The king had three sons. The eldest prince took the first night. But by midnight, he could not resist sleep, and the next morning, another apple was gone. The second prince took the next night’s watch, yet he too succumbed to sleep before midnight, and once again an apple vanished. Finally, it was the youngest prince’s turn. The king doubted him, thinking he could never match his older brothers, but ultimately allowed him to guard the tree. The youngest prince lay beneath the tree, determined to stay awake. At midnight, he heard a rustling in the moonlight and saw a radiant golden bird descend to peck an apple. He raised his bow and shot, hitting a feather that fell to the ground. He picked it up carefully.
The next morning, he presented the golden feather to the king and recounted everything he had witnessed. The king convened his council, and the advisors declared, “This golden feather is more valuable than an entire kingdom.” Inspired, the king proclaimed, “If the feather is so precious, I must have the bird itself.”
The eldest prince, confident in his wisdom, set out to capture the golden bird. On his journey, he encountered a fox at the forest’s edge. The fox pleaded, “Do not harm me. I will give you guidance. Tonight you will reach a village with two inns facing each other. Do not enter the lively one; choose the quiet one, even if it looks uninviting.” The prince dismissed the fox, fired his gun, and missed. Ignoring the advice, he arrived at the village, chose the noisy inn, and indulged in feasting and entertainment, forgetting his quest entirely.
Time passed, and when the eldest prince did not return, the second prince embarked on the journey. He too ignored the fox’s advice, stopping at the bustling inn to enjoy himself. Eventually, it was the youngest prince’s turn. Despite the king’s objections, he insisted on going. The fox appeared again, and this time, the kind-hearted prince spoke gently, assuring the fox he meant no harm. The fox offered its back as a ride, and together they raced through thickets, stones, and wind to the distant village. Following the fox’s guidance, the prince entered the humble inn and slept peacefully through the night.
The next day, the fox instructed him, “Go straight to the castle where the soldiers sleep soundly. Ignore them, pass through multiple rooms, and find the chamber with the wooden cage. Inside is the golden bird. Next to it is a gilded cage, but it is empty. Do not transfer the bird into the golden cage, or danger will follow.” The prince obeyed, yet when he saw the plain cage, he impulsively moved the bird into the golden one. Instantly, it shrieked, waking the soldiers, who captured him. In court, he was sentenced to death. However, the king offered a reprieve: “Bring me a golden horse that runs swifter than the wind, and you shall have the bird.”
The prince, distressed, met the fox again, who guided him to a stable where a golden horse slept, and warned him to use only the simple saddle. Ignoring the temptation of a grander saddle, the prince mounted the horse and, with the fox’s guidance, retrieved it safely. The king then tasked the prince with rescuing a beautiful princess from a golden palace. Once more, following the fox’s precise instructions, the prince succeeded in bringing the princess out without alerting her parents.
Riding the golden horse with the princess, the prince approached the castle to claim the golden bird. He allowed the princess to wait outside, entered the palace, and retrieved the bird. With the mission complete, he returned swiftly to her. On their journey home, he saved his two elder brothers from execution, using ransom money without hesitation, displaying true kindness. However, when the brothers betrayed him, pushing him into a well and stealing the bird, horse, and princess, the clever fox intervened. It helped the prince escape, disguising him so he could return to the palace unnoticed. Soon, the bird sang, the horse ate peacefully, and the princess smiled.
The king, puzzled, questioned the princess, who recounted everything despite threats from the older brothers. The king ordered their capture; the malicious elder brothers were executed, and the youngest prince married the princess, inheriting the throne.
Finally, the fox revealed its true identity. It was the princess’s transformed brother. The prince lifted the curse, and the fox became human again. They all lived happily ever after in abundance and peace.