The King's Son Who Feared Nothing (Grimm)
Short summary
A fairytale kingdom, medieval times. A fearless prince left his father's castle seeking adventure. He discovered a giant's home and played with enormous balls and ninepins. The King's Son
impressed the giant, who asked him to fetch an apple from the tree of life for his bride. The prince reached the garden, passed sleeping beasts, thrust his hand through a ring, and took the apple. The ring gave him magical strength. The giant's bride demanded the ring as proof. When the prince refused, they fought. The giant tricked him into bathing, stole the ring, and blinded him. A loyal lion saved the prince from falling, helped him regain sight with magical water, and pushed the giant to his death. The prince arrived at an enchanted castle where a cursed maiden promised freedom if he endured three nights of torment without making a sound. Devils tortured him each night. After the third night,
But suddenly he was freed from all pain, and felt fresh and healthy... he saw the maiden standing by him, snow-white, and fair as day. 'Rise,' said she, 'and swing thy sword three times'
Detailed summary
Division into chapters is editorial.
The giants challenge and the quest for the apple
A fearless prince left his father's house to seek adventure in the wide world.
There was once a King's son, who was no longer content to stay at home in his father's house, and as he had no fear of anything, he thought, "I will go forth into the wide world"
During his travels, he came to a giant's house and rested by the door. He found enormous balls and ninepins in the yard and began playing with them, making a great noise. The giant looked out and was amazed to see a normal-sized man playing with his toys.
Impressed by the prince's boldness, the giant challenged him to fetch an apple from the tree of life for his betrothed bride.
Journey to the tree of life and obtaining magical power
The giant warned that the garden was surrounded by an iron railing and guarded by wild beasts, and that anyone wanting the apple must put their hand through a ring hanging before it. The prince confidently accepted the challenge and set off through mountains, valleys, plains, and forests until he reached the wondrous garden. The wild beasts lay sleeping around it, and he stepped over them and climbed the fence safely.
In the center stood the tree of life with red apples shining on its branches. He climbed to the top and thrust his hand through the ring without difficulty to gather an apple.
The ring closed tightly on his arm, and all at once he felt a prodigious strength flowing through his veins... the lion... was awake and sprang after him... following him humbly as its master.
With his newfound strength, he grasped the great gate and opened it with a single shake. The lion that had been sleeping awoke and followed him as its master.
The giants betrayal and the Kings sons recovery
The prince returned with the apple, but the giant's bride demanded to see the ring as proof. When the giant could not produce it, he demanded it from the prince, who refused. They wrestled, but the giant could not overcome the magically strengthened prince. The giant then suggested they bathe in the river to cool off. Trusting and naive, the prince removed the ring with his clothes and jumped in. The giant immediately stole the ring, but the loyal lion pursued him, tore it from his hand, and returned it to its master.
While the prince was dressing, the giant crept behind an oak tree and surprised him, putting out both his eyes. The giant then led the blind prince to a high rock, intending to make him fall to his death.
But the faithful lion had not deserted its master; it held him fast by the clothes, and drew him gradually back again... the lion pushed the giant so that he was thrown down and fell
The lion saved its master repeatedly from the giant's attempts to kill him. Finally, when the giant tried once more to push the blind prince off a precipice, the lion pushed the giant instead, and he fell to his death on the rocks below. The faithful lion then led its master to a clear brook by a tree. As the lion sprinkled water on the prince's face, he noticed a little bird that had wounded itself against a tree trunk, bathed in the water, and then flew away with restored sight.
The enchanted castle and breaking the spell
Recognizing this as a sign from God, the prince washed his face in the brook and regained his sight, clearer than ever before. He thanked God and continued his journey with the lion until they reached an enchanted castle. At the gateway stood a beautiful but completely black maiden who begged him to free her from an evil spell.
Thou must pass three nights in the great hall of this enchanted castle, but thou must let no fear enter thy heart... if thou bearest it without letting a sound escape thee, I shall be free.
The fearless prince accepted the challenge. Each night, devils tormented him increasingly severely, dragging him about, pinching, pricking, and beating him, but he endured everything in silence. Each morning, the maiden healed him with the water of life, and gradually she became whiter. After her feet became white the first night and her fingers the second, she was completely transformed by the third morning. On the final night, the torment was worst of all, but when dawn came and the maiden sprinkled him with the water of life, he was completely healed and she stood before him snow-white and fair as day. He swung his sword three times over the stairs as instructed, releasing the entire castle from enchantment. The maiden was revealed to be a rich king's daughter, and they celebrated their wedding that very evening.