Big Book of Ancient Gabanian Fables

Book LLXXIX: The Golden Bird

In olden times there was a king, who had behind his palace abeautiful pleasure-garden in which there was a tree that bore goldenapples. When the apples were getting ripe they were counted, but onthe very next morning one was missing. This was told to the king,and he ordered that a watch should be kept every night beneath thetree.The king had three sons, the eldest of whom he sent, as soon as nightcame on, into the garden, but when midnight came he could not keephimself from sleeping, and next morning again an apple was gone.The following night the second son had to keep watch, but it fared nobetter with him, as soon as twelve o'clock had struck he fell asleep,and in the morning an apple was gone.Now it came to the turn of the third son to watch, and he was quiteready, but the king had not much trust in him, and thought that hewould be of less use even than his brothers, but at last he let himgo. The youth lay down beneath the tree, but kept awake, and did notlet sleep master him. When it struck twelve, something rustledthrough the air, and in the moonlight he saw a bird coming whosefeathers were all shining with gold.The bird alighted on the tree, and had just plucked off an apple,when the youth shot an arrow at him. The bird flew off, but thearrow had struck his plumage, and one of his golden feathers felldown. The youth picked it up, and the next morning took it to theking and told him what he had seen in the night. The king called hiscouncil together, and everyone declared that a feather like this wasworth more than the whole kingdom. If the feather is so precious,declared the king, one alone will not do for me, I must and will havethe whole bird.The eldest son set out, and trusting to his cleverness thought thathe would easily find the golden bird. When he had gone some distancehe saw a fox sitting at the edge of a wood so he cocked his gun andtook aim at him. The fox cried, do not shoot me, and in return Iwill give you some good counsel. You are on the way to the goldenbird, and this evening you will come to a village in which stand twoinns opposite to one another.One of them is lighted up brightly, and all goes on merrily within,but do not go into it, go rather into the other, even though it lookslike a bad one. How can such a silly beast give wise advice, thoughtthe king's son, and he pulled the trigger. But he missed the fox, whostretched out his tail and ran quickly into the wood.So he pursued his way, and by evening came to the village where thetwo inns were, in one they were singing and dancing, the other had apoor, miserable look. I should be a fool, indeed, he thought, if Iwere to go into the shabby tavern, and pass by the good one. So hewent into the cheerful one, lived there in riot and revel, and forgotthe bird and his father, and all good counsels.When many months had passed, and the eldest son did not come backhome, the second set out, wishing to find the golden bird. The foxmet him as he had met the eldest, and gave him the good advice ofwhich he took no heed. He came to the two inns, and his brother wasstanding at the window of the one from which came the music, andcalled out to him. He could not resist, but went inside and livedonly for pleasure.Again some time passed, and then the king's youngest son wanted toset off and try his luck, but his father would not allow it. It is ofno use, said he, he will find the golden bird still less than hisbrothers, and if a mishap were to befall him he knows not how to helphimself, he's not too bright at the best. But at last, as he had nopeace, he let him go.Again the fox was sitting outside the wood, and begged for his life,and offered his good advice. The youth was good-natured, and said,be easy, little fox, I will do you no harm. You shall not repent it,answered the fox, and that you may get on more quickly, get up behindon my tail. And scarcely had he seated himself when the fox began torun, and away he went over stock and stone till his hair whistled inthe wind. When they came to the village the youth got off, hefollowed the good advice, and without looking round turned into thelittle inn, where he spent the night quietly.The next morning, as soon as he got into the open country, there satthe fox already, and said, I will tell you further what you have todo. Go on quite straight, and at last you will come to a castle, infront of which a whole regiment of soldiers is lying, but do nottrouble yourself about them, for they will all be asleep and snoring.Go through the midst of them staight into the castle, and go throughall the rooms, till at last you will come to a chamber where a goldenbird is hanging in a wooden cage. Close by, there stands an emptygold cage for show, but beware of taking the bird out of the commoncage and putting it into the fine one, or it may go badly with you.With these words the fox again stretched out his tail, and the king'sson seated himself upon it, and away he went over stock and stonetill his hair whistled in the wind.When he came to