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Iron Hans
With the help of Iron Hans, the wild man of the forest, a young prince makes his own way in the world and wins the hand of a princess.
32 pages, Hardcover
Published November 15, 1993
About the author
Jacob Grimm
6,070 books2,316 followersGerman philologist and folklorist Jakob Ludwig Karl Grimm in 1822 formulated Grimm's Law, the basis for much of modern comparative linguistics. With his brother Wilhelm Karl Grimm (1786-1859), he collected Germanic folk tales and published them as
Grimm's Fairy Tales
(1812-1815).
Indo-European stop consonants, represented in Germanic, underwent the regular changes that Grimm's Law describes; this law essentially states that Indo-European p shifted to Germanic f, t shifted to th, and k shifted to h. Indo-European b shifted to Germanic p, d shifted to t, and g shifted to k. Indo-European bh shifted to Germanic b, dh shifted to d, and gh shifted to g.
This jurist and mythologist also authored the monumental German Dictionary and his Deutsche Mythologie .
Adapted from Wikipedia.
Indo-European stop consonants, represented in Germanic, underwent the regular changes that Grimm's Law describes; this law essentially states that Indo-European p shifted to Germanic f, t shifted to th, and k shifted to h. Indo-European b shifted to Germanic p, d shifted to t, and g shifted to k. Indo-European bh shifted to Germanic b, dh shifted to d, and gh shifted to g.
This jurist and mythologist also authored the monumental German Dictionary and his Deutsche Mythologie .
Adapted from Wikipedia.
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
January 3, 2018
"Și se porni iarăși petrecerea nunții cu muzică și dans și veselie. Și mai ține și astăzi, căci așa se-ntâmplă cu toate câte se petrec acolo, pe tărâmul poveștilor: nu se termină niciodată."
"După ce toți redeveniră ceea ce fuseseră înainte de a fi vrăjiți, prințul o urcă pe fată pe unul din cai, încălecă și el pe calul său și, împreună cu toți, se întoarseră în împărăția tatălui său, căci era fiu de împărat, se căsătoriră și trăiră fericiți până când intrară în poveste."
"După ce toți redeveniră ceea ce fuseseră înainte de a fi vrăjiți, prințul o urcă pe fată pe unul din cai, încălecă și el pe calul său și, împreună cu toți, se întoarseră în împărăția tatălui său, căci era fiu de împărat, se căsătoriră și trăiră fericiți până când intrară în poveste."
October 16, 2015
A great story, full and quite vivid. A very lush ending. But what was the key doing under the queen's pillow ? ;)
August 26, 2010
I've read other versions of the Iron Hans/John story but tend to forget them as they don't resonate for me. Heyer's presentation is pretty, especially the decorate borders.
September 1, 2017
The classic fairy tale, retold with pleasant illustrations.
A king captures a wild man in the woods where everyone has been vanishing, and the wild man tricks the prince into freeing him, and carries him off, but does mean him well.
A king captures a wild man in the woods where everyone has been vanishing, and the wild man tricks the prince into freeing him, and carries him off, but does mean him well.
November 1, 2021
Not a fan of the tale, but it has pretty illustrations by Marilee Heyer.
March 21, 2022
Weird story. the wild brown man is the magical Other in the story who ends up in a cage because in his wildness he kills the king's men. He's later revealed to be an enchanted king.
Iron-Hans carries off the young prince after convincing him to open the cage. He should not have taken the child, no matter how much trouble he would be in once the king saw the cage was open. This can be read as abduction as the parents did not consent to this and the prince did not specifically ask to be taken away.
The lost prince lives like a peasant boy for some time in another king's kingdom and with the help of Iron-Hans uses magic to eventually get into the king's good graces and marry his daughter. He is reunited with his own family who he never tried to contact before. He could have asked Iron Hans to send him back home but he did not. He chose to work for the other king.
Iron-Hans carries off the young prince after convincing him to open the cage. He should not have taken the child, no matter how much trouble he would be in once the king saw the cage was open. This can be read as abduction as the parents did not consent to this and the prince did not specifically ask to be taken away.
