There was once a poor woman who gave birth to a little son, and as he came into the world with a caul on, it was predicted that in his eighteenth year he would have the king's daughter for his wife.

It happened that soon afterwards the king came into the village, and no one knew that he was the king, and when he asked the people what news there was, they answered:

"A child has just been born with a caul. Whenever such a one is born whatever they undertake turns out well. It is prophesied, too, that in his eighteenth year he will have the king's daughter for his wife."

The king, who was a man bad at heart, was angry about the prophecy. He went to the parents, and, putting on a front of friendship, said:

"You are poor people. Let me have your child, and I will take care of him."

At first they refused, but when the king offered them a large amount of gold for their son, they thought:

"He is a child of good fortune, and everything must turn out well for him." For this reason, they at last consented, and gave him the child.

The king put the boy in a box and rode away with him until he came to a deep fjord, with treacherous currents.

He threw the box into it, thinking:

"I have freed my daughter from her undesired suitor."

The box, however, did not sink, but floated like a boat, and not a drop of water leaked in. It floated to within two miles of the king's chief city, where there was a mill, and it came to a halt at the mill dam.

A miller's boy, who by good luck was standing there, noticed it and pulled it out with a hook, thinking that he had found a great treasure. When he opened it there lay a fine-looking boy inside, quite fresh and lively.

He took him to the miller and his wife, and as they had no children they were glad, and said:

"Frigga has heard our prayers and has given him to us."

They took great care of the foundling, and he grew up in all goodness.

It happened that some eighteen years later, in a storm, the king went into the mill, and asked the mill-folk if the tall youth were their son.

"No," answered they, "he's a foundling. Eighteen 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 child of good fortune that he had thrown into the water. After a moment of thought, he said:

"My good people, could not the youth take a letter to the queen? I will give him two gold pieces as a reward."

"Just as the king commands," answered they, and they told the boy to hold himself in readiness. 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 light. He went towards it and reached a cottage. When he went in, an old woman was sitting by the fire quite alone. She started when she saw the boy, and said:

"Whence do you come? Whither are you going?"

"I come from the mill," he answered, "and wish to go to the queen, to whom I am taking a letter. Since I have lost my way in the forest, I should 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."

And he stretched himself upon a bench and fell asleep.

Soon afterwards the robbers came, and angrily asked:

"What strange boy is this, lying here?"

"Ah," said the old woman, "it is an innocent child who has lost himself in the forest, and out of pity I have let him come in. He has to take a letter to the queen."

The robbers opened the letter and read that the boy should be put to death.

Then the hardhearted robbers felt pity, and their leader tore up the letter and wrote another, saying:

"As soon as the boy comes, he should be married at once to the king's daughter."

Then they let him lie quietly on the bench until the next morning. When he awoke they gave him the letter, and showed him the right way.

Soon he reached the court and gave the letter to the queen. The queen, when she read it, did as was written, and had a splendid wedding-feast prepared, and the king's daughter was married to the child of good fortune. As the youth was handsome and friendly she lived with him in joy and contentment.

After some time the king returned to his palace and saw that the prophecy was fulfilled, and the youth was married to his daughter.

"How has that come to pass?" said he. "I gave quite another order in my letter."

So the queen gave him the letter, so that he might see for himself. The king read the letter and saw quite well that it had been exchanged for the other. He asked the youth what had become of the letter entrusted to him, and why he had brought another instead of it.

"I know nothing about it," answered he. "It must have been changed in the night, when I slept in the forest."

The king said in a passion, "You shall not have everything quite so much your own way! Whosoever marries my daughter must fetch me from Muspell three golden hairs from the head of Surtr! 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 child of good fortune answered:

"I will fetch the golden hairs. I am not afraid of Surtr."

He took leave of them and began his journey.

The road led him to a large town, where the watchman by the gates asked him:

"What is your trade, and what do you know?"

"I know everything," answered the child of good fortune.

"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."

"That you shall know," answered he, "only wait until I come back."

Then he went farther and came to another town, and there also the gatekeeper asked him:

"What is your trade, and what do you know?"

"I know everything," answered the child of good fortune.

"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 he, "only wait until I come back."

Then he went on and came to a wide river over which he had to cross. The ferryman asked him:

"What is your trade, and what do you know?"

"I know everything," answered the child of good fortune.

"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," answered he, "only wait until I come back."

When he had crossed the water he found the entrance to Muspell. It was craggy and rocky within, and Surtr was not at home, but his grandmother was sitting in a large armchair.

"What do you want?" said she to him, but she did not look so very wicked.

"I should like to have three golden hairs from Surtr's head," answered he, "else I cannot keep my wife."

