The Golden Bird

Once there was a king who had a tree in his garden that bore shimmering golden apples. Every morning, a single apple was missing. No one understood how it happened. At last, the king said to his three sons, "One of you must guard the tree tonight and catch the thief."

The eldest prince kept watch first, but he lay comfortably under the tree and fell asleep. In the morning, another golden apple was missing. The next night, the middle prince kept watch, but he also fell asleep. When the youngest prince took his turn, he stayed awake. Late at night, something shimmering descended from the sky—a bird with feathers of pure gold. It reached toward an apple. The prince ran forward, but only managed to catch a single feather that fell to the ground. When he brought the feather to his father, it gleamed like sunshine. "This feather is worth more than my entire kingdom," said the king. "Find the bird for me!"

The three brothers set off. Soon, the eldest came to a road where a fox stood watching him. "Where are you going, Prince?" asked the fox. "I seek the golden bird," answered the prince. "Listen to my advice," said the fox. "At the first village are two inns. One shines and is full of music and laughter. The other is simple and quiet. Go to the simple one." But the eldest only smiled at the fox and went to the bright house. There he ate and drank until he forgot the whole task.

Soon, the middle prince came the same way. The fox gave the same advice, but the middle one was also lured by laughter and song and stayed behind. At last, the youngest prince came. He stopped and bowed to the fox. "I will listen," he said. And so he went to the simple inn, where he slept well and continued the next morning.

The fox ran ahead and said, "Sit on my back, and we'll arrive faster." The prince held on well, and the fox carried him to a castle where everyone slept—guards, horses, even the winds seemed to whisper in sleep. "Go into the bird house," said the fox, "and you'll find the golden bird in a simple wooden cage. Don't touch the shiny golden cage beside it, no matter how tempting it is. Take only the wooden cage and go."

The prince sneaked in. There sat the golden bird, so beautiful he lost his breath. Beside it hung a shimmering golden cage. "The bird surely belongs in gold," he thought and touched the golden cage. In the same instant, the chains rattled loudly, the bird screamed, and the whole castle woke. The prince grabbed the bird, but men stormed in and took him. "You can have your freedom," said the castle folk, "if you fetch for us the golden horse that runs faster than the wind."

Ashamed, the prince returned to the fox. "You forgot my advice," said the fox mildly. "But all is not lost. Sit on my back again." They came to the stable where the golden horse stood. "Put the old, worn saddle on the horse," whispered the fox, "and ride away. Don't touch the glittering golden saddle." The prince went in, but when he saw the golden saddle glitter, he thought, "Such a horse deserves the most beautiful." He touched the golden saddle—and the alarm went off, men came rushing and seized him. "You can have the horse," they said, "if you bring us the princess from the Golden Castle."

The prince went sorrowfully to the fox. "Now you must obey carefully," said the fox. "At midnight the princess goes to her garden. Lead in your horse quietly. Lift her carefully up into the saddle. Don't let her say farewell to her parents, no matter how much she begs. Ride straight away from here."

When night came, the prince did as the fox had said. The princess was almost asleep when he lifted her up. But when she woke in the saddle, she looked at him with clear eyes and said, "Who are you?" "One who must keep a promise," he answered. She heard his truth and was not afraid. They rode quickly under the stars. At dawn, they reached the stable with the golden horse. The folk there saw the princess and immediately gave the horse as a prize. Then they rode onward to the castle with the bird. When the princess smiled and spoke kindly, the men opened the doors, and the prince carried the golden bird out—this time in its simple wooden cage.

"Now you have everything," said the fox contentedly. "But be careful. Your brothers are waiting, and their hearts are not glad at your successes." The prince thanked him and rode onward with the princess, the horse, and the bird. They came to a place where a river ran clear. There stood, as the fox had said, his two brothers. "Dear little brother!" they called. "So good to see you! Let us rest together here."

They ate and talked, but when the youngest fell asleep, the brothers carried away the bird and the horse and took the princess with them. They threw their brother into a deep well and hurried home to the king with their treasures. But neither the bird sang nor the horse ate, and the princess was silent and sorrowful. The king sensed something was wrong.

Deep in the well, the youngest prince struggled, but then came the fox. With a leap, he grabbed the prince's cloak and pulled him up. "Hurry now," said the fox, "to the castle! Truth needs your voice." The prince hurried and soon stood in the halls. When the princess saw him, she lit up. The golden horse snorted and ate, and the golden bird began to sing so clearly that the whole castle stopped. Then the king understood how everything was.

The two elder brothers were severely punished for their wickedness and were no longer allowed to stay at court. The youngest prince married the princess from the Golden Castle. The golden horse became his faithful steed, and the golden bird sang in the king's garden so that the apple tree bore more golden fruits than ever.

When all was peaceful, the fox came one last time. "I have a request," he said softly. "If you cut off my head and my paws, I will be free." The prince flinched. "I cannot!" "You have listened to me and done good. Trust me now one more time," begged the fox. With a heavy heart, the prince did as he was asked. In the same moment, there stood no fox, but a young man, free and smiling. "I was a prince, enchanted into a fox," he said. "Your faithfulness broke the enchantment." He thanked them warmly and returned to his own land.

So they lived happily. And when the golden bird sang in the morning light, everyone remembered how far one can go with good courage, open ears, and an honest heart.