The Golden Bird

          I nodded at my father and began on my way. I was actually going to go on an adventure! An adventure to secure the golden bird for the king. I could prove myself against my brothers. My brothers had gone missing after my dad had asked them to look for the golden bird first. I told my father that maybe they were still looking for them. My father replied, “Well, they’re taking too long.” I nodded my head in agreement. “You go look for the bird, I’ll send my troops to look for them.” I agreed begrudgingly.  I packed my things and stared at the exit to the forest. My father waved, crying on the edge of his garden.

             I was on a forest path, created by man. The forest really was beautiful. I then stopped. I looked up at the tree above. There was a fox climbing down the tree. “Foxes lived around?” I thought. Then the surprising thing happened. The fox began to speak to me. “Do not kill me!” The fox cried. I shook my head. “Not at the thought!” The fox nodded his head and began to speak again “I shall give you good counsel. You are on your way to find the golden bird, and this evening you will come to a village, in which two taverns stand facing each other. One will be brightly lighted up, and there will be plenty of merriment going on inside; do not mind about that, but go into the other one, although it will look to you very uninviting.” It seemed to make sense to me. The fox crawled away. I continued until I found the nearby village. There were 2 choices. The beautiful, lively tavern and the uninviting tavern were both there. I followed the advice of the fox and went into the uninviting. “Surely, it can’t be that bad?” I thought. I walked into the ugly tavern and asked to stay there for the night without hesitation.

              The next day I walked outside. I exited the village and stared at the field ahead. There were some noises in the bushes nearby and the fox came out. The fox began again. “I will tell you further what you have to do. Go straight on until you come to a castle, before which a great band of soldiers lie, but do not trouble yourself about them, for they will be all asleep and snoring; pass through them and forward into the castle, and go through all the rooms, until you come to one where there is a golden bird hanging in a wooden cage. Near at hand will stand, empty, a golden cage of state, but you must beware of taking the bird out of his ugly cage and putting him into the fine one; if you do so you will come to harm.” The fox stretched out his tail. “Sit on my tail and I’ll take you there.” I sat on it and the fox ran. We went as fast as a predator looking for his prey. The wind whistled through my hair.

             We finally arrived. The fox nodded his head and told me to get to the castle quickly. I ran to the castle and saw the soldiers sleeping. I laughed silently. I jumped past them and entered the castle. Where could the golden bird be? I searched room after room and finally saw it.  The bird shined as bright as the sun without clouds. I stared at his cage. I moved my view to see a nice, clean, golden cage next to the wooden one. The poor bird looked so sad. I decided to move the golden bird into the golden cage. Then out of nowhere, the bird made the most disgusting sound I’ve ever heard in my life. A few seconds later, the sleeping soldiers walked into the room and arrested me.

                The next day, the judge awarded me death. The thing was the king of that kingdom had a compromise. The king decided to let me go if I had found a golden horse for him to ride upon. “I shall give you the golden bird as well.” the king promised. I then get sad. “Where could I find a golden horse?” I thought to myself. Then I saw the fox, sitting by the roadside. The fox began again. “Now you see, all this has happened because you would not listen to me. But be of good courage, I will bring you through, and will tell you how you are to get the golden horse. You must go straight on until you come to a castle, where the horse stands in his stable; before the stable-door, the grooms will be lying, but they will all be asleep and snoring; and you can go and quietly lead out the horse. But one thing you must mind – take care to put upon him the plain saddle of wood and leather, and not the golden one, which will hang close by; otherwise it will go badly with you.” The fox offered his tail for me to ride upon. I accepted once more and sat on his tail.

            We had arrived at the stall where the golden horse had been staying. I had the plain, dirty saddle in my hands. “Such a beautiful animal should not have to deal with this filth.” I thought. I grabbed the golden saddle and placed it on the horse. Then the horse began to neigh. I had gotten arrested again and I was set to be placed at the stake.

            The king of the golden horse had an agreement. If I got him the beautiful princess of the golden castle, he would give me the golden horse. I nodded and went on my way. My life depended on this so I probably shouldn’t mess this up. I walked towards the castle until I saw the fox again. The fox began talking once more “I ought now to leave you to your ill luck, but I am sorry for you, and will once more help you in your need. Your way lies straight up to the golden castle. You will arrive there in the evening, and at night when all is quiet, the beautiful Princess goes to the bath. And as she is entering the bathing-house, go up to her and give her a kiss, then she will follow you, and you can lead her away; but do not suffer her first to go and take leave of her parents, or it will go ill with you.” I went on the fox’s tail once more and we headed to the castle.

