispalace, fullofallkindsofwildanimals. Onedayhesentout a huntsmantoshoothim a roe, buthedidnotcomeback. 'Perhapssomeaccidenthasbefallenhim,' saidtheking, andthenextdayhesentouttwomorehuntsmenwhoweretosearchforhim, buttheytoostayedaway. Thenonthethirdday, hesentforallhishuntsmen, andsaid: 'Scourthewholeforestthrough, anddonotgiveupuntilyouhavefoundallthree.' Butofthesealso, nonecamehomeagain, nonewereseenagain. Fromthattimeforth, noonewouldanylongerventureintotheforest, anditlaythereindeepstillnessandsolitude, andnothingwasseenofit, butsometimesaneagleor a hawkflyingoverit. Thislastedformanyyears, whenanunknownhuntsmanannouncedhimselftothekingasseeking a situation, andofferedtogointothedangerousforest. Theking, however, wouldnotgivehisconsent, andsaid: 'Itisnotsafeinthere; I fearitwouldfarewithyounobetterthanwiththeothers, andyouwouldnevercomeoutagain.' Thehuntsmanreplied: 'Lord, I willventureitatmyownrisk, offear I knownothing.'
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Thehuntsmanthereforebetookhimselfwithhisdogtotheforest. Itwasnotlongbeforethedogfellinwithsomegameontheway, andwantedtopursueit; buthardlyhadthedogruntwostepswhenitstoodbefore a deeppool, couldgonofarther, and a nakedarmstretcheditselfoutofthewater, seizedit, anddrewitunder. Whenthehuntsmansawthat, hewentbackandfetchedthreementocomewithbucketsandbaleoutthewater. Whentheycouldseetothebottomtherelay a wildmanwhosebodywasbrownlikerustyiron, andwhosehairhungoverhisfacedowntohisknees. Theyboundhimwithcords, andledhimawaytothecastle. Therewasgreatastonishmentoverthewildman; theking, however, hadhimputinanironcageinhiscourtyard, andforbadethedoortobeopenedonpainofdeath, andthequeenherselfwastotakethekeyintoherkeeping. Andfromthistimefortheveryonecouldagaingointotheforestwithsafety.
Whenthewildmanhadoncemorereachedthedarkforest, hetooktheboydownfromhisshoulder, andsaidtohim: 'Youwillneverseeyourfatherandmotheragain, but I willkeepyouwithme, foryouhavesetmefree, and I havecompassiononyou. Ifyoudoall I bidyou, youshallfarewell. Oftreasureandgoldhave I enough, andmorethananyoneintheworld.' Hemade a bedofmossfortheboyonwhichheslept, andthenextmorningthemantookhimto a well, andsaid: 'Behold, thegoldwellisasbrightandclearascrystal, youshallsitbesideit, andtakecarethatnothingfallsintoit, oritwillbepolluted. I willcomeeveryeveningtoseeifyouhaveobeyedmyorder.' Theboyplacedhimselfbythebrinkofthewell, andoftensaw a goldenfishor a goldensnakeshowitselftherein, andtookcarethatnothingfellin. Ashewasthussitting, hisfingerhurthimsoviolentlythatheinvoluntarilyputitinthewater. Hedrewitquicklyoutagain, butsawthatitwasquitegilded, andwhatsoeverpainshetooktowashthegoldoffagain, allwastonopurpose. IntheeveningIronHanscameback, lookedattheboy, andsaid: 'Whathashappenedtothewell?' 'Nothingnothing,' heanswered, andheldhisfingerbehindhisback, thatthemanmightnotseeit. Buthesaid: 'Youhavedippedyourfingerintothewater, thistimeitmaypass, buttakecareyoudonotagainletanythinggoin.' Bydaybreaktheboywasalreadysittingbythewellandwatchingit. Hisfingerhurthimagainandhepasseditoverhishead, andthenunhappily a hairfelldownintothewell. Hetookitquicklyout, butitwasalreadyquitegilded. IronHanscame, andalreadyknewwhathadhappened. 'Youhavelet a hairfallintothewell,' saidhe. 'I willallowyoutowatchbyitoncemore, butifthishappensforthethirdtimethenthewellispollutedandyoucannolongerremainwithme.'
