Iron John
Encyclopedia
"Iron John" is a German fairy tale
found in the collections of the Brothers Grimm, tale number 136, about a wild man and a prince. (The original German title is Eisenhans, a compound of Eisen "iron" and Hans
, like English John a common short form of the personal name Johannes
) It represents Aarne-Thompson type 502, "The wild man as a helper".
Most people see the story as a parable about a boy maturing into adult
hood. The story also became the basis for the book Iron John: A Book About Men
by Robert Bly
which spawned the Men's Movement
in the early 1990s.
sends a huntsman into a forest
nearby, and the huntsman never returns. The king sends more men into the forest, each meeting with the same fate. The king sends all his remaining huntsmen out as a group, but again, none return. The king proclaims the woods as dangerous and off-limits to all.
Some years later, a wandering explorer accompanied by a dog
hears of these dangerous woods and asks permission to hunt in the forest, claiming that he might be able to discover the fate of the other hunters. The man and his dog are allowed to enter, and as they come to a lake
in the middle of the forest, the dog is dragged under water by a giant arm. The hunter returns to the forest the next day with a group of men to empty the lake. They find a naked man with skin like iron
and long shaggy hair
all over his body. They capture him and he is locked in a cage
in the courtyard
as a curiosity. No one is allowed to set the wild man free, on penalty of death
.
Years later the young prince is playing with a ball in the courtyard. He accidentally rolls it into the cage where the wild man picks it up and will only return it if he is set free. He states further that the only key to the cage is hidden beneath the queen’s pillow.
Though the prince hesitates at first, eventually he builds up the courage to sneak into his mother’s room and steal the key. He releases the wild man, who reveals his name to be Iron John (or Iron Hans, depending on the translation). The prince fears he will be killed for setting Iron John free, so Iron John agrees to take the prince with him into the forest.
As it turns out, Iron John is a powerful being and has many treasures that he guards. He sets the prince to watch over his well, but warns him not to let anything touch it or fall in because it will turn instantly to gold
. The prince obeys at first, but begins to play in the well, eventually turning all his hair into gold. Disappointed in the boy’s failure, Iron John sends him away to experience poverty
and struggle, but also tells the prince that if he ever needs anything, simply to call the name of Iron John three times.
The prince travels to a distant land and offers his services to its king. Since he is ashamed of his golden hair, he refuses to remove his cap before the king and is sent to assist the gardener.
When war comes to the kingdom, the prince sees his chance to make a name for himself. He calls upon Iron John who gives him a horse, armour, and a legion of iron warriors to fight alongside him. The prince successfully defends his new homeland, but returns all that he borrowed to Iron John before returning to his former position.
In celebration, the king announces a banquet and offers his daughter’s hand in marriage to any one of the knight
s who can catch a golden apple
that will be thrown into their midst. The king hopes that the mysterious knight who saved the kingdom will show himself for such a prize.
Again the prince asks Iron John for help, and again Iron John disguises the prince as the mysterious knight. Though the prince catches the golden apple and escapes, and does so again on two more occasions, he is eventually found. The prince is returned to his former station, marries the princess, and is happily reunited with his parents. Iron John too comes to the wedding, but now without the shaggy hair or iron skin that made him frightening. He reveals he was under enchantment until he found someone worthy and pure of heart to set him free.
. A more widespread variant, found in Europe, Asia, and Africa, opens with the prince for some reason being the servant of an evil being, where he gains the same gifts, and the tale proceeds as in this variant; one such tale is The Magician's Horse
.
The oldest variant to be preserved is the Italian Guerrino and the Savage Man
. Another such variant is Georgic and Merlin
. In chivalric romance the motif appears in recognizable if rationalized form in Roswall and Lillian
.
The story is featured as an episode of American McGee's Grimm
, in which the tale is twisted into a Terminator
-like setting.
Fairy tale
A fairy tale is a type of short story that typically features such folkloric characters, such as fairies, goblins, elves, trolls, dwarves, giants or gnomes, and usually magic or enchantments. However, only a small number of the stories refer to fairies...
found in the collections of the Brothers Grimm, tale number 136, about a wild man and a prince. (The original German title is Eisenhans, a compound of Eisen "iron" and Hans
Hans (name)
Hans is a masculine given name. In German, Danish, Dutch, Norwegian, Icelandic and Swedish, originally it is short for Johannes but is also recognized in Sweden, Germany, Denmark and the Netherlands as a name in its own right for official purposes....
, like English John a common short form of the personal name Johannes
Johannes
Johannes is the Latin form of the personal name that usually appears as "John" in English language contexts. It is a variant of the Greek name Ιωάννης , itself derived from the Hebrew name Yehochanan meaning "Yahweh is gracious". The name became popular in Northern Europe, especially in Germany...
) It represents Aarne-Thompson type 502, "The wild man as a helper".
