#I'm going by the grimm's version so that's devil not giant and while a giant can easily be giantess a female devil is just Different

[laurasimonsdaughter]

Could you tell a gender-swapped version of The Giant with the Three Golden Hairs?

Hmmm I am not a fan of completely gender-swapping fairy tales without regard for narrative structure and I would argue that Joseph Jacob's The Fish and The Ring pretty much is a gender-swapped version of this tale type (and a fun one too!).

But I do have a soft spot for The Giant/Devil With The Three Golden Hairs because of the adaptation The Luck Child in Jim Henson's The Storyteller, so...

The Devil With The Three Golden Hairs

A fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, retold by Laura Simons.

There was once a poor woman who gave birth to a little daughter; and as she came into the world with a caul on her head, it was predicted that in her eighteenth year she would have the Queen’s son for her husband.

It happened that soon afterwards the Queen passed through that village, and no one knew that she was the Queen, and when she asked the people what news there was, they answered, "A child has just been born with a caul on; whatever any one so born undertakes turns out well. It is prophesied, too, that in her eighteenth year she will marry the Queen’s only son."

The Queen, who had a bad heart, and was angry about the prophecy, went to the parents, and, seeming quite friendly, said, "You poor people, let me have your child, and I will take care of it."

At first they refused, but when the stranger offered them a large amount of gold in exchange, and they thought, "She is a luck-child, and everything must turn out well for her," they at last consented, and gave her the child. For if their little girl was truly destined to marry the Prince, perhaps she was likewise fated to be raised by such a grand and wealthy lady.

The cruel Queen put the baby in a box and rode away with it until she came to a deep piece of water; then she threw the box into it and thought, "I have freed my son from this unsuitable bride."

The box, however, did not sink, but floated like a boat, and not a drop of water made its way into it. And it floated to within two miles of the capital city where the royal family resided, to a spot where there was a mill, and it came to a stand-still at the mill-dam. A miller's boy, who by good luck was standing there, noticed it and pulled it out with a hook, thinking that he had found a great treasure, but when he opened it there lay a pretty baby inside, quite healthy and lively. He took her to the miller and his wife, and as they had no children they were glad, and said, "God has given her to us." They took great care of the foundling, and she grew up in all goodness.

It happened that once in a storm, the Queen passed by the mill and went into it. She asked the mill-folk if the cheerful youth who had gone to help with the horses was their daughter.

"No," answered they, "she's a foundling. Almost eighteen years ago she floated down to the mill-dam in a box, and the mill-boy pulled her out of the water."

Then the King knew that it was none other than the luck-child which she had thrown into the water, and she said, "My good people, could not your girl take a letter to the Queen? I will give her two gold pieces as a reward."

"Just as Your Majesty commands," answered they, and they told the girl to hold herself in readiness.

Then the Queen wrote a letter to the King, wherein she said, "As soon as the girl arrives with this letter, let her be killed and buried, and all must be done before I come home."

The girl set out with this letter; but she lost her way, and in the evening came to a large forest. She was not afraid, for no harm had ever come to her in her life that she knew of. In the darkness she saw a small light; she went towards it and reached a cottage. When she went in, an old man was sitting by the fire quite alone. He started when he saw the girl, and said, "Whence do you come, and whither are you going?"

"I come from the mill," she answered, "and wish to go to the King, to whom I am taking a letter; but as I have lost my way in the forest I should like to stay here over night."

"You poor girl," said the man, "you have come into a den of thieves, and when they come home they will kill you."

"Let them come," said the girl, "I am not afraid; but I am so tired that I cannot go any farther:" and she stretched himself upon a bench and fell asleep.

Soon afterwards the robbers came, and angrily asked what strange boy was lying there?

"Ah," said the old man, "it is an innocent child who has lost herslef in the forest, and out of pity I have let her come in; she has to take a letter to the King."

