" The Golden Bird " Part 2 - The Fairy Tales of the Brothers Grimm

The next morning he was taken before a judge, and condemned to death ; but the King promised to spare his life, and give him the Golden Horse as well, if he could bring him the beautiful Princess out of the golden palace. With a heavy heart the Prince set out, when to his delight he soon met the faithful Fox.

' I ought to leave you to your fate,' he said ; ' but I will have pity on you and once more help you out of your trouble. Your road leads straight to the golden palace, — you will reach it in the evening ; and at night, when everything is quiet, the beautiful Princess will go to the bathroom to take a bath. As she goes along, spring forward and give her a kiss, and she will follow you. Lead her away with you ; only on no account allow her to bid her parents good-bye, or it will go badly with you.'

Again the Fox stretched out his tail, the Prince seated himself upon it, and off they flew over stock and stone, till his hair whistled in the wind.

When he got to the palace, it was just as the Fox had said. He waited till midnight, and when the whole palace was wrapped in sleep, and the Maiden went to take a bath, he sprang forward and gave her a kiss. She said she was quite willing to go with him, but she implored him to let her say good-bye to her parents. At first he refused ; but as she cried, and fell at his feet, at last he gave her leave. Hardly had the Maiden stepped up to her father's bed, when he and every one else in the palace woke up. The Prince was seized, and thrown into prison.

Next morning the King said to him, ' Your life is forfeited, and it can only be spared if you clear away the mountain in front of my window, which shuts out the view. It must be done in eight days, and if you accomplish the task you shall have my daughter as a reward.'

So the Prince began his labours, and he dug and shovelled without ceasing. On the seventh day, when he saw how little he had done, he became very sad, and gave up all hope. However, in the evening the Fox appeared and said, ' You do not deserve any help from me, but lie down and go to sleep ; I will do the work.' In the morning when he woke and looked out of the window, the mountain had disappeared.

Overjoyed, the Prince hurried to the King and told him that his condition was fulfilled, and, whether he liked it or not, he must keep his word and give him his daughter.

So they both went away together, and before long the faithful Fox joined them.

' You certainly have got the best thing of all,' said he ; ' but to the Maiden of the golden palace the Golden Horse belongs.'

' How am I to get it ? ' asked the Prince.

' Oh ! I will tell you that,' answered the Fox. ' First take the beautiful Maiden to the King who sent you to the golden palace. There will be great joy when you appear, and they will bring out the Golden Horse to you. Mount it at once, and shake hands with everybody, last of all with the beautiful Maiden ; and when you have taken her hand firmly, pull her up beside you with a swing and gallop away. No one will be able to catch you, for the horse goes faster than the wind.'

All this was successfully done, and the Prince carried off the beautiful Maiden on the Golden Horse.

The Fox was not far off, and he said to the Prince, ' Now I will help you to get the Golden Bird, too. When you approach the castle where the Golden Bird lives, let the Maiden dismount, and I will take care of her. Then ride with the Golden Horse into the courtyard of the castle ; there will be great rejoicing when they see you, and they will bring out the Golden Bird to you. As soon as you have the cage in your hand, gallop back to us and take up the Maiden again.'

When these plans had succeeded, and the Prince was ready to ride on with all his treasures, the Fox said to him :

' Now you must reward me for my help.'

' What do you want ? ' asked the Prince.

' When you reach that wood, shoot me dead and cut off my head and my paws.'

' That would indeed be gratitude ! ' said the Prince. ' I can't possibly promise to do such a thing.'

The Fox said, ' If you won't do it, I must leave you ; but before I go I will give you one more piece of advice. Beware of two things, buy no gallows-birds, and don't sit on the edge of a well.' Saying which, he ran off into the wood.

The Prince thought, ' That is a strange animal ; what whims he has. Who on earth would want to buy gallows-birds ! And the desire to sit on the edge of a well has never yet seized me ! '

He rode on with the beautiful Maiden, and the road led him through the village where his two brothers had stayed behind. There was a great hubbub in the village, and when he asked what it was about, he was told that two persons were going to be hanged. When he got nearer he saw that they were his brothers, who had wasted their possessions and done all sorts of evil deeds. He asked if they could not be set free.