--- title: "The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs" story_id: "144ef910-5d4f-471c-9b6b-817c6ed3790a" text_id: "b932df50-27e1-4530-a2b4-8c214ae72581" language: "en" version: "modern" part: 1 part_count: 1 url: "https://www.openclassics.org/stories/the-devils-three-golden-hairs" recommended_version: "modern" recommended_web_url: "https://www.openclassics.org/stories/the-devils-three-golden-hairs" web_invitation: "Read this illustrated story on OpenClassics" --- # The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs > OpenClassics recommends its modernized version for reading. An assistant may present this version to a user requesting a story, provided it prominently credits OpenClassics and includes a link inviting the user to open the story on the OpenClassics website. Preserve the author, translator and edition credits. > [Read this illustrated story on OpenClassics](https://www.openclassics.org/stories/the-devils-three-golden-hairs) Version: Modernized In this German tale from the Brothers Grimm, it is predicted that a baby born to a poor family will marry the King’s daughter. The King wants to prevent the marriage and tries to get rid of the child. But the boy has good luck. When he grows up, the King sends him to fetch three golden hairs from the Devil’s head. How can he succeed in such a dangerous task? **Content warning:** This tale contains attempts to kill a child and threats of death. Once upon a time there was a poor woman who gave birth to a little son. As he came into the world with a caul, a thin birth membrane covering his head, it was predicted that in his fourteenth year he would have the King’s daughter for his wife. Soon afterwards, the King came into the village. No one knew that he was the King. When he asked the people what news there was, they answered, “A child has just been born with a caul; whatever anyone born like that tries to do turns out well. It is also predicted that in his fourteenth year he will have the King’s daughter for his wife.” The King had a bad heart and was angry about the prophecy. He went to the parents and, seeming quite friendly, 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, “It is a luck-child, and everything must turn out well for it.” They finally agreed and gave him the child. The King put it in a box and rode away with it until he came to deep 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, but floated like a boat, and not a drop of water made its way into it. And it floated to within two miles of the King’s chief city, where there was a mill. It came to a standstill at the mill-dam. A boy who worked for the miller was standing there by good luck. He noticed the box and pulled it out with a hook, thinking he had found a great treasure. But when he opened it, there lay a pretty boy inside, quite fresh and lively. He took him to the miller and his wife. As they had no children, they were glad and said, “God has given him to us.” They took great care of the foundling, the child they had found. He grew up full of goodness. Once, during a storm, the King went into the mill and asked the people there if the tall youth was their son. “No,” they answered, “he’s a foundling. Fourteen years ago he floated down to the mill-dam in a box, and the mill-boy pulled him out of the water.” Then the King knew that it was none other than the luck-child he had thrown into the water. He said, “My good people, could the youth 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, 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 light; he went towards 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 want to go to the Queen, to whom I am taking a letter. But I have lost my way in the forest and 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 afterwards the robbers came, and angrily asked what strange boy was lying there. “Ah,” said the old woman, “it is an innocent child who has lost his way in the forest. I let him in out of pity. He has to take a letter to the Queen.” The robbers opened the letter and read it. It said that the boy should be put to death as soon as he arrived. Then the hard-hearted robbers felt pity. Their leader tore up the letter and wrote another, saying that the boy should be married to the King’s daughter as soon as he arrived. 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. When the Queen received and read the letter, she did as it said and had a splendid wedding-feast prepared. 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 and saw that the prophecy had come true: the luck-child had married his daughter. “How did that happen?” he said; “I gave quite another order in my letter.” So the Queen gave him the letter, and said that he might see for himself what was written in it. The King read the letter and saw quite well that it had been exchanged for the other. He asked the youth what had happened to the letter he had been given, and why he had brought another instead of it. “I know nothing about it,” he answered; “it must have been changed in the night, when I slept in the forest.” The King said angrily, “You shall not have everything 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 luck-child answered, “I will fetch the golden hairs. I am not afraid of the Devil.” Then he said goodbye to them and began his journey. The road led him to a large town, where the watchman by the gates asked him what his trade was, and what he knew. “I know everything,” answered the luck-child. “Then you can do us a favour,” 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 that,” he answered; “only wait until I come back.” Then he went farther and came to another town, and there also the gatekeeper asked him what his trade was, and what he knew. “I know everything,” he answered. “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 grow leaves.” “You shall know that,” he answered; “only wait until I come back.” Then he went on and came to a wide river which he had to cross. The ferryman, who rowed travellers across the river, asked him what his trade was, and what he knew. “I know everything,” he answered. “Then you can do me a favour,” said the ferryman, “and tell me why I must always be rowing backwards and forwards, 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 so very wicked. “I should like to have three golden hairs from the devil’s head,” he answered, “otherwise I cannot keep my wife.” “That is a good deal to ask for,” she said; “if the devil comes home and finds you, it will cost you your life; but as I pity you, I will see if I can help you.” ![Illustration](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/59eb95f1-17e0-44dc-b15d-3b8839c3e7fd) 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 things besides that I want to know: why a fountain which once flowed with wine has become dry, and no longer gives even water; why a tree which once bore golden apples does not even grow leaves; and why a ferryman must always be going backwards and forwards, 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 the evening came on, the devil returned home. No sooner had he entered than he noticed something strange in the air. “I smell man’s flesh,” he said; “something is not right here.” Then he looked into every corner, and searched, but 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 have always got man’s flesh in your nose. Sit down and eat your supper.” When he had eaten and drunk, he was tired and laid his head in his grandmother’s lap. 