The robbers opened the letter and read it, and in it was written that the girl as soon as she arrived should be put to death. Then the hard-hearted robbers felt pity, and their leader tore up the letter and wrote another, in the exact same hand, saying that as soon as the girl arrived, she should be married to the Crown Prince at once. Then they let her lie quietly on the bench until the next morning, and when she awoke they gave her the letter, and showed her the right way.

And the King, when he had received the letter and read it, did as was written in it and had a splendid wedding-feast prepared. And neither the Crown Prince nor the foundling made any protestations, because the luck-child was honest and affectionate and the Crown Prince was as kind as his mother was cruel. So the two of them were married and they lived together in joy and contentment.

After some time the Queen returned to her palace and saw that the prophecy was fulfilled, and the luck-child married to her son. "How has that come to pass?" said he; "I gave quite another order in my letter." So the King gave him the letter, and said that she might see for himself what was written in it. The Queen read the letter and saw quite well that it had been exchanged for the other. She asked the youth what had become of the letter entrusted to her, and why she had brought another instead of it.

"I know nothing about it," answered she stoutly; "it must have been changed in the night, when I slept in the forest." But now she knew that whatever that first letter must have held, it would not have been good for her.

The Queen said in a passion, "You shall not have everything quite so much your own way; whosoever marries my son must fetch me from hell three golden hairs from the head of the devil; bring me what I want, and you shall keep my son." In this way the Queen hoped to be rid of her for ever.

The Crown Prince wept when he heard it, for he loved his young wife, but the luck-child answered, "I will fetch the golden hairs, I am not afraid of the Devil."

Thereupon she took leave of them all and began her journey. The road led her to a large town, where the guard by the gates asked her what her trade was, and what she knew.

"I know everything," answered the luck-child blithely, for so it goes with young people who know themselves for a fact to be blessed with good luck.

"Then you can do us a favour," said the guard, "if you will tell us why our market-fountain, which once flowed with wine has become dry, and no longer gives even water?"

"That you shall know," answered she; "only wait until I come back." Then she went farther and came to another town, and there also the gatekeeper asked her what was her trade, and what she knew.

"I know everything," answered she.

"Then you can do us a favour and tell us why a tree in our town which once bore golden apples now does not even put forth leaves?"

"You shall know that," answered she; "only wait until I come back." Then she went on and came to a wide river over which she must go.

The ferryman asked her what her trade was, and what she knew.

"I know everything," answered she.

"Then you can do me a favour," said the ferryman, "and tell me why I must always be rowing backwards and forwards, and am never set free?"

"You shall know that," answered she; "only wait until I come back."

When she had crossed the water she found the entrance to Hell. It was black and sooty within, and the Devil was not at home, but his grandfather was sitting in a large arm-chair. "What do you want?" said she to her, but she did not look so very wicked.

"I should like to have three golden hairs from the devil's head," answered she, "else I cannot keep my dear husband."

"That is a good deal to ask for," said he; "if the devil comes home and finds you, it will cost you your life; but as I pity you, I will see if I cannot help you." He changed her into an ant and said, "Creep into the folds of my coat, you will be safe there."

"Yes," answered she, "so far, so good; but there are three things besides that I want to know: why a fountain which once flowed with wine has become dry, and no longer gives even water; why a tree which once bore golden apples does not even put forth leaves; and why a ferry-man must always be going backwards and forwards, and is never set free?"

"Those are difficult questions," answered he, "but only be silent and quiet and pay attention to what the devil says when I pull out the three golden hairs."

As the evening came on, the devil returned home. No sooner had he entered than he noticed that the air was not pure. "I smell human flesh," said he; "all is not right here." Then he pried into every corner, and searched, but could not find anything.

His grandfather scolded him. "It has just been swept," said he, "and everything put in order, and now you are upsetting it again; you have always got human flesh in your nose. Sit down and eat your supper."

When he had eaten and drunk he was tired, and laid his head in his grandfather’s lap, and before long he was fast asleep, snoring and breathing heavily. Then the old man took hold of a golden hair, pulled it out, and laid it down near him.

"Oh!" cried the devil, "what are you doing?"

