Coming of Age Boys Become Men 1 Iron Hans Grimms king lived next to a large dangerous forest many huntsmen herdsmen and woodcutters entered and never came back legend says they all fell prey to a wild man who lived at bottom of lake in the woods the king wanted to secure his land so he went in the woods with troops found the lake and drained it finding a small creature with matted red hair named it Iron Hans bound it with chains and took it back to castle to display it in a cage kings son was playing with a golden ball threw it too far it went into cage iron hans says he will return it if he sets him free and he will find the key to cage beneath his mother s pillow boy did so the creature disappeared and said he could call him if he needed him king was furious boy had to run to save his life ran to next kingdom became a gardener s helper he worked all day but the princess smiled at him sometimes kingdom was invaded boy volunteered to fight they said no he begged they gave him a bucket and shovel and put him on a three legged horse sent him into battle called for iron hans who brought him a powerful horse suit of armor and weapons fought and enemy retreated took enemy flag to king princess gave him a golden apple princess wanted to marry him search for golden apple began gardener boy claimed princess Iron Hans was at wedding all lived happily ever after 2 The Wild Man and the Prince Serbia king went into his forest to hunt caught a wild man took him to dungeon and locked him up anyone who set the man free would die king s youngest son let him free admitted to it and king had to kill him old counselors said he should instead banish the boy from the kingdom on the way the boy was thirsty and went to drink from a well there was no bucket at the well prince told the servant to hold his heels while he drank but servant would not let him back up unless he agreed to change clothes and trade places with him servant was welcomed with honor but afraid people may find out so he wanted to kill the boy the king of this kingdom kept beasts caged in his gardens the servant recommended the king let them out to find their own food in forest and recommended the boy as keeper king threatened to cut off the prince s head if he does not accept the task the prince tells him to cut off his head king would not listen so the prince let the bears out of their cages and followed them into the forest he sat on a fallen tree and cried a hairy creature appeared and asked what he was crying for prince told him creature gave him a bell and told him to ring it when he wanted the bears to return prince rang bell bears came to him he played flute for them and put them back in cages servant says the prince can also manage wolves king threatens him again prince let them out creature gave him another bell wolves came back and were put in cages servant says he can send out birds too king threatened him again creature gave bell doves returned to cages king needed to find a husband for his daughter he would hold a race and give a golden apple to winner each day for 3 days winner of all 3 apples would win his daughter prince went into woods for help creature gave him fine clothes and horse tells him not to rush his horse but spur him in the end and bring golden apple to him when he gets it won the apples first 2 days but king wanted to know his identity so he ordered for a ditch to be dug at the end of the course and a wall beyond it to stop him prince went into woods to get help creature gave him a better horse and suit won and escaped over the wall with his horse into the forest princess saw the servant with the 3 apples and told the king he told the king about his story and king gave the princess to him and ordered the servant to death lived happily ever after and became king 3 The Blood Brothers Europe fisherman caught a fish that told him he would grant him a wish if he set him free fisherman wanted to have a child with his wife so he turned the fish loose fish told him to cast his net again and give his next catch to his wife to eat his wife at flesh dog ate insides horse ate the bones wife gave birth to 2 boys dog had litter of two pups horse had 2 colts older twin wanted to go seek fortune so he gave his brother white wine and said as long as wine is white he is safe but if it turns red he will need help left on the older twin horse accompanied by older twin dog came to a kingdom being attacked by a dragon tracked dragon to its lair and battled him king promised his daughters hand in marriage to whoever killed the dragon boy killed the dragon cut out its tongue as proof and set out to castle king s steward happened upon dead dragon and decided to take kill for his own cut off dragon s head and took shortcut to castle king arranged wedding boy arrived as festivities were beginning said a dragon with no tongue is strange steward said it had a tongue and opened mouth to find no tongue king cast steward into a dungeon and festivities continued with twin as bridegroom twin and princess lived happily but twin became restless again wanted to go hunting in forest of no return wife asked him not to but he went anyway entered forest met older woman who was a wicked witch turned him into stone younger twin examined wine bottle it turned red he mounted younger horse and took younger dog to find brother came to kingdom where his brother killed dragon everyone thought it was other twin princess said she never thought he would return laid his sword between them at night next day younger twin goes into forest meets witch sensed evil leaped on her and pinned her to ground told her to take him to his brother or die she led him to his brother and returned him to life two brothers made way back to castle telling stories younger told of how he slept with the princess older cut off his head princess said he had laid sword between them older realized he killed brother unjustly went back and brought brother back to life lived happily ever after 4 Jack and the Beanstalk England poor widow lived in cottage with son Jack Jack thoughtless but kindhearted and affectionate harsh winter woman was …