Most people see the story as a parable about a boy maturing into adult
Adult
An adult is a human being or living organism that is of relatively mature age, typically associated with sexual maturity and the attainment of reproductive age....
hood. The story also became the basis for the book Iron John: A Book About Men
Iron John: A Book About Men
Iron John: A Book About Men is a book by American poet Robert Bly published in 1990 by Addison-Wesley.It analyzes Iron John, a Brothers Grimm fairy tale, in Joseph Campbell fashion, to find lessons especially meaningful to men...
by Robert Bly
Robert Bly
Robert Bly is an American poet, author, activist and leader of the Mythopoetic Men's Movement.-Life:Bly was born in Lac qui Parle County, Minnesota, to Jacob and Alice Bly, who were of Norwegian ancestry. Following graduation from high school in 1944, he enlisted in the United States Navy, serving...
which spawned the Men's Movement
Men's movement
The men's movement is a social movement that includes a number of philosophies and organizations that seek to support men, change the male gender role and improve men's rights in regard to marriage, child access and victims of domestic violence...
in the early 1990s.
Synopsis
A kingMonarchy
A monarchy is a form of government in which the office of head of state is usually held until death or abdication and is often hereditary and includes a royal house. In some cases, the monarch is elected...
sends a huntsman into a forest
Enchanted forest
In literature, an enchanted forest is a forest under, or containing, enchantments. Such forests are described in the oldest folklore from regions where forests are common, and occur throughout the centuries to modern works of fantasy...
nearby, and the huntsman never returns. The king sends more men into the forest, each meeting with the same fate. The king sends all his remaining huntsmen out as a group, but again, none return. The king proclaims the woods as dangerous and off-limits to all.
Some years later, a wandering explorer accompanied by a dog
Dog
The domestic dog is a domesticated form of the gray wolf, a member of the Canidae family of the order Carnivora. The term is used for both feral and pet varieties. The dog may have been the first animal to be domesticated, and has been the most widely kept working, hunting, and companion animal in...
hears of these dangerous woods and asks permission to hunt in the forest, claiming that he might be able to discover the fate of the other hunters. The man and his dog are allowed to enter, and as they come to a lake
Lake
A lake is a body of relatively still fresh or salt water of considerable size, localized in a basin, that is surrounded by land. Lakes are inland and not part of the ocean and therefore are distinct from lagoons, and are larger and deeper than ponds. Lakes can be contrasted with rivers or streams,...
in the middle of the forest, the dog is dragged under water by a giant arm. The hunter returns to the forest the next day with a group of men to empty the lake. They find a naked man with skin like iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
and long shaggy hair
Hair
Hair is a filamentous biomaterial, that grows from follicles found in the dermis. Found exclusively in mammals, hair is one of the defining characteristics of the mammalian class....
all over his body. They capture him and he is locked in a cage
Cage (enclosure)
A cage is an enclosure made of mesh, bars or wires, used to confine, contain or protect something or someone. A cage can serve many purposes, including keeping an animal in captivity, capturing, and being used for display of an animal at a zoo.-History:...
in the courtyard
Courtyard
A court or courtyard is an enclosed area, often a space enclosed by a building that is open to the sky. These areas in inns and public buildings were often the primary meeting places for some purposes, leading to the other meanings of court....
as a curiosity. No one is allowed to set the wild man free, on penalty of death
Capital punishment
Capital punishment, the death penalty, or execution is the sentence of death upon a person by the state as a punishment for an offence. Crimes that can result in a death penalty are known as capital crimes or capital offences. The term capital originates from the Latin capitalis, literally...
.
Years later the young prince is playing with a ball in the courtyard. He accidentally rolls it into the cage where the wild man picks it up and will only return it if he is set free. He states further that the only key to the cage is hidden beneath the queen’s pillow.
Though the prince hesitates at first, eventually he builds up the courage to sneak into his mother’s room and steal the key. He releases the wild man, who reveals his name to be Iron John (or Iron Hans, depending on the translation). The prince fears he will be killed for setting Iron John free, so Iron John agrees to take the prince with him into the forest.
As it turns out, Iron John is a powerful being and has many treasures that he guards. He sets the prince to watch over his well, but warns him not to let anything touch it or fall in because it will turn instantly to gold
Gold
Gold is a chemical element with the symbol Au and an atomic number of 79. Gold is a dense, soft, shiny, malleable and ductile metal. Pure gold has a bright yellow color and luster traditionally considered attractive, which it maintains without oxidizing in air or water. Chemically, gold is a...
. The prince obeys at first, but begins to play in the well, eventually turning all his hair into gold. Disappointed in the boy’s failure, Iron John sends him away to experience poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
and struggle, but also tells the prince that if he ever needs anything, simply to call the name of Iron John three times.