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Onthethirdday, theboysatbythewell, anddidnotstirhisfinger, howevermuchithurthim. Butthetimewaslongtohim, andhelookedatthereflectionofhisfaceonthesurfaceofthewater. Andashestillbentdownmoreandmorewhilehewasdoingso, andtryingtolookstraightintotheeyes, hislonghairfelldownfromhisshouldersintothewater. Heraisedhimselfupquickly, butthewholeofthehairofhisheadwasalreadygoldenandshonelikethesun. Youcanimaginehowterrifiedthepoorboywas! Hetookhispocket-handkerchiefandtieditroundhishead, inorderthatthemanmightnotseeit. Whenhecamehealreadykneweverything, andsaid: 'Takethehandkerchiefoff.' Thenthegoldenhairstreamedforth, andlettheboyexcusehimselfashemight, itwasofnouse. 'Youhavenotstoodthetrialandcanstayherenolonger. Goforthintotheworld, thereyouwilllearnwhatpovertyis. Butasyouhavenot a badheart, andas I meanwellbyyou, thereisonething I willgrantyou; ifyoufallintoanydifficulty, cometotheforestandcry: "IronHans," andthen I willcomeandhelpyou. Mypowerisgreat, greaterthanyouthink, and I havegoldandsilverinabundance.'
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Thentheking's sonlefttheforest, andwalkedbybeatenandunbeatenpathseveronwardsuntilatlengthhereached a greatcity. Therehelookedforwork, butcouldfindnone, andhelearntnothingbywhichhecouldhelphimself. Atlengthhewenttothepalace, andaskediftheywouldtakehimin. Thepeopleaboutcourtdidnotatallknowwhatusetheycouldmakeofhim, buttheylikedhim, andtoldhimtostay. Atlengththecooktookhimintohisservice, andsaidhemightcarrywoodandwater, andrakethecinderstogether. Oncewhenitsohappenedthatnooneelsewasathand, thecookorderedhimtocarrythefoodtotheroyaltable, butashedidnotliketolethisgoldenhairbeseen, hekepthislittlecapon. Such a thingasthathadneveryetcomeundertheking's notice, andhesaid: 'Whenyoucometotheroyaltableyoumusttakeyourhatoff.' Heanswered: 'Ah, Lord, I cannot; I have a badsoreplaceonmyhead.' Thenthekinghadthecookcalledbeforehimandscoldedhim, andaskedhowhecouldtakesuch a boyasthatintohisservice; andthathewastosendhimawayatonce. Thecook, however, hadpityonhim, andexchangedhimforthegardener's boy.
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Andnowtheboyhadtoplantandwaterthegarden, hoeanddig, andbearthewindandbadweather. Onceinsummerwhenhewasworkingaloneinthegarden, thedaywassowarmhetookhislittlecapoffthattheairmightcoolhim. Asthesunshoneonhishairitglitteredandflashedsothattheraysfellintothebedroomoftheking's daughter, andupshesprangtoseewhatthatcouldbe. Thenshesawtheboy, andcriedtohim: 'Boy, bringme a wreathofflowers.' Heputhiscaponwithallhaste, andgatheredwildfield-flowersandboundthemtogether. Whenhewasascendingthestairswiththem, thegardenermethim, andsaid: 'Howcanyoutaketheking's daughter a garlandofsuchcommonflowers? Goquickly, andgetanother, andseekouttheprettiestandrarest.' 'Oh, no,' repliedtheboy, 'thewildoneshavemorescent, andwillpleaseherbetter.' Whenhegotintotheroom, theking's daughtersaid: 'Takeyourcapoff, itisnotseemlytokeepitoninmypresence.' Heagainsaid: 'I maynot, I have a sorehead.' She, however, caughtathiscapandpulleditoff, andthenhisgoldenhairrolleddownonhisshoulders, anditwassplendidtobehold. Hewantedtorunout, butsheheldhimbythearm, andgavehim a handfulofducats. Withthesehedeparted, buthecarednothingforthegoldpieces. Hetookthemtothegardener, andsaid: 'I presentthemtoyourchildren, theycanplaywiththem.' Thefollowingdaytheking's daughteragaincalledtohimthathewastobringher a wreathoffield-flowers, andthenhewentinwithit, sheinstantlysnatchedathiscap, andwantedtotakeitawayfromhim, buthehelditfastwithbothhands. Sheagaingavehim a handfulofducats, buthewouldnotkeepthem, andgavethemtothegardenerforplaythingsforhischildren. Onthethirddaythingswentjustthesame; shecouldnotgethiscapawayfromhim, andhewouldnothavehermoney.