The lost prince lives like a peasant boy for some time in another king's kingdom and with the help of Iron-Hans uses magic to eventually get into the king's good graces and marry his daughter. He is reunited with his own family who he never tried to contact before. He could have asked Iron Hans to send him back home but he did not. He chose to work for the other king.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2024
Jacob Grimm, alongside his brother Wilhelm, is renowned for compiling "Grimm's Fairy Tales," a collection of German folktales. This book is a captivating journey into the heart of folklore, presenting a mixture of enchanting and sometimes dark stories that have fascinated readers for generations. Grimm's work is not just a mere collection of tales; it's a profound exploration of the human condition, morals, and the cultural heritage of Germany. The stories range from the well-loved "Cinderella" and "Snow White" to the less known but equally intriguing tales. Each story is a masterpiece of fantasy, imbued with timeless themes and moral lessons, making this book a valuable treasure for both young and adult readers. Jacob Grimm's contribution through this compilation has left an indelible mark on literature and continues to inspire the imagination of readers worldwide.
July 3, 2024
FULL REVIEW ON MY WEBSITE
https://thebookcornerchronicles.com/2...
The original tale is much better but also darker then the version kids see.
It is different but not that different from what you might remember from first hearing this tale as a kid.
The plot here are very good but also dark which is the mix which I personally like a lot.
The writing style here was very old and you could feel the vibe of old the Europe which but it also felt like there was something missing.
https://thebookcornerchronicles.com/2...
The original tale is much better but also darker then the version kids see.
It is different but not that different from what you might remember from first hearing this tale as a kid.
The plot here are very good but also dark which is the mix which I personally like a lot.
The writing style here was very old and you could feel the vibe of old the Europe which but it also felt like there was something missing.
September 1, 2020
Interesting story and great illustrations, but there are questions left unanswered. I know stories like this leave a lot unaddressed, but why did the king's men all disappear into the woods? Did Iron Hans kill them? Why? How did he become like that in the first place? I wanted to know more about him.
June 10, 2021
A pretty nice story!
April 5, 2022
This was weird but quite fun to read.
April 22, 2022
The illustrations are drop-dead gorgeous, but wow, this story makes no sense at all. It's like the brother Grimm didn't even try on this one.
September 1, 2024
This one was actually kind of creepy.
January 3, 2025
Corto pero entretenido, buena lectura infantil
January 9, 2025
maybe this is my favorite Grimm Happily Ever After tale!
August 8, 2025
Everybody needs an Iron Hans.
April 27, 2023
2 stars
June 7, 2017
I’ve been seeing a few versions of this particular Grimm märchen lately. It’s amazing what different authors and/or illustrators can do with this allegorical story of a young prince who abandons his wealthy and privileged life to live with a wild man.
It’s uncertain whether the wild man kidnaps the boy or whether the child goes willingly. The child cries out for him not to leave because he will be beaten; this is not the same as asking Iron Hans to take the boy with him. But when Iron Hans scoops up the boy and takes him into the forest, the child doesn’t call for help either. The prince deliberately flouts his father’s command about opening the wild man’s cage. He fails his duties in guarding a pool and lies to Iron Hans about it. Then he hides his royal status while aiding another king. So is the child a victim or an opportunist?
The mystery and unanswered questions of this Grimm tale are ably matched by the Ms. Heyer’s ornate pictures, which alternately show double-spread pages of amazing variety and details, based on Renaissance design, and framework in the same vein. The pages feature flowers of bewildering assortment, pots, heraldic shields, beauteous beasts and statuary.
If there is allegorical meaning in any of it, it’s too much for this reader to puzzle out. But I’m sure whether you understand the hidden layers behind these drawings or merely enjoy them on a superficial level, this version of Iron Hans is bound to please anyone who adores strikingly decorated stories.
It’s uncertain whether the wild man kidnaps the boy or whether the child goes willingly. The child cries out for him not to leave because he will be beaten; this is not the same as asking Iron Hans to take the boy with him. But when Iron Hans scoops up the boy and takes him into the forest, the child doesn’t call for help either. The prince deliberately flouts his father’s command about opening the wild man’s cage. He fails his duties in guarding a pool and lies to Iron Hans about it. Then he hides his royal status while aiding another king. So is the child a victim or an opportunist?
The mystery and unanswered questions of this Grimm tale are ably matched by the Ms. Heyer’s ornate pictures, which alternately show double-spread pages of amazing variety and details, based on Renaissance design, and framework in the same vein. The pages feature flowers of bewildering assortment, pots, heraldic shields, beauteous beasts and statuary.
If there is allegorical meaning in any of it, it’s too much for this reader to puzzle out. But I’m sure whether you understand the hidden layers behind these drawings or merely enjoy them on a superficial level, this version of Iron Hans is bound to please anyone who adores strikingly decorated stories.