the castle he found everything as the fox had said.The king's son went into the chamber where the golden bird was shutup in a wooden cage, whilst a golden one stood by, and the threegolden apples lay about the room. But, thought he, it would beabsurd if I were to leave the beautiful bird in the common and uglycage, so he opened the door, laid hold of it, and put it into thegolden cage. But at the same moment the bird uttered a shrill cry.The soldiers awoke, rushed in, and took him off to prison. The nextmorning he was taken before a court of justice, and as he confessedeverything, was sentenced to death.The king, however, said that he would grant him his life on onecondition - namely, if he brought him the golden horse which ranfaster than the wind, and in that case he should receive, over andabove, as a reward, the golden bird.The king's son set off, but he sighed and was sorrowful, for how washe to find the golden horse. But all at once he saw his old friendthe fox sitting on the road. Look you, said the fox, this hashappened because you did not give heed to me. However, be of goodcourage. I will give you my help, and tell you how to get to thegolden horse. You must go straight on, and you will come to acastle, where in the stable stands the horse. The grooms will belying in front of the stable, but they will be asleep and snoring,and you can quietly lead out the golden horse. But of one thing youmust take heed, put on him the common saddle of wood and leather, andnot the golden one, which hangs close by, else it will go ill withyou. Then the fox stretched out his tail, the king's son seatedhimself upon it, and away he went over stock and stone until his hairwhistled in the wind.Everything happened just as the fox had said, the prince came to thestable in which the golden horse was standing, but just as he wasgoing to put the common saddle upon him, he thought, such a beautifulbeast will be shamed if I do not give him the good saddle whichbelongs to him by right. But scarcely had the golden saddle touchedthe horse than he began to neigh loudly. The grooms awoke, seized theyouth, and threw him into prison.The next morning he was sentenced by the court to death, but the kingpromised to grant him his life, and the golden horse as well, if hecould bring back the beautiful princess from the golden castle.With a heavy heart the youth set out, yet luckily for him he soonfound the trusty fox. I ought only to leave you to your ill-luck,said the fox, but I pity you, and will help you once more out of yourtrouble. This road takes you straight to the golden castle, you willreach it by eventide, and at night when everything is quiet thebeautiful princess goes to the bathing-house to bathe. When sheenters it, run up to her and give her a kiss, then she will followyou, and you can take her away with you, only do not allow her totake leave of her parents first, or it will go ill with you.Then the fox stretched out his tail, the king's son seated himselfupon it, and away went the fox, over stock and stone, till his hairwhistled in the wind.When he reached the golden castle it was just as the fox had said. Hewaited until midnight, when everything lay in deep sleep, and thebeautiful princess was going to the bathing-house. Then he sprang outand gave her a kiss. She said that she would like to go with him,but she asked him pitifully, and with tears, to allow her first totake leave of her parents. At first he withstood her prayer, butwhen she wept more and more, and fell at his feet, he at last gavein. But no sooner had the maiden reached the bedside of her fatherthan he and all the rest in the castle awoke, and the youth was laidhold of and put into prison.The next morning the king said to him, your life is forfeited, andyou can only find mercy if you take away the hill which stands infront of my windows, and prevents my seeing beyond it, and you mustfinish it all within eight days. If you do that you shall have mydaughter as your reward.The king's son began, and dug and shoveled without stopping, but whenafter seven days he saw how little he had done, and how all his workwas as good as nothing, he fell into great sorrow and gave up allhope. But on the evening of the seventh day the fox appeared andsaid, you do not deserve that I should take my trouble about you, butjust go away and lie down to sleep, and I will do the work for you.The next morning when he awoke and looked out of the window the hillhad gone. The youth ran, full of joy, to the king, and told him thatthe task was fulfilled, and whether he liked it or not, the king hadto hold to his word and give him his daughter.So the two set forth together, and it was not long before the trustyfox came up with them. You have certainly got what is best, said he,but the golden horse also belongs to the maiden of the golden castle.How shall I get it, asked the youth. That I will tell you, answeredthe fox, first take the beautiful maiden to the king who sent you tothe golden castle. There will be unheard-of rejoicing, they willgladly give you the golden horse, and