A king’s harsh laws against trespass into the ‘cursed forest’ cause even his only son an heir, prince Johannes ‘Hans’, to be banished from court. The knave dwells I the forest, where he’s taken under the wing of its magical protector, Eisenhans ‘German ‘iron Hans’). Having rendered strange services, he’s sent off with a promise of help when he needs it and a prophecy all may end well if he once catches a golden ball, not unlike his favorite toy as a boy-prince. Grown up in poverty, self-reliant Hans reaches another king’s castle and gets employed there, first as kitchen hand, after his ‘gross’ refusal to take off his cap (which hides his magically gold-covered hair) as gardener’s assistant. As such he interests the headstrong princess, gets into trouble again, but returns as savior after the black knight, who already plagues his own royal family, threatens this realm with his armed band.