In the Brothers Grimm tale “Bearskin,” the soldier must avoid washing or cutting his hair for seven years.
After leaving military service, the impoverished soldier meets the Devil, who offers him money under harsh conditions. He must wear a bearskin coat, avoid washing or grooming himself, and live from the money he receives. If he survives seven years, he will be rich and free; if he dies, the Devil will claim him.
The soldier keeps his promise and uses his money to help people in need. His generosity eventually connects him with a desperate old man whose daughters face poverty. The soldier later marries one of the daughters and escapes the bargain’s consequences.
The story is also known by the German title “Der Bärenhäuter.” It is not the same tale as “The Devil with the Three Golden Hairs,” although both involve a bargain with the Devil and a young man facing a severe supernatural test.