April 23, 2015
While the illustrations are wonderfully lush and beautiful, I didn't particularly relate to the story.
Whenever animals or people of the court went into the woods, they never returned. When the king sent huntsman to discover why this was occurring, they discover a deep pond containing a wild man. Capturing the wild man and placing him in a cage was the solution, until one day the King's young song found the key to open the cage for the wild man.
The wild man took the prince back into the woods and raised him. All riches were given with the stipulation that he could not touch the body of water. Alas, increasingly as he grew older, he could not resist the temptation and found that whenever he touched the water, things became gold. His finger and his hair we covered with gold.
As punishment, he was banished from the woods, but was told if he needed anything he could return and his wishes would be granted.
As the years progressed he had to work hard and adjust to a life of working with his hands in the garden of a palace.
Returning to the woods he asked the wildman for a magnificent horse to go into battle to help the King. When he saw the most beautiful princess, he asked the wildman for the ability to catch the golden apples so that he could win the princess' favor.
In the end he grew to a wise man and captured the heart of the prince.
Whenever animals or people of the court went into the woods, they never returned. When the king sent huntsman to discover why this was occurring, they discover a deep pond containing a wild man. Capturing the wild man and placing him in a cage was the solution, until one day the King's young song found the key to open the cage for the wild man.
The wild man took the prince back into the woods and raised him. All riches were given with the stipulation that he could not touch the body of water. Alas, increasingly as he grew older, he could not resist the temptation and found that whenever he touched the water, things became gold. His finger and his hair we covered with gold.
As punishment, he was banished from the woods, but was told if he needed anything he could return and his wishes would be granted.
As the years progressed he had to work hard and adjust to a life of working with his hands in the garden of a palace.
Returning to the woods he asked the wildman for a magnificent horse to go into battle to help the King. When he saw the most beautiful princess, he asked the wildman for the ability to catch the golden apples so that he could win the princess' favor.
In the end he grew to a wise man and captured the heart of the prince.
October 2, 2017
I absolutely loved this.
An enchanted man who kills those who come into his forest, is captured by a king. Upon being released by the king's son, he takes the prince with him and has him watch over an enchanted well. Warned not to let anything fall into it, he fails three times and is cast out, but is promised help by Iron Hans. Upon becoming a gardener's boy, he wishes help from Iron Hans to become a knight to help in the war, and helps the king's troops become victorious. Following this, he hides himself from everyone and refuses to let anyone know who he is. Ultimately, he is discovered, and after this, Iron Hans' enchantment breaks, freeing him.
I really loved reading this. There was nothing I didn't like, other than the quick ending that closed it a little too fast. I absolutely devoured this, and would gladly read it again and again. This was a delight. It was well paced, and had a lot to it that didn't drag on too much. This is definitely one of my recommend Brothers Grimm tales.
An enchanted man who kills those who come into his forest, is captured by a king. Upon being released by the king's son, he takes the prince with him and has him watch over an enchanted well. Warned not to let anything fall into it, he fails three times and is cast out, but is promised help by Iron Hans. Upon becoming a gardener's boy, he wishes help from Iron Hans to become a knight to help in the war, and helps the king's troops become victorious. Following this, he hides himself from everyone and refuses to let anyone know who he is. Ultimately, he is discovered, and after this, Iron Hans' enchantment breaks, freeing him.
I really loved reading this. There was nothing I didn't like, other than the quick ending that closed it a little too fast. I absolutely devoured this, and would gladly read it again and again. This was a delight. It was well paced, and had a lot to it that didn't drag on too much. This is definitely one of my recommend Brothers Grimm tales.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 16, 2014
What a weird story. Really makes me want to read (or write!) a full length retelling. There is SO much you could do with this story. So much that begs for fleshing out.
The illustrations are beautiful, if also a little weird, but they fit. Makes me want to read more books by this illustrator.
The illustrations are beautiful, if also a little weird, but they fit. Makes me want to read more books by this illustrator.
February 16, 2019
Well, the man of the forest was initially mean. Although as you would expect with Grimm Fairy Tales after the trials it all works out, I did find it odd that the boy did not look for his parents or vice versa.
September 20, 2013
One of the more rambling Grimm fairy tales but I love the illustrations by Marilee Heyer. The two cover spread throughout is lavish and colorful.
March 8, 2019
This was an entertaining and enjoyable short fairy tale.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews