The Golden Bird

In a kingdom far away, surrounded by mountains of jade and valleys of emerald, there stood a magnificent castle. Within its grounds grew an apple tree that bore fruit of pure gold. Each morning, the king would count his precious apples, taking great pleasure in their gleaming perfection.

One morning, the king discovered that an apple was missing. Guards were posted around the tree that night, but when dawn broke, another golden apple had vanished. The oldest and most trusted guard reported seeing a bird with feathers that shimmered like molten gold swoop down at midnight, pluck an apple with its beak, and fly away.

“Capture this golden bird,” the king commanded his three sons. “Whoever succeeds will be richly rewarded.”

The eldest son set out first, confident in his abilities. As he journeyed through the forest surrounding the castle, he encountered an old fox with russet fur streaked with silver.

“Where are you bound, young prince?” asked the fox, fixing him with knowing amber eyes.

“I seek the golden bird that steals my father’s apples,” replied the prince haughtily. “Not that it concerns a mere forest creature.”

The fox’s whiskers twitched. “I know of this bird,” he said. “Continue along this path until you reach two inns. One is bright and merry, with music and laughter. The other is modest and quiet. Choose the quiet inn, or misfortune will follow.”

The prince scoffed at receiving advice from a fox and continued on his way. Soon enough, he came upon the two inns just as described. From one emanated cheerful music and delicious aromas. The other stood silent and unassuming.

“Why should I deny myself comfort and pleasure?” the prince muttered, turning toward the merry establishment.

Inside, he was greeted with fine food, wine, and entertainment. The prince indulged happily, soon forgetting his quest entirely as days turned into weeks of revelry.

When the eldest son did not return, the second prince departed on the same mission. He too met the fox, received the same advice, and made the same choice as his brother. He too was lost to the pleasures of the merry inn.

Finally, the youngest prince—overlooked and underestimated by all in the court—set out to find the golden bird. Unlike his brothers, he was observant and humble. When the fox appeared and offered counsel, he listened respectfully.

“Thank you for your wisdom,” the young prince said, bowing slightly. “I shall heed your advice.”

True to his word, when he reached the crossroads, he chose the quiet inn despite the tempting sounds and smells wafting from its festive neighbor. After a simple meal and restful night, he continued his journey at dawn.

The fox appeared again, padding silently alongside him. “You have passed the first test,” it said approvingly. “Now I shall guide you to the golden bird, but you must follow my instructions precisely.”

The young prince nodded eagerly. “I will listen carefully.”

“The bird resides in a wooden cage within the castle of an eastern king,” explained the fox. “Beside it stands an empty golden cage of extraordinary beauty. You must not transfer the bird to the golden cage, no matter how fitting it seems. Take the bird in its wooden cage and depart swiftly.”

After days of travel, they arrived at the eastern king’s castle under cover of night. The fox used its magical knowledge to guide the prince past guards and through hidden passages until they reached a chamber where the golden bird sat in its simple wooden cage, its feathers illuminating the room with a soft, radiant light.

Beside it, just as the fox had described, stood a magnificent golden cage encrusted with jewels. The prince approached the wooden cage, but then hesitated.

“Surely such a magnificent creature deserves a more fitting home,” he thought, eyeing the golden cage. “The fox’s warning makes little sense.”

Disregarding his promise, the prince opened the wooden cage and attempted to transfer the bird to the golden one. The moment his hands touched the golden bird, it let out a piercing cry that echoed through the castle. Guards rushed in, seized the prince, and dragged him before the eastern king.

“Thief!” thundered the king. “The penalty for attempting to steal my golden bird is death!”

The young prince fell to his knees. “Forgive me, Your Majesty. I sought the bird only because it has been stealing my father’s golden apples.”

The king’s expression softened slightly. “I may spare your life on one condition,” he declared. “Bring me the golden horse that can run as swiftly as the wind, and the golden bird shall be yours.”

Released from the dungeon, the prince found the fox waiting, its eyes reflecting disappointment. “You did not heed my warning,” it said.

“I was foolish,” admitted the prince. “I will not disregard your counsel again.”

The fox nodded. “The golden horse belongs to a king in the southern lands. In his stable, you will find the magnificent steed with a simple leather saddle. Nearby will hang a golden saddle adorned with precious stones. Take the horse with its leather saddle only.”

After another long journey, they reached the southern castle. Under the fox’s guidance, the prince slipped into the royal stables where the golden horse stood, its coat gleaming like the sun even in the darkness. As foretold, a modest leather saddle rested on its back, while a dazzling golden saddle hung on the wall.

The prince approached the horse, remembering his promise. Yet as he gazed at the exquisite golden saddle, doubt crept into his mind.

“Such a magnificent horse deserves a saddle worthy of its beauty,” he reasoned. “Surely the fox is mistaken in this.”

He removed the leather saddle and was about to replace it with the golden one when the horse neighed loudly, alerting the stable guards. Once again, the prince was captured and brought before a king—this time, the southern monarch.

“Thief!” accused the king. “The penalty for attempting to steal my golden horse is death!”