            We finally made it and saw the shiny, golden castle. It was a big block of butter to me. I waited until midnight. I climbed into the castle and as the princess walked into the bathing house, I kissed her. She agreed to come with me. There was just one problem. The princess begged him to “take leave of her and go to her parents”. She kept crying and crying. The tears began to fill the room. I decided to do it. I reached her father’s room and then all the lights turned on. I got caught in the act and sighed. This was getting pretty repetitive.

        The king of the castle said, “Thy life is forfeit, but thou shalt find grace if thou canst level that mountain that lies before my windows, and over which I am not able to see, and if this is done within eight days thou shalt have my daughter for a reward.” I agreed to my punishment and began my task. It was long, boring, boring, so boring…. I stared at the hole. 7 days later, there was nothing done. It was almost the same as it was before. On the evening of the 7th day, the fox appeared out of nowhere. “You do not deserve that I should help you, but go now and lie down to sleep, and I will do the work for you,” he said willingly. I nodded and went to sleep.

          The next morning, I looked out the window and saw it. The mountain was gone! I ran to the king and told him that I fulfilled my task. The king of the castle begrudgingly agreed to the deal and gave me his daughter. I was so happy until the faithful fox came out of nowhere and began his rant. “Well, you have got the best first but you must know the golden horse belongs to the Princess of the golden castle,” I asked how to get it. The fox answered “First, go to the King who sent you to the golden castle and takes to him the beautiful Princess. There will then be very great rejoicing; he will willingly give you the golden horse, and they will lead him out to you; then mount him without delay, and stretch out you; hand to each of them to take leave, and last of all to the Princess, and when you have her by the hand swing her up on the horse behind you, and off you go! nobody will be able to overtake you, for that horse goes swifter than the wind.”

            And so I did it all happily done, and I carried off the beautiful princess on the golden horse. The fox did not stay behind, and he said to me, “Now, I will help you to get the golden bird. When you draw near the castle where the bird is, let the lady alight, and I will take her under my care; then you must ride the golden horse into the castle-yard, and there will be great rejoicing to see it, and they will bring out to you the golden bird. As soon as you have the cage in your hand, you must start off back to us, and then you shall carry the lady away.” The fox’s plan was successful. I returned with the treasure. The fox asked, “Now what shall be my reward?”

       “What would you like?” I asked back. “When we are passing through the woods, I desire you slay me, and cut my head and feet off.” the fox proclaimed. This was a strange request. I couldn’t bear myself to do it. The fox said “If you will not do it, I must leave you; but before I go let me give you some good advice. Beware of two things: buy no gallows-meat, and sit at no brook-side.” With that, the fox scurried off into the woods.

       The princess and I rode into the village. This village was familiar to me. It was the village I had stayed before. Then I saw something surprising, my two brothers were going be hanged. I ran into the crowd and asked what it took to buy them off. I persisted that they were fine people and I bought them off. We also went on a walk together. One of the two brothers said, “Let us rest here by the brook, for us to eat and refresh ourselves.” I agreed and sat on the brook-side. I hummed to myself and then out of nowhere, my brothers pushed me into the brook. They seized the princess, horse, and the bird. They went home back to my father. I was lucky though. The brook was dry and thankfully soft. The fox crawled up and I stared. The fox reproached me and offered a plan. “They will kill you on sight in your own kingdom.”  I got an idea. I switched clothes with an old beggar. I ran into my kingdom and into my father’s courtyard. Before I came, the horse was sad, the bird was sad, and the princess cried. After I ran into the courtyard, all 3 were happy again. My father stared and was confused. The princess ran towards me and kissed me with my disguise. My father was now super confused. My father figured it out. “My son!” he yelled. I grinned at my father.

       In the end, my brothers were put to death for trying to kill me. I got married to the princess and I succeeded my father. I was happy. Then the fox walked into the kingdom’s courtyard. “Dear old fox, what do you need?” I asked.  The fox asked for his reward. I nodded and did the deed. Then a transformation happened. The fox turned out to be none other than the princess’ brother! My mouth was left agape.