Iron John

A young boy accidentally frees a mysterious wild man named Iron John from an iron cage in his father's castle. As punishment for his disobedience, the wild man takes the boy deep into the forest to serve as his guardian. The boy is tasked with watching over a magical gold well that must never be polluted. He faces several troubles when he accidentally dips his finger and hair into the water, turning them golden in the process. Each time Iron John discovers the violation, the boy is given another chance but is eventually dismissed for good. Cast out into the world with nothing but his strange golden hair, the boy struggles to find work and hides his head under a cap. He endures hard labor as a gardener until war breaks out in the kingdom. The boy bravely rides into battle using Iron John's magical help to defeat the enemy army. To prove his identity, he returns to the royal festival three times to catch the princess's golden apple while wearing different colored armor. Finally, the princess removes his cap and sees his golden hair, realizing who he truly is. The boy reveals his true lineage as a prince and asks for the princess's hand in marriage. His parents arrive at the wedding, overjoyed to find their son alive and well. Iron John appears as a mighty king, revealing he was enchanted and freed by the boy's compassion. He gifts all his treasures to the young couple, ending their story with great wealth and happiness.