‘Iron Hans’
‘Iron Hans’ (German, Eisenhans),first incorporated into the Kinder‐ und Hausmärchen (Children's and Household Tales) by the Brothers Grimm in 1850. It is also known as ‘The Wild Man’, ‘Goldener’, ‘The Golden Boy’ and can be found in the oral and literary traditions of different European countries.
In the Grimms' version there is a king whose forest is inhabited by some mysterious creature, and he kills all who enter it. After many years a stranger finally arrives and disenchants the forest by capturing a wild man, who had been dwelling in a deep pool. The man was brown as rusty iron, and his hair hung over his face down to his knees. The king has the wild man imprisoned in an iron cage in the castle courtyard, gives the key to the queen, and forbids anyone to open it under the penalty of death. However, one day the king's 8‐year‐old son loses...
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