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Notlongafterwards, thecountrywasoverrunbywar. Thekinggatheredtogetherhispeople, anddidnotknowwhetherornothecouldofferanyoppositiontotheenemy, whowassuperiorinstrengthandhad a mightyarmy. Thensaidthegardener's boy: 'I amgrownup, andwillgotothewarsalso, onlygiveme a horse.' Theotherslaughed, andsaid: 'Seekoneforyourselfwhenwearegone, wewillleaveonebehindusinthestableforyou.' Whentheyhadgoneforth, hewentintothestable, andledthehorseout; itwaslameofonefoot, andlimpedhobbletyjib, hobbletyjib; neverthelesshemountedit, androdeawaytothedarkforest. Whenhecametotheoutskirts, hecalled 'IronHans' threetimessoloudlythatitechoedthroughthetrees. Thereuponthewildmanappearedimmediately, andsaid: 'Whatdoyoudesire?' 'I want a strongsteed, for I amgoingtothewars.' 'Thatyoushallhave, andstillmorethanyouaskfor.' Thenthewildmanwentbackintotheforest, anditwasnotlongbefore a stable-boycameoutofit, wholed a horsethatsnortedwithitsnostrils, andcouldhardlyberestrained, andbehindthemfollowed a greattroopofwarriorsentirelyequippediniron, andtheirswordsflashedinthesun. Theyouthmadeoverhisthree-leggedhorsetothestable-boy, mountedtheother, androdeattheheadofthesoldiers. Whenhegotnearthebattlefield a greatpartoftheking's menhadalreadyfallen, andlittlewaswantingtomaketherestgiveway. Thentheyouthgallopedthitherwithhisironsoldiers, brokelike a hurricaneovertheenemy, andbeatdownallwhoopposedhim. Theybegantoflee, buttheyouthpursued, andneverstopped, untiltherewasnot a singlemanleft. Insteadofreturningtotheking, however, heconductedhistroopbybywaysbacktotheforest, andcalledforthIronHans. 'Whatdoyoudesire?' askedthewildman. 'Takebackyourhorseandyourtroops, andgivememythree-leggedhorseagain.' Allthatheaskedwasdone, andsoonhewasridingonhisthree-leggedhorse. Whenthekingreturnedtohispalace, hisdaughterwenttomeethim, andwishedhimjoyofhisvictory. 'I amnottheonewhocarriedawaythevictory,' saidhe, 'but a strangeknightwhocametomyassistancewithhissoldiers.' Thedaughterwantedtohearwhothestrangeknightwas, butthekingdidnotknow, andsaid: 'Hefollowedtheenemy, and I didnotseehimagain.' Sheinquiredofthegardenerwherehisboywas, buthesmiled, andsaid: 'Hehasjustcomehomeonhisthree-leggedhorse, andtheothershavebeenmockinghim, andcrying: "Herecomesourhobbletyjibbackagain!" Theyasked, too: "Underwhathedgehaveyoubeenlyingsleepingallthetime?" Sohesaid: "I didthebestofall, anditwouldhavegonebadlywithoutme." Andthenhewasstillmoreridiculed.'
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Thekingsaidtohisdaughter: 'I willproclaim a greatfeastthatshalllastforthreedays, andyoushallthrow a goldenapple. Perhapstheunknownmanwillshowhimself.' Whenthefeastwasannounced, theyouthwentouttotheforest, andcalledIronHans. 'Whatdoyoudesire?' askedhe. 'That I maycatchtheking's daughter's goldenapple.' 'Itisassafeasifyouhaditalready,' saidIronHans. 'Youshalllikewisehave a suitofredarmourfortheoccasion, andrideon a spiritedchestnut-horse.' Whenthedaycame, theyouthgallopedtothespot, tookhisplaceamongsttheknights, andwasrecognizedbynoone. Theking's daughtercameforward, andthrew a goldenappletotheknights, butnoneofthemcaughtitbuthe, onlyassoonashehadithegallopedaway.
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OntheseconddayIronHansequippedhimas a whiteknight, andgavehim a whitehorse. Againhewastheonlyonewhocaughttheapple, andhedidnotlingeraninstant, butgallopedoffwithit. Thekinggrewangry, andsaid: 'Thatisnotallowed; hemustappearbeforemeandtellhisname.' Hegavetheorderthatiftheknightwhocaughttheapple, shouldgoawayagaintheyshouldpursuehim, andifhewouldnotcomebackwillingly, theyweretocuthimdownandstabhim.
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Onthethirdday, hereceivedfromIronHans a suitofblackarmourand a blackhorse, andagainhecaughttheapple. Butwhenhewasridingoffwithit, theking's attendantspursuedhim, andoneofthemgotsonearhimthathewoundedtheyouth's legwiththepointofhissword. Theyouthneverthelessescapedfromthem, buthishorseleaptsoviolentlythatthehelmetfellfromtheyouth's head, andtheycouldseethathehadgoldenhair. Theyrodebackandannouncedthistotheking.