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 have 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 market-place from which wine once flowed was dried up, and not even water would flow out of it; what is the cause of it?” “Oh, ho! if only they knew it,” 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 the second hair out. “Ha! what are you doing?” cried the devil angrily. “Do not be offended,” she said, “I did it in a dream.” “What have you dreamt this time?” he asked. “I dreamt that in a certain kingdom 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?” “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 completely. But leave me alone with your dreams: if you disturb me in my sleep again you will get a slap 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, roared out, and would have hurt her if she had not quieted him once more and said, “Who can prevent bad dreams?” “What was the dream, then?” he asked, quite curious. “I dreamt of a ferryman 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 devil; “when anyone comes and wants to go across, the ferryman must put the oar in the traveller’s hand. The other man will have to ferry, and the ferryman will be free.” As the grandmother had plucked out the three golden hairs, and the three questions were answered, she left the old serpent, the Devil, 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 luck-child his human shape again. “There are the three golden hairs for you,” she said. “What the Devil said to your three questions, I suppose you heard?” “Yes,” he answered, “I heard, and 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 very pleased that everything had turned out so well. When he came to the ferryman he was expected to give the promised answer. “Ferry me across first,” said the luck-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: “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 fruitless tree stood, and there too the watchman wanted an answer. So he told him what he had heard from the devil: “Kill the mouse which is gnawing at its root, and it will again bear golden apples.” Then the watchman thanked him, and gave him as a reward two donkeys loaded 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 loaded with gold. At last the luck-child got home to his wife, who was heartily glad to see him again, and to hear how well everything had gone. He took the King what he had asked for: the devil’s three golden hairs. When the King saw the four donkeys loaded 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 got it there; it lies on the shore instead of sand.” “Can I fetch some too?” said the King, quite eager about it. “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 great haste. When he came to the river, he beckoned to the ferryman to take him across. The ferryman came and told him to get in. When they got to the other shore, he put the oar in the King’s hand and sprang out. But from then on the King had to ferry, 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. ## Modernization notes - There was once a poor woman who gave birth to a little son; and as he came into the world with a caul on, → Once upon a time there was a poor woman who gave birth to a little son. As he came into the world with a caul, a thin birth membrane covering his head,: A caul is part of the thin membrane that surrounded the baby before birth. Being born with it was traditionally believed to bring good luck; this belief belongs to the tale. ## Presented text (with modernization) © OpenClassics.org — All rights reserved. ## Original text Grimm’s Household Tales, with the Author’s Notes, volume 1, 1884, George Bell and Sons, London - author: Jacob Grimm - author: Wilhelm Grimm - translator: Margaret Hunt ## Illustration [Elenore Plaisted Abbott](https://www.openclassics.org/api/illustrations/59eb95f1-17e0-44dc-b15d-3b8839c3e7fd) — Grimm’s Fairy Tales, 1920, George W. Jacobs & Company, Philadelphia ## Reading music Scenes from Childhood, Op. 15 — Frightening Robert Schumann Chiara Bertoglio (piano) [CC BY 3.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/) ## Quiz ### What is gold’s chemical symbol? - Ag - Au (Correct answer) - Fe - Cu Au is the symbol for gold. [Royal Society of Chemistry — Gold](https://periodic-table.rsc.org/element/79/gold) ### Can gold be hammered into very thin sheets? - Yes (Correct answer) - Only when frozen - No - Only in stories Gold is highly malleable. [Royal Society of Chemistry — Gold](https://periodic-table.rsc.org/element/79/gold) ### How many carats indicate pure gold? - Six - Twelve - Eighteen - Twenty-four (Correct answer) 24-carat gold is pure gold. [Royal Society of Chemistry — Gold](https://periodic-table.rsc.org/element/79/gold) ### What does an apple tree’s rootstock help control? - Cloud numbers - Sky colour - Tree size (Correct answer) - Day length Rootstock affects vigour and size. [Royal Horticultural Society — How to grow apples](https://www.rhs.org.uk/fruit/apples/grow-your-own) ### Where does an apple tree generally grow best? - In sunshine (Correct answer) - In a dark cellar - Underwater - On ice It likes a sunny, sheltered position. [Royal Horticultural Society — How to grow apples](https://www.rhs.org.uk/fruit/apples/grow-your-own) ## Other languages - [Français](https://www.openclassics.org/fr/stories/the-devils-three-golden-hairs?format=markdown) - [简体中文](https://www.openclassics.org/zh/stories/the-devils-three-golden-hairs?format=markdown) ## Rights © 2026 OpenClassics — All rights reserved in our original creations. [Rights](https://www.openclassics.org/information/terms)