Kila: The Devil with the Three

Kila: The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs - a story book from Kila

Kila offers fun story books to stimulate the love of reading. Kila’s story books help kids to enjoy reading and learning with a plentiful amount of fables and fairy tales.

There was once a poor woman who gave birth to a son and it was predicted that in his sixteenth year he would have the King's daughter for his wife.

It happened that soon afterwards, the King heard the news about the boy and was angry about the prophecy. So he went to the parents and offered them so much gold that the parents finally consented and gave him the child.

The King put the child in a box and rode away with it until he came to some deep water. He threw the box into it and thought, "I have freed my daughter from this boy.

However, the box did not sink but floated like a boat and not a drop of water made its way into it. A miller and his wife saw it and pulled it out of the water.

They had no children, so they were glad to take care of the foundling, and he grew up surrounded in goodness.

It happened that during a storm, the King went into the mill. He asked the mill folk if the tall youth was their son and they told him their story.

Then the King realized that it was none other than the luck child which he had thrown into the water.

When the King returned home, he said: “Whoever marries my daughter must fetch me from hell, three golden hairs from the head of the devil.” In this way, the King hoped to be rid of the luck child for ever.

The luck child himself said, "I will fetch the golden hairs, I am not afraid of the devil."

He started his journey and went to a large town. The watchman asked him why their market fountain, which once flowed with wine, had become dry and no longer gave even water.

Then he went farther and came to another town. The gatekeeper asked him why a tree in their town which once bore golden apples did not now even put forth leaves.

Then he came to a wide river. The ferryman asked him why he must always be rowing backwards and forwards and was never set free.

When he had crossed the water he found the entrance to hell. It was black and sooty within, and the devil was not at home.

However, the devil’s grandmother was sitting inside. The luck child told her his story and she agreed to help him.

She changed him into an ant and hid him in her dress.

As the evening approached, the devil returned home. Once he had eaten and drank, he was tired and laid his head in his grandmother's lap.

Then the old woman plucked a golden hair, and the devil yelled. "I have had a bad dream," said the grandmother. "A fountain in a marketplace from which wine once flowed, was dried up and not even water would flow out of it. Why?”

"Oh, if they did but know it!" answered the devil. "There is a toad sitting under a stone in the well. If they killed it, the wine would flow again." Then he went back to sleep.

The old lady pulled the second hair out, and the devil cried out angrily. She said, "An apple tree which had once borne golden apples, but now would not even bear leaves. Why?"

"Oh, if they did but know it!" answered the devil. "A mouse is gnawing at the root. If they killed it, they would have golden apples again.” Then, he went to sleep again.

The old lady took a third golden hair. The devil jumped up and roared out. She said, "I dreamt of a ferryman who complained that he must always ferry from one side to the other. Why?"

"Ah! The fool," answered the devil. "When anyone comes and wants to go across, he must put the oar in his hand and he will be free."

As the grandmother had plucked out the three golden hairs, and the three questions were answered, she let the devil alone.

In the morning, the old woman gave the luck child his human shape again. He thanked the old woman for helping him and returned home...

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