Once more, the prince explained his quest, and once more, a bargain was struck. “Bring me the beautiful princess from the golden castle beyond the western mountains,” declared the southern king, “and both the golden horse and your freedom shall be yours.”

The fox, though exasperated, remained loyal. “You have failed twice to follow my guidance,” it said when they were alone. “Will you listen this time?”

“I swear it,” vowed the prince, shamefaced.

“The princess of the golden castle bathes in a sacred lake each evening at sunset,” explained the fox. “Wait until she has entered the water, then take her royal robe that lies upon the shore. When she emerges and asks for her garment, request a kiss in exchange. But once you have won her heart, do not allow her to bid farewell to her father.”

Following the fox’s directions, the prince journeyed to the western mountains and found the golden castle glittering in the setting sun. He concealed himself near the sacred lake and watched as the princess—a maiden of incomparable beauty—arrived with her attendants. When she entered the waters, he crept forward and took her robe of gold and silk.

After her bath, the princess was dismayed to find her garment missing. When the prince revealed himself and offered to return it in exchange for a kiss, she initially protested but eventually agreed, for she found the young man both handsome and courteous.

To the prince’s surprise, one kiss led to conversation, and conversation to mutual affection. By morning, the princess had agreed to accompany him on his journey.

As they prepared to depart, she made a simple request: “Allow me to bid my father farewell.”

The prince, remembering the fox’s warning, reluctantly refused. “We must leave immediately,” he insisted gently. “I will explain everything once we are safely away.”

Disappointed but understanding, the princess departed with him. The fox, waiting at the forest’s edge, nodded approvingly. “You have finally heeded my advice,” it said. “Now we must return to the southern king to claim the golden horse.”

Upon reaching the southern castle, however, the prince was reluctant to surrender the princess. “I have grown to love her,” he confessed to the fox. “How can I trade her for a horse, even one of gold?”

“Present her to the king as agreed,” advised the fox. “Trust that all will unfold as it should.”

Though conflicted, the prince followed this guidance. The southern king was delighted with the princess but failed to notice her cold demeanor toward him and the glances she exchanged with the young prince.

“The golden horse is yours, as promised,” declared the king, instructing his stable master to prepare the magnificent steed with its leather saddle.

As they departed for the eastern kingdom, the princess riding behind the prince on the golden horse, the fox revealed the next part of its plan. “At the eastern castle, present the golden horse as agreed,” it instructed. “All will be well.”

The eastern king marveled at the golden horse’s beauty. “You have fulfilled your bargain admirably,” he acknowledged, ordering servants to bring forth the golden bird in its wooden cage.

With both bird and horse secured, and the princess at his side, the prince began the journey home, the fox trotting alongside them. As they traveled, the fox shared stories and wisdom, becoming dear to them all.

Near the end of their journey, the fox led them to a dense forest where nine robbers had been terrorizing travelers. “I have one final request,” it said solemnly. “In this forest, you will encounter robbers. They will demand your life, but offer them the horse and bird instead.”

The prince, having learned the value of the fox’s counsel, agreed without hesitation. When the robbers ambushed them, he surrendered the golden treasures in exchange for safe passage.

“You have lost your prizes,” lamented the princess once they were safely beyond the forest. “All your quests were for naught.”

“I have won something far more precious,” replied the prince, taking her hand. “And I have learned to value wisdom above gold.”

The fox, who had disappeared during the confrontation with the robbers, suddenly reappeared before them. This time, however, it stood on its hind legs and began to shimmer with an unearthly light.

“You have passed all tests,” it announced, its form shifting and elongating until a handsome man stood in its place. “I am not truly a fox but a prince under enchantment. Only by finding someone who would value good counsel over material treasures could I be freed.”

To the young prince’s astonishment, the transformed fox waved his hand, and the golden bird and horse materialized beside them. “The robbers were my servants,” he explained, “testing whether you had truly learned to follow wise guidance even at apparent cost to yourself.”

Furthermore, the fox-prince revealed that he was the princess’s long-lost brother, who had disappeared years ago while hunting in the enchanted forest. Their joyful reunion brought tears to all eyes.

Upon returning to his father’s castle, the young prince presented the golden bird, which was placed in a simple wooden cage in the garden near the apple tree. Each night, it would sing a melody so beautiful that none who heard it could feel sorrow or pain.

The golden horse was given a place of honor in the royal stables, where it was adorned with a saddle of simple leather, crafted by the prince himself with symbols representing the wisdom he had gained on his journey.

In time, the young prince and the princess were wed, with her brother—the fox-prince—standing proudly beside them. The two kings who had sought to possess the princess and the golden horse were invited to the celebration and, seeing the joy of the couple, found their own hearts softened.

As for the prince’s elder brothers, they eventually returned from the merry inn, humbled by their failure and the realization that they had wasted years in meaningless pleasure. Through their younger brother’s forgiveness, they too learned the value of humility and wisdom.

Under the young prince’s rule, the kingdom prospered. He became known not for the golden treasures in his possession but for the wisdom with which he governed—wisdom earned through listening to counsel, valuing substance over appearance, and recognizing that the most precious treasures are not those that glitter like gold, but those that warm the heart like love and friendship.