The prince travels to a distant land and offers his services to its king. Since he is ashamed of his golden hair, he refuses to remove his cap before the king and is sent to assist the gardener.
When war comes to the kingdom, the prince sees his chance to make a name for himself. He calls upon Iron John who gives him a horse, armour, and a legion of iron warriors to fight alongside him. The prince successfully defends his new homeland, but returns all that he borrowed to Iron John before returning to his former position.
In celebration, the king announces a banquet and offers his daughter’s hand in marriage to any one of the knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
s who can catch a golden apple
Apple
The apple is the pomaceous fruit of the apple tree, species Malus domestica in the rose family . It is one of the most widely cultivated tree fruits, and the most widely known of the many members of genus Malus that are used by humans. Apple grow on small, deciduous trees that blossom in the spring...
that will be thrown into their midst. The king hopes that the mysterious knight who saved the kingdom will show himself for such a prize.
Again the prince asks Iron John for help, and again Iron John disguises the prince as the mysterious knight. Though the prince catches the golden apple and escapes, and does so again on two more occasions, he is eventually found. The prince is returned to his former station, marries the princess, and is happily reunited with his parents. Iron John too comes to the wedding, but now without the shaggy hair or iron skin that made him frightening. He reveals he was under enchantment until he found someone worthy and pure of heart to set him free.
Variants
This tale is known throughout Europe, in such variants as The Hairy ManThe Hairy Man
The Hairy Man is a Russian fairy tale. Andrew Lang included it in The Crimson Fairy Book.-Synopsis:Two ricks of a king's rapeseed fields are found burned every night. Finally, a shepherd with dogs keeps watch, and catches the "hairy man" who is responsible. The king puts him in a cage...
. A more widespread variant, found in Europe, Asia, and Africa, opens with the prince for some reason being the servant of an evil being, where he gains the same gifts, and the tale proceeds as in this variant; one such tale is The Magician's Horse
The Magician's Horse
The Magician's Horse is a Greek fairy tale. Andrew Lang included it in The Grey Fairy Book.-Synopsis:A king's three sons went hunting, and the youngest got lost. He came to a great hall and ate there. Then he found an old man, who asked him who he was. He told how he had become lost and offered...
.
The oldest variant to be preserved is the Italian Guerrino and the Savage Man
Guerrino and the Savage Man
Guerrino and the Savage Man is an Italian literary fairy tale written by Giovanni Francesco Straparola in The Facetious Nights of Straparola....
. Another such variant is Georgic and Merlin
Georgic and Merlin
Georgic and Merlin is a French fairy tale collected by François Cadic in "La Paroisse bretonne".It is Aarne-Thompson type 502. The oldest known tale of this type is Guerrino and the Savage Man. Another variant is Iron John.-Synopsis:...
. In chivalric romance the motif appears in recognizable if rationalized form in Roswall and Lillian
Roswall and Lillian
Roswall and Lillian is a medieval Scottish chivalric romance. A late appearing tale, it nevertheless draws heavily on folkloric motifs for its account of an exiled prince, reduced to poverty, who rises from it to win a princess.-Synopsis:...
.
The story is featured as an episode of American McGee's Grimm
American McGee's Grimm
American McGee's Grimm is a 23-part episodic video game series based upon Grimm's Fairy Tales, designed by American McGee, developed by Spicy Horse and distributed online initially by GameTap starting July 31, 2008...
, in which the tale is twisted into a Terminator
Terminator
-Science:*Terminator , the line between the day and night sides of a planetary body*Terminator , the end of a gene for transcription-Technology:*Terminator , a resistor at the end of a transmission line to prevent signal reflection...
-like setting.
See also
- The Hairy ManThe Hairy ManThe Hairy Man is a Russian fairy tale. Andrew Lang included it in The Crimson Fairy Book.-Synopsis:Two ricks of a king's rapeseed fields are found burned every night. Finally, a shepherd with dogs keeps watch, and catches the "hairy man" who is responsible. The king puts him in a cage...
- The Gold-bearded ManThe Gold-bearded ManThe Gold-bearded Man is an Hungarian fairy tale collected in Ungarische Mahrchen. Andrew Lang included it in The Crimson Fairy Book.-Synopsis:...
- EnkiduEnkiduEnkidu is a central figure in the Ancient Mesopotamian Epic of Gilgamesh. Enkidu was first created by Anu, the sky god, to rid Gilgamesh of his arrogance. In the story he is a wild-man raised by animals and ignorant of human society until he is bedded by Shamhat...
a SumerSumerSumer was a civilization and historical region in southern Mesopotamia, modern Iraq during the Chalcolithic and Early Bronze Age....
ian wild man - Feral childFeral childA feral child is a human child who has lived isolated from human contact from a very young age, and has no experience of human care, loving or social behavior, and, crucially, of human language...