Sherry Meidell

You know, I'm familiar with the story of The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs, but I don't think I've ever read the original...I believe I saw a cartoon version of it some several dozen years ago, so I'm familiar with the basics of the story, but can't really make a comparison with the original version and this one...so I'll just review this one on it's own as a story worth reading and/or telling to children. That said, The Devil with Three Golden Hairs is a fine story book with lavish illustrations done in a style that isn't my favorite, but is evocative of days gone by and quite effective for the story. Additionally, the illustrations are FULL of all kinds of extra detail (creepy crawly things in the dark forest) for kids to pour over and giggle about while reading or after the story has been read...it's a visual feast.

As for the story itself, it's quite well done. The king is selfish and greedy and upon hearing that a child has been born and it has been prophesized that he will marry the kings daughter...he can't abide the idea of his precious daughter marring a peasant, so he charms the child away from the parents with gold and promises to raise him in the palace. No sooner is he away from them then he tosses the child in a box into the river without further thought or worry. The boy is, naturally, found by a couple who desperately wanted children but never had any and they raise him as their own....we have several layers of the king tries to kill the boy unsuccessfully, which will make children cheer. Finally, fed up at the boy having been unwittingly married off to his daughter, chargers him with getting three of the devil's golden hairs, thinking that surely the devil will dispose of the boy for him...but we all know that's not what happens. I love the ending where the king, in his greed is actually tricked by the young man (who is never given a name) into returning to the ferry, where he becomes trapped, rowing back and forth on the river from sun rise to moon rise. A fitting end.

Overall, we thoroughly enjoyed this story. My kids loved the devil's grandmother and all the furniture made of bones and enjoyed hearing how to solve the riddles of the well, the golden apple tree and the ferry man. By the end they were giggling madly at the fate of the king. It's a fine version, well suited for young children. There is, what in this day and age might be termed, "attempted violence" many times in the story...but no one ever actually gets hurt and in the end, the king isn't killed, he's given his just deserts winding up a poor ferryman, rowing across the river day in and day out. The overall message that good perseveres is there, but not in an over the top, in your face kind of way. The text combined with the illustrations make The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs an entertaining retelling of this Grimm's Folktale. I `d recommend it without hesitation for beginner readers, the text is long enough to provide some challenge to a starting reader, but not too long or challenging that he or she will become frustrated with the effort. I'd say the ideal age range for this book is 4-8 or so, younger readers may also enjoy the story and there isn't anything so frightening in the text that this story could be read earlier and often. Additionally this makes a VERY FUN read aloud story, especially if you can do the voices of characters (particularly, the devil and grandmother)...what a fun read!!… (altro)