Monday, October 08, 2007

Obscure Fairy Tale: The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs

I ran across a whole bunch of great obscure fairy tales while I was doing research for INTO THE WILD. It's been a while since I've shared one with you (sorry!). So without further ado:

The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs (from the Brothers Grimm)

A poor woman gives birth to a son with a caul, and it's prophesied that he'll marry the king's daughter.

Wikipedia (that source of all knowledge, if not accuracy) tells me that a "caul" is leftover amniotic membrane, not (as I originally thought) a hood worn by a religious order. That's a cowl. I am much relieved. It's enough of a miracle that a woman's body can produce a baby -- to ask her uterus to knit accessories at the same time seems a bit much.

The king hears of the prophecy and is displeased. Masquerading as a benevolent stranger, he approaches the boy's parents and offers to raise the child as his own in exchange for copious amounts of gold. The parents agree. The king then puts the baby in a box and tosses him into a river.

Um, don't boxes float?

The box floats downstream...

Told you so.

... and is found by a miller within a mile of the king's castle. The miller and his wife raise the child with all the best virtues.

As opposed to the not-quite-so-good virtues? So does this mean he's kind and brave but has rotten table manners?

One day, many years later, the king visits the mill, learns that the miller's son is a foundling, and realizes that this is the same child, now grown. He asks the miller if the boy can carry a letter to the queen for him in exchange for two gold pieces. The miller agrees, and the king writes in the letter, "As soon as this boy arrives, he is to be killed and buried."

Quite a letter. He clearly expects the queen to obey. Does he send these kind of letters often? His wife must seriously dread going through the mail. I can picture it: "Bill, bill, bill, order of execution, bill, bill, credit card offer..." I think I'd just stop all mail delivery. Hey, maybe that's why the king is using the boy instead of the USPS...

The boy sets out for the castle and becomes lost.

Isn't the mill a mile from the castle? Aren't castles kind of big and, y'know, visible from far away? Perhaps "sense of direction" is a lesser virtue?

He reaches a small cottage and is greeted by an old woman. He explains he's bringing a letter to the queen and asks to spend the night, and she tells him, "You've stumbled on a robbers' den. When they come home, they'll kill you." The boy says he's not afraid, and he stretches out on a bench and falls asleep.

Bravery is one of the best virtues. Common sense... Not so much. Now I appreciate the importance of a good night's sleep as much as the next person, but I think I'd pull an all-nighter if I were faced with certain death.

When the robbers come home, they break the seal on the letter, read it, and feel sorry for the boy. The robbers then destroy the letter and write a new letter in its place that says, "As soon as this boy arrives, he is to wed our daughter."

Aw, that's sweet. Hey, weren't they supposed to be bloodthirsty robbers? Was it possible that the old woman was exaggerating a teeny, tiny bit so she wouldn't have to have a houseguest? Gotta remember that trick...

The boy continues on to the castle and marries the princess. They live together happily until the king returns home. In a rage, he says, "If you want to keep my daughter, you'll bring me three golden hairs from the head of the devil."

Whenever I lose my temper, I always demand to be brought impossible things. Just the other night, my husband forgot to take out the trash, and I told him, "Well, now you must bring me the seashell from whence Aphrodite was delivered unto the foamy shore."

The boy says, "I'll do it. I'm not afraid of the devil."

This is why I like this story: instead of a hero conquering impossible odds for the sake of a beautiful princess who is a complete stranger, here we have a guy going to hell and back for his wife. I like that a lot.

He leaves the castle and journeys to the next city. The guardsman at the gate asks him his trade, and the boy says, "I know everything."

What a bizarre thing to say.

The guardsman says, "If you know everything, tell us why our fountain is dry when it used to run with wine." The boy says, "When I return, I will tell you."

Maybe someone forgot to pay the wine bill? Or maybe the bill didn't arrive because the queen stopped all mail delivery...

