In a magical land of sparkling rivers and whispering trees, a baby boy was born under a twinkling star. A prophecy foretold he would marry the kingdom's beautiful princess! But the greedy king was jealous and hatched a wicked plan to toss the baby into a dark, swirling river. Yet, as the king let go, a wondrous thing happened! The river cradled the baby gently and carried him to the warm arms of a kind miller and his wife. They loved him dearly, unaware of his grand destiny.
Years passed, and the cheerful boy grew into a brave young man. One sunny day, the king spotted him and, filled with fury, summoned him over, handing him a letter sealed with royal wax. “Deliver this to my castle!” the king ordered, his smile sharp as a blade. Unbeknownst to the boy, the letter commanded him to eliminate the bearer! But on his way, a band of playful robbers stole the letter and changed its words to: "Marry the delightful bearer of this message!"
When the boy arrived at the castle, he surprised everyone by marrying the lovely princess! The king turned an angry shade of green and, desperate to rid himself of the boy, gave him an impossible task: “Bring me three golden hairs from the Devil’s head!” The boy gulped, knowing the Devil lived at the end of the world.
As he journeyed, he encountered three towns in need. One had a dry well, another a bare tree, and the third had a ferryman who had rowed for a hundred years without rest. “Help us!” they cried, and the boy promised to do his best.
Finally, he reached the Devil's rickety lair, where a surprising sight awaited him: the Devil’s sweet grandmother! “Quick! Hide under my apron!” she whispered as the devil snoozed. With a sly grin, she plucked three golden hairs from his head—YOINK! YOINK! YOINK! Each time, she asked a tricky question, and the sleepy Devil revealed secrets to help the towns!
With the golden hairs in hand and answers ready, the boy raced back. He told the ferryman to pass his oar to the next passenger, showed the townsfolk how to revive their well and tree, and joy soon returned! The townspeople cheered and showered him with treasures. But the greedy king, hearing of this bounty, rushed to grab the oar, only to find himself splashing and rowing forever, just like he wished for the boy!
The boy, who once floated on fate’s river, had become a hero, proving that helping others leads to wonderful rewards, while those who plot and scheme often fall into their own traps.