Hans the Mermaid's Son

In a little village by the coast, there once lived a blacksmith who caught a Mermaid while fishing. Strange as it may seem, she sent her son, Hans, to live with the blacksmith. Hans was no ordinary boy. By the time he was seven years old, he was as tall as a full-grown man and incredibly strong. Hans had an appetite to match his size. He ate so much that his father simply couldn't afford to feed him. "I will go seek my fortune," said Hans. He took a heavy iron bar to use as a walking staff-twisting it to test its strength as if it were a twig-and set off down the road.

He soon found work at a large manor house owned by a wealthy but greedy Squire. "I am looking for a job," said Hans. "I will do the work of twelve men, if you give me as much food as twelve men." "Agreed!" cried the Squire, thinking he had found a bargain. But that evening, Hans ate a huge cauldron of porridge that should have lasted a week. The Squire realized that feeding Hans would cost a fortune! He decided he had to get rid of this hungry giant, but he was too afraid to fire him. He would have to trick Hans into leaving.