will bring it out to you.Mount it as soon as possible, and offer your hand to all in farewell,last of all to the beautiful maiden. And as soon as you have takenher hand swing her up on to the horse, and gallop away, and no onewill be able to bring you back, for the horse runs faster than thewind.All was carried out successfully, and the king's son carried off thebeautiful princess on the golden horse.The fox did not remain behind, and he said to the youth, now I willhelp you to get the golden bird. When you come near to the castlewhere the golden bird is to be found, let the maiden get down, and Iwill take her into my care. Then ride with the golden horse into thecastle-yard, there will be great rejoicing at the sight, and theywill bring out the golden bird for you. As soon as you have the cagein your hand gallop back to us, and take the maiden away again.When the plan had succeeded, and the king's son was about to ridehome with his treasures, the fox said, now you shall reward me for myhelp. What do you require for it, asked the youth. When you getinto the wood yonder, shoot me dead, and chop off my head and feet.That would be fine gratitude, said the king's son. I cannot possiblydo that for you.The fox said, if you will not do it I must leave you, but before I goaway I will give you a piece of good advice. Be careful about twothings. Buy no gallows'-flesh, and do not sit at the edge of anywell. And then he ran into the wood.The youth thought, that is a wonderful beast, he has strange whims,who on earth would want to buy gallows'-flesh. As for the desire tosit at the edge of a well it has never yet occurred to me.He rode on with the beautiful maiden, and his road took him againthrough the village in which his two brothers had remained. There wasa great stir and noise, and, when he asked what was going on, he wastold that two men were going to be hanged. As he came nearer to theplace he saw that they were his brothers, who had been playing allkinds of wicked pranks, and had squandered all their wealth. Heinquired whether they could not be set free. If you will pay forthem, answered the people, but why should you waste your money onwicked men, and buy them free. He did not think twice about it, butpaid for them, and when they were set free they all went on their waytogether.They came to the wood where the fox had first met them, and as it wasa hot day, but cool and pleasant within the wood, the two brotherssaid, let us rest a little by the well, and eat and drink. Heagreed, and whilst they were talking he forgot himself, and sat downupon the edge of the well without thinking of any evil. But the twobrothers threw him backwards into the well, took the maiden, thehorse, and the bird, and went home to their father. Here we bringyou not only the golden bird, said they, we have won the golden horsealso, and the maiden from the golden castle. Then was there greatjoy, but the horse would not eat, the bird would not sing, and themaiden sat and wept.But the youngest brother was not dead. By good fortune the well wasdry, and he fell upon soft moss without being hurt, but he could notget out again. Even in this strait the faithful fox did not leavehim, it came and leapt down to him, and upbraided him for havingforgotten its advice. But yet I cannot give up, he said, I will helpyou up again into daylight. He bade him grasp his tail and keeptight hold of it, and then he pulled him up. You are not out of alldanger yet, said the fox. Your brothers were not sure of your death,and have surrounded the wood with watchers, who are to kill you ifyou let yourself be seen. But a poor man was sitting upon the road,with whom the youth changed clothes, and in this way he got to theking's palace.No one knew him, but the bird began to sing, the horse began to eat,and the beautiful maiden left off weeping. The king, astonished,asked, what does this mean. Then the maiden said, I do not know, butI have been so sorrowful and now I am so happy. I feel as if my truebridegroom had come. She told him all that had happened, althoughthe other brothers had threatened her with death if she were tobetray anything.The king commanded that all people who were in his castle should bebrought before him, and amongst them came the youth in his raggedclothes, but the maiden knew him at once and fell upon his neck. Thewicked brothers were seized and put to death, but he was married tothe beautiful maiden and declared heir to the king.But what happened to the poor fox. Long afterwards the king's sonwas once again walking in the wood, when the fox met him and said,you have everything now that you can wish for, but there is never anend to my misery, and yet it is in your power to free me, and againhe asked him with tears to shoot him dead and chop off his head andfeet. So he did it, and scarcely was it done when the fox waschanged into a man, and was no other than the brother of thebeautiful princess, who at last was freed from the magic charm whichhad been laid upon him. And now they had all the happiness theywanted as long as they lived.