"I have had a bad dream," answered the grandfather, "so I seized hold of your hair."

"What did you dream then?" said the devil.

"I dreamed that a fountain in a market-place from which wine once flowed was dried up, and not even water would flow out of it; what is the cause of it?"

"Oh, ho! if they did but know it," answered the devil; "there is a toad sitting under a stone in the well; if they killed it, the wine would flow again."

He went to sleep again and snored until the windows shook. Then his grandfather pulled the second hair out. "Ha! what are you doing?" cried the devil angrily.

"Do not take it ill," said he, "I did it in a dream."

"What have you dreamt this time?" asked he.

"I dreamt that in a certain kingdom there stood an apple-tree which had once borne golden apples, but now would not even bear leaves. What, think you, was the reason?"

"Oh! if they did but know," answered the devil. "A mouse is gnawing at the root; if they killed this they would have golden apples again, but if it gnaws much longer the tree will wither altogether. But leave me alone with your dreams: if you disturb me in my sleep again you will get a box on the ear."

The grandfather spoke gently to him until he fell asleep again and snored. Then he took hold of the third golden hair and pulled it out. The devil jumped up, roared out, and would have treated her ill if he had not quieted him once more and said, "Who can help bad dreams?"

"What was the dream, then?" asked he, and was quite curious.

"I dreamt of a ferry-man who complained that he must always ferry from one side to the other, and was never released. What is the cause of it?"

"Ah! the fool," answered the devil; "when any one comes and wants to go across he must put the oar in his hand, and the other man will have to ferry and he will be free."

As the grandfather had plucked out the three golden hairs, and the three questions were answered, he let the old serpent alone, and he slept until daybreak. When the devil had gone out again the old man took the ant out of the folds of his coat, and gave the luck-child her human shape again.

"There are the three golden hairs for you," said he. "What the Devil said to your three questions, I suppose you heard?"

"Yes," answered she, "I heard, and will take care to remember."

"You have what you want," said he, "and now you can go your way."

She thanked the old man for helping her in her need, and left hell well content that everything had turned out so fortunately.

When she came to the ferry-man she was expected to give the promised answer. "Ferry me across first," said the luck-child, "and then I will tell you how you can be set free," and when she reached the opposite shore she gave him the devil's advice: "Next time any one comes, who wants to be ferried over, just put the oar in their hand."

She went on and came to the town wherein stood the unfruitful tree, and there too the gatekeeper wanted an answer. So she told her what she had heard from the devil: "Kill the mouse which is gnawing at its root, and it will again bear golden apples."

Then the watchman thanked her, and gave her as a reward two asses laden with gold, which followed her.

At last she came to the town whose well was dry. She told the guard what the devil had said: "A toad is in the well beneath a stone; you must find it and kill it, and the well will again give wine in plenty."

The guard thanked her, and also gave her two asses laden with gold.

At last the luck-child got home to her husband, who was heartily glad to see her again, and to hear how well she had prospered in everything. The King, too, was relieved to see his daughter-in-law safe and sound, but the Queen could barely keep her countenance when the girl brought her the devil’s three golden hairs.

When she saw the four asses laden with gold, however, she suddenly grew very pleasant, and said: "Now all the conditions are fulfilled, and you can keep my daughter. But tell me, dear daughter-in-law, where did all that gold come from? this is tremendous wealth!"

"I was rowed across a river,” answered she innocently, "and got it there; it lies on the shore instead of sand."

"Can I too fetch some of it?" said the Queen; and she was quite eager about it.

"As much as you like," answered she. "There is a ferry-man on the river; let him ferry you over, and you can fill your sacks on the other side."

The greedy Queen set out in all haste, and when she came to the river she beckoned to the ferry-man to put her across. The ferry-man came and bade her get in, and when they got to the other shore he put the oar in her hand and sprang out. So from that time forth the Queen had to ferry, as a punishment for her sins. Perhaps she is ferrying still? If she is, it is because no one has taken the oar from her.