He continues on to the next city. The guardsman at that gate asks him his trade, and the boy again says, "I know everything." And the guardsman replies, "If you know everything, tell us why our golden apple tree is bare." The boy says, "When I return, I will tell you."

Ooh, ooh, I know, I know! It's winter! No? Okay, how about: you picked them all! No? All right, I'll wait and see.

He continues on to a big river and tells the ferryman that he knows everything. The ferryman says, "If you know everything, tell me why I must row back and forth without relief." The boy says, "When I return, I will tell you."

Okay, this one I totally know. It's in, like, twelve hundred other tales and myths. If the ferryman [spoiler removed], then he'll be free!

On the other side of the river, he finds the entrance to hell. When he goes inside, the devil isn't home, but his grandmother is sitting in a large chair.

I love the idea of the devil's grandmother as a character. What does she think of her grandson's occupation? Does she boast about him to the ladies at the senior center? Does she still have the crayon drawings that the devil did in preschool? Does she knit him embarrassing sweaters for the holidays? (Do any grandmothers actually do that outside of novels?)

She asks what he wants, and he says he needs three hairs from the devil's head in order to keep his wife. He also says he needs to know about the dry fountain, the bare apple tree, and the ferryman's curse. The devil's grandmother agrees to help him. She transforms him into an ant and hides him in the folds of her skirt.

Ooh, cool, ant transformation! Guess there are perks to the devil's-grandmother gig.

When the devil comes home, he lays his head in his grandmother's lap and asks her to pick lice out of his head.

Lice-picking, not a perk.

As she does so, she plucks a hair out of his head. "Ow!" the devil says. "Why the devil did you do that?"

Okay, fine, he didn't really say that. I just couldn't help myself.

She says, "Oh, sorry. I fell asleep and had a bad dream. I must have grabbed your hair in my sleep." She explains that she dreamed about a fountain that ran dry. The devil says, "Hah! If they only knew that all they had to do is kill the toad under the fountain!"

Kill the toad? Why? What's with the toad? Is it a magic toad? Why is it stopping the fountain? Is it deliberate? Is this an anti-alcohol protest?

He relaxes again, and she plucks a second hair from his head. "Ow!" he says. She apologies again and says that this time she had a dream about an apple tree that's now bare. He says, "There's a mouse gnawing at the roots. If they kill it, gold apples will grow again."

But what about the toad? I want more about the toad! And why is the devil giving out all this information? Seems to me his grandma is acting a bit suspicious. I have had many a nightmare in my lifetime and not once have I ever plucked out someone else's hair in my sleep.

He falls asleep, and she plucks a third hair. This time, she claims to have dreamed about the ferryman. The devil says that if the ferryman gives his pole to someone who wishes to cross, he'll be free and someone else will be trapped rowing for all eternity.

Hah! I was right! I told you! Ten points to Griffindor!

At dawn, the devil departs, and the grandmother transforms the ant back into the boy. She gives him the hairs, and he thanks her profusely before heading home. On his way home, he tells the ferryman and the two guardsman what he learned, and they all reward him with gold.

Wait, wait, isn't he going to do anything, you know, heroic? So far, he's charmed two old ladies into helping him and that's about it. Shouldn't he have to fight a dragon or maybe do something unspeakably clever?

When he reaches the king's castle, his wife greets him happily, and the king asks him where he obtained all the gold. The boy tells the king that he found it after crossing a river. The bank, he says, is covered with gold instead of sand.

Okay, that's a little bit clever.

The king rushes to the river and calls to the ferryman. The ferryman hands him his pole and then runs away, and the king is trapped ferrying people back and forth for all eternity. The end.

In case you're interested in reading my other ramblings about obscure (and not-so-obscure) fairy tales,
here are links to: Snow White, Godfather Death, The Tinderbox, The Princess in the Chest, The Juniper Tree, Molly Whuppie, Tatterhood, Jack My Hedgehog, and The Wishing Table.

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26 Comments:

At 1:54 PM, Blogger Faith said...

You know, I never pictured the devil as a blond. I always thought of him as tall, dark, and handsome. In a devilish sort of way, of course. But it certainly sounds like the king got his just desserts.

 
At 2:53 PM, Blogger Sarah Beth Durst said...

Faith: I picture him with a LOT of hair gel...

 
At 5:42 PM, Blogger Susan Adrian said...

Sarah:

LOL! I love your comments.

The beginning is almost identical to another story I was reading the other day, about a fish and a ring (http://www.authorama.com/english-fairy-tales-38.html) I started reading it to my 5-year-old, then quickly had to edit as I went, when it got fairly gory...

 
At 7:19 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Oh man! That was funny, and clever, and... now I am going to spend the rest of the afternoon reading past Fairy Tale posts instead of doing chores. Darn you and your writing! When my daughter complains that she has no clean socks tomorrow morning, I am blaming you! Yep. All your fault.

Have you thought about publishing your annotated fairy tales as a picture books? David Wiesner could illustrate them for you! (Okay, so maybe he's busy...) But, I really think the general picture book format has possibilities. There are not enought cheeky fairy tale books in the world.

 
At 8:43 PM, Blogger Sarah Beth Durst said...

Susan: I think my favorite part about that version is that the baron signs the execution letter with "yours affectionately." Thanks for posting the link!

H: Thanks! Please tell your daughter that I'm sorry about the socks. Hope you enjoy the other tales. :)

 
At 5:12 AM, Blogger Cassie said...

You're cracking me up ^_^ Love the commentary. Just what I need right before bed.

 
At 10:27 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Quite a letter. He clearly expects the queen to obey. Does he send these kind of letters often? His wife must seriously dread going through the mail. I can picture it: "Bill, bill, bill, order of execution, bill, bill, credit card offer..." I think I'd just stop all mail delivery. Hey, maybe that's why the king is using the boy instead of the USPS...

Ha, did I laugh at that. Loved it and your other annotations.

 
At 10:53 AM, Blogger Sarah Beth Durst said...

Thanks, Crisi and RowanHood! Glad you liked it. These things are fun to write.

 
At 5:21 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Well, in the version I heard the devil had three and only three golden hairs (the rest of them was an oily, curly black). Bet he was in for a nasty shock next time he looked in the mirror...

 
At 5:30 PM, Blogger Unknown said...

What I really want to know is:
did your husband bring you the seashell as you demanded?

 
At 11:06 PM, Blogger Sarah Beth Durst said...

Marc: I hadn't heard that version, but it does fit with the title as "the three golden hairs." I also wonder if the hairs are supposed to be blond or actual 14-carat gold...

Cathie: Of course he did. We're using it as a coffeetable. It kind of smells a little fishy, though.

 
At 9:36 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is one of my favourite fairytales. I especially love the Devil´s Grandmother. She´s just awesome.

 
At 3:48 PM, Blogger Sarah Beth Durst said...

Arilou-Skiff: Agreed! She's a fabulous character.

 
At 9:19 PM, Blogger Q said...

I want to meet this devil's grandmother. And once again, your comments are HILARIOUS.

 
At 10:05 PM, Blogger Sarah Beth Durst said...

Thanks, Q! Yeah, she's one of my favorite minor characters. I keep thinking she must have a fabulous back-story...

 
At 4:12 PM, Blogger David T. Macknet said...

OK, so we get rid of the bad father, all the mothers are left intact (score 1 for the non-Disney plot) ... and The Devil keeps his grandma around to pick lice? Umm... yeah.

 
At 10:06 AM, Blogger Sarah Beth Durst said...

DaviMack: I suppose it's nice he keeps his grandma employed...

 
At 5:31 PM, Blogger AnnaDee said...

this sees alot like that feathered oger story in calvio's italian folktales, only the boy is a prince, trying to cure his dieing father, and the girl he marries is an inkeepers daughter, and a stranger. i like this one better. and the comentary makes it even better!

 
At 11:28 AM, Blogger Sarah Beth Durst said...

AnnaDee: Thanks! There are so many different variants of the same tale that sometimes it's hard to choose which one to talk about here. Glad you liked this one!

 
At 5:03 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This is totally my 5th fave story. You should try "The Devil and his Grandmother": http://www.familymanagement.com/literacy/grimms/grimms95.html

 
At 8:28 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

There's this video game "American McGee's GRIMM" where the player goes through the Grimms' grimest tales. One of which (The Devil's Three Golden Hairs) starts with "Representing the Devil as a thumb-sucking blonde is just one of the dumb things in this dumb tale."

 
At 9:46 PM, Blogger Jakob Dailes said...

[In a rage, he says, "If you want to keep my daughter, you'll bring me three golden hairs from the head of the devil."

Whenever I lose my temper, I always demand to be brought impossible things. Just the other night, my husband forgot to take out the trash, and I told him, "Well, now you must bring me the seashell from whence Aphrodite was delivered unto the foamy shore."]

I'm all of a sudden reminded of that jingle from Disney's Hercules the TV Series: "Aphrodite... Aphrodite... Aphrodi-ite... THE GODDESS OF LOVE!"
Gotta love those fairy tales portraying the soul-damning, God-opposing ruler of Hell and its infamy as a dumb-blonde gramma's boy with a strange riddle obsession.

 
At 11:13 AM, Blogger Nanna said...

Absolutely brilliant! Very funny, I LOLed more times than I can count! I am going to use this fairytale for teaching, you gave it a new angle, maybe not so much for the student to hear, but for me to giggle at - oh, yeah! Thank you!

 
At 1:47 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

The comments made it hard to read and disrupted the story I believe...

 
At 5:53 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

This story reminds me a lot of another fairy tale I've heard. Basically, a poor, hardworking boy (in some versions, he's a shepherd's son, but in others, he's the farmer's son) falls in love with the greedy innkeeper's daughter. He asks to marry her, and the innkeeper tells him that if he wants to marry his daughter, he'll have to bring him three golden feathers from the dragon that lives in a castle in a forest far, far away (why do dragons have feathers???). Anyways, the boy goes off on a journey. He passes a little cottage where a man and his sick daughter lives. The boy (the story doesn't mention his name) tells the man that he's going to go find the dragon. The man tells him that when he does, he wants him to ask the dragon how to cure his daughter. Then, the boy keeps going, and stops in a village where a lot of people are crowded around a tree. They said that the tree once produced golden apples (similar to the story here) but no longer even sprouts a leaf. When the people hear that the boy is going to find the dragon, they ask him to ask the dragon why the tree stops producing golden apples. Later, the boy meets a ferryman at a river, and tells the ferryman he's going to find the dragon. The ferryman asks the boy to ask the dragon how to leave his job as a ferryman and go somewhere else. So the ferryman takes the boy across the river in his boat, and the boy goes to the dragon's castle. The dragon's wife decides to help him. She does the pretend to pluck out feathers in her sleep thing, and the boy listens under the bed to get the answers he needs for the people. And then he tells the people he met on his journey the answers to their questions, and later comes back home with a lot of gold and treasures, and the dragon's three feathers. The innkeeper asks him where he got all this wealth, and the boy tells him that there's a large valley filled with treasure after you cross the river. The innkeeper goes out to find the treasure, and (of course) he meets the ferryman. The ferryman gives the innkeeper the oars for the boat, and runs off. So the greedy innkeeper is stuck forever, rowing people across the river. And this story is so similar to the story you've posted, I can't believe I didn't notice when I first read the story you've posted!

 
At 4:57 AM, Anonymous Kate Craft said...

OMG your comment about wikipedia's explanation of Cauls had me howling with laughter! I just happened across your blog and it's fab, great for researching potential storylines for my next book. Keep up the great work!

 

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