格林童话：铁汉斯 (1)

　　Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm

　　Once upon a time there was a king who had a great forest near his castle, full of all kinds of wild animals. One day he sent out a huntsman to shoot a deer, but the huntsman did not come back again.

　　"Perhaps he has had an accident," said the king, and the following day he sent out two other huntsmen who were to search for him, but they did not return either. Then on the third day, he summoned all his huntsmen, and said, "Search through the whole forest, and do not give up until you have found all three."

　　But none of these came home again either, nor were any of the hounds from the pack that they had taken with them ever seen again.

　　From that time on, no one dared to go into these woods, and they lay there in deep quiet and solitude, and all that one saw from there was an occasional eagle or hawk flying overhead.

　　This lasted for many years, when an unknown huntsman presented himself to the king seeking a position, and he volunteered to go into the dangerous woods.

　　The king, however, did not want to give his permission, and said, "It is haunted in there. I am afraid that you will do no better than did the others, and that you will never come out again."

　　The huntsman answered, "Sir, I will proceed at my own risk. I know nothing of fear."

　　The huntsman therefore set forth with his dog into the woods. It was not long before the dog picked up a scent and wanted to follow it, but the dog had run only a few steps when it came to a deep pool, and could go no further. Then a naked arm reached out of the water, seized the dog, and pulled it under.

　　When the huntsman saw that, he went back and got three men. They returned with buckets and baled out the water. When they could see to the bottom, there was a wild man lying there. His body was brown like rusty iron, and his hair hung over his face down to his knees. They bound him with cords and led him away to the castle.

　　Everyone was greatly astonished at the wild man. The king had him put into an iron cage in his courtyard, forbidding, on pain of death, that the cage door be opened. The queen herself was to safeguard the key.

　　From this time forth everyone could once again go safely into the woods.

　　The king had a son of eight years. One day he was playing in the courtyard, and during his game his golden ball fell into the cage.

　　The boy ran to the cage and said, "Give me my ball."

　　"Not until you have opened the door for me," answered the man.

　　"No," said the boy, "I will not do that. The king has forbidden it," and he ran away.

　　The next day he came again and demanded his ball.

　　The wild man said, "Open my door," but the boy would not do so.

　　On the third day the king had ridden out hunting, and the boy went once more and said, "Even if I wanted to, I could not open the door. I do not have the key."

　　Then the wild man said, "It is under your mother's pillow. You can get it there."

　　The boy, who wanted to have his ball back, threw all caution to the wind, and got the key. The door opened with difficulty, and the boy pinched his finger. When it was open, the wild man stepped out, gave him the golden ball, and hurried away.

　　The boy became afraid. He cried out and called after him, "Oh, wild man, do not go away, or I shall get a beating."