In a humble cottage at the edge of a great kingdom, a poor woman gave birth to a son. <break time="0.5s" /> The baby came into the world wrapped in a shimmering caul, a thin veil that glowed like morning sunshine. <emphasis level="moderate">Three wise women appeared</emphasis> and spoke a prophecy: <prosody pitch="high">"This child is born with luck. When he turns fourteen, he shall marry the king's daughter."</prosody>
The king, who was passing through the village, heard of this prophecy and grew <emphasis level="strong">furious</emphasis>. <break time="0.3s" /> He went to the cottage disguised as a traveler and offered the poor family gold for their child. <prosody rate="slow">"I will give him a better life,"</prosody> he promised with a false smile. But once he had the baby, he placed him in a wooden box and threw it into the river. <break time="0.5s" /> <emphasis level="moderate">"No peasant boy will marry my daughter,"</emphasis> he muttered.
But luck was with the child. <break time="0.3s" /> The box floated gently downstream until it reached a miller's dam. <emphasis level="moderate">The kind miller fished it out and found the beautiful baby inside, completely unharmed.</emphasis> <prosody pitch="high">"What a miracle!"</prosody> exclaimed his wife. They had no children of their own, so they raised the boy as their son, naming him <emphasis level="strong">Hans</emphasis>. He grew strong, kind, and handsome.
Fourteen years passed. <break time="0.5s" /> One day, the king was caught in a storm and sought shelter at the mill. He noticed the handsome young Hans and asked about him. When he learned the boy had been found floating in a box, <emphasis level="strong">his face turned pale</emphasis>. <prosody rate="slow">"The prophecy child lives!"</prosody> he thought. He gave Hans a sealed letter. <emphasis level="moderate">"Deliver this to the queen,"</emphasis> he said sweetly. But the letter read: <prosody pitch="low">"Kill the bearer of this message immediately."</prosody>
Hans traveled through a dark forest, but night fell and he became lost. <break time="0.5s" /> He found a small cottage where robbers lived. <emphasis level="moderate">They were kind to the tired boy</emphasis> and let him sleep. Curious, they opened the king's letter while Hans slept. <prosody pitch="high">"The king wants to murder this innocent boy!"</prosody> one gasped. <emphasis level="strong">They rewrote the letter to say: "Marry this young man to the princess immediately."</emphasis> And so Hans's luck protected him once again.
Hans arrived at the palace and presented the letter. <break time="0.3s" /> The queen read it and, though surprised, followed its instructions. <emphasis level="moderate">A grand wedding was held</emphasis>, and Hans married the beautiful princess. <break time="0.5s" /> When the king returned and found Hans sitting beside his daughter, <prosody pitch="low">he nearly exploded with rage</prosody>. But he could not reveal his wicked schemes. <emphasis level="strong">"This is not over,"</emphasis> he thought darkly.
The king called Hans to his throne room. <prosody rate="slow">"If you wish to remain married to my daughter,"</prosody> he said coldly, <emphasis level="strong">"you must prove your worth."</emphasis> <break time="0.5s" /> <prosody pitch="high">"Bring me three golden hairs from the devil's head."</prosody> The king smiled cruelly, certain this task was impossible. But Hans bowed bravely. <emphasis level="moderate">"I will return with the three golden hairs,"</emphasis> he promised, and set off on his journey.
Hans traveled far and wide, asking everyone the way to Hell. <break time="0.5s" /> At the first city, guards stopped him: <prosody pitch="high">"Our fountain used to flow with wine, but now gives nothing. Can you discover why?"</prosody> Hans promised to try. <break time="0.3s" /> At the second city, they asked: <emphasis level="moderate">"Our tree once bore golden apples, but now won't even grow leaves. Can you find the answer?"</emphasis> <break time="0.5s" /> At a river, a ferryman pleaded: <prosody pitch="low">"I've rowed this ferry for years and cannot stop. Can you learn how I might be free?"</prosody>
At last, Hans reached the entrance to Hell. <break time="0.5s" /> The devil was out, but his ancient grandmother sat by the fire. <emphasis level="moderate">She was not as wicked as her grandson</emphasis>, and when Hans told her his story, she agreed to help. <prosody pitch="high">"Hide quickly! If the devil finds you, he'll eat you!"</prosody> <break time="0.3s" /> <emphasis level="strong">She transformed Hans into a tiny ant</emphasis> and tucked him into the folds of her dress just as thundering footsteps announced the devil's return.
The devil came home tired and lay his head in his grandmother's lap to sleep. <break time="0.5s" /> <emphasis level="moderate">As he dozed, she plucked a golden hair.</emphasis> <prosody pitch="high">"Ouch! What are you doing?"</prosody> he growled. <prosody rate="slow">"I had a strange dream,"</prosody> she said. <emphasis level="moderate">"A fountain that once flowed wine has dried up."</emphasis> <break time="0.3s" /> <prosody pitch="low">"Fools! There's a toad under a stone blocking it,"</prosody> the devil mumbled and fell back asleep. She asked about the tree and the ferryman too, <emphasis level="strong">plucking two more golden hairs</emphasis> and getting all three answers.
Hans hurried home with the three golden hairs and the devil's answers. <break time="0.5s" /> At the river, he told the ferryman: <emphasis level="moderate">"Give your oar to the next person who wants to cross, and you'll be free."</emphasis> At the tree, the people killed the gnawing mouse at its roots, <prosody pitch="high">and golden apples grew again!</prosody> At the fountain, they removed the toad, <emphasis level="strong">and wine flowed freely once more!</emphasis> <break time="0.3s" /> Both cities rewarded Hans with <prosody rate="slow">donkeys loaded with gold</prosody>.
Hans returned to the palace with the three golden hairs and mountains of gold. <break time="0.5s" /> <emphasis level="strong">Even the greedy king was impressed.</emphasis> <prosody pitch="high">"Where did you get all this gold?"</prosody> he demanded. Hans told him about the ferryman's river. <break time="0.3s" /> The king rushed off to get gold for himself. But when he asked to cross, <emphasis level="moderate">the ferryman handed him the oar</emphasis>. <prosody pitch="low">And there the wicked king rows to this very day.</prosody> <break time="0.5s" /> Hans and his princess lived happily ever after, <emphasis level="strong">proving that goodness and luck will always triumph over greed.</emphasis>