"That is a good deal to ask for," said she, "if Surtr comes home and finds you, it will cost you your life. But there's something about you that makes me pity you, I will see if I cannot help you."

She changed him into an ant and said, "Creep into the folds of my dress - you will be safe there."

"Yes," answered he, "so far, so good, but there are three things besides that I want to know. The first one is this: why a fountain that once flowed with wine has become dry, and no longer gives even water. The second question is this: why a tree that once bore golden apples does not even put forth leaves? The third piece of knowledge is this: why a ferryman must always be going backwards and forwards, and is never set free?"

"Those are difficult questions," answered she, "but just be silent and quiet and pay attention to what Surtr says when I pull out the three golden hairs."

As the evening came on, Surtr returned home. No sooner had he entered than he noticed that the air was not pure.

"I smell man's flesh," said he, "all is not right here."

Then he pried into every corner, and searched, but could not find anything. His grandmother scolded him.

"It has just been swept," said she, "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, and told her she should louse him a little. It was not long before he was fast asleep, snoring and breathing heavily.

Then Surtr's granny took hold of a golden hair, pulled it out, and laid it down beside her.

"Ow!" cried Surtr. "What are you doing?"

"I have had a bad dream," answered Surtr's granny, "so I seized hold of your hair."

"What did you dream then?" said Surtr.

"I dreamt 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 they did but know it," answered Surtr, "there is a toad sitting under a stone in the well - if they kill it, the wine will flow again."

Surtr's granny loused him again until he went to sleep and snored so that the windows shook. Then she pulled the second hair out.

"Yeowch! What are you doing!" cried Surtr angrily.

"Do not take it badly," said she. "I did it in a dream."

"What have you dreamt this time?" asked he.

"I dreamt that in a certain kingdom there stands an apple-tree which once bore golden apples, but now will not even bear leaves. What do you think is the reason?"

"Oh, if they but know," answered Surtr. "A mouse is gnawing at the root - if they kill it they will have golden apples again, but if it gnaws much longer the tree will wither altogether. But I have had enough of your dreams, if you disturb me in my sleep again you will get a box on the ear."

Surtr's granny spoke gently to him and picked his lice once more until he fell asleep and snored. Then she took hold of the third golden hair and pulled it out.

Surtr jumped up, roared out, and would have treated her roughly if she had not quieted him again and said:

"Who can help bad dreams?"

"What was the dream, then?" asked he, quite curious.

"I dreamt of a ferryman who complains that he must always ferry from one side to the other, and never be released. What is the cause of it?"

"Ah, the fool," answered Surtr, "when anyone 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 Surtr's granny had plucked out the three golden hairs, and the three questions were answered, she let Surtr alone, and he slept until daybreak.

When Surtr had gone out again his granny took the ant out of the folds of her dress, and gave the child of good fortune his human shape again.

"There are the three golden hairs for you," said she. "What Surtr said to your three questions, I suppose you heard."

"Yes," answered he, "I heard, and will take care to remember."

"You have what you want," said she, "and now you can go your way."

He thanked Surtr's granny for helping him in his need, and left Muspell well content that everything had turned out so fine.

When he came to the ferryman, he was reminded of his promise to give the answer.

"Ferry me across first," said the child of good fortune, "and then I will tell you how you can be set free."

When he reached the opposite shore he gave him Surtr'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 wherein stood the unfruitful tree, and there too the watchman wanted an answer.

So he told him what he had heard from Surtr: "Kill the mouse that is gnawing at its root, and it will again bear golden apples."

Then the watchman thanked him, and gave him as a reward two oxen hauling carts laden with gold, which followed him.

Finally, he came to the town whose well was dry. He told the watchman what Surtr had said: "A toad is in the well beneath a stone. You must find it and kill it. The well will again give wine in plenty."

The watchman thanked him, and also gave him two oxen hauling carts laden with gold.

At last the child of good fortune got home to his wife, who was heartily glad to see him again, and to hear how well he had prospered in everything. To the king he took what he had asked for, Surtr's three golden hairs, and when the king saw the four oxen hauling carts laden 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," answered he, "and got it there, it lies on the shore instead of sand."

"Can I too fetch some of it?" said the king, and he was quite eager about it.

"As much as you like," answered he. "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 all haste, and when he came to the river he beckoned to the ferryman to put him across. The ferryman came and bade him get in, and when they got to the other shore he put the oar in the king's hand and sprang over.

From this time forth the king has had to ferry, as a punishment for his evil deeds. Perhaps he is ferrying still. If he is, it is because no one has taken the oar from his hand.


Based on The Devil With the Three Golden Hairs