Everything was just as the fox had said. The youngest son entered the castle and found the room where the golden bird was kept. It was inside an old wooden cage, and next to it stood a beautiful golden cage. Nearby, he also saw the three golden apples that had been stolen.
He thought to himself, “It would look silly to take such a beautiful bird in an old, ugly cage. It should be in the golden one.”
So, he opened the wooden cage, picked up the bird, and placed it inside the golden cage.
But as soon as he did, the bird let out a loud, piercing cry! The noise woke up all the sleeping soldiers, who rushed in, captured him, and took him to the king.
The next morning, the king’s court gathered to decide his fate. The king said, “You will be put to death unless you bring me the golden horse that runs as fast as the wind. If you do that, you may keep the golden bird.”
Feeling hopeless, the young man set off on his journey again. As he walked, sighing with regret, the fox appeared once more.
“You see what happens when you don’t listen to me,” said the fox. “But I will still help you. If you do exactly as I say, you can find the golden horse.”
The fox explained, “Keep walking straight until you reach a castle. Inside, you will find the golden horse in a stable. The groom who takes care of the horse will be sleeping nearby. Take the horse quietly, but make sure to put the old leather saddle on it. Whatever you do, do not use the golden saddle that’s next to it.”
The young man sat on the fox’s tail, and once again, they sped off through the forest, the wind whistling past them.
When he reached the castle, everything was exactly as the fox had said. The groom was fast asleep, snoring loudly, with his hand resting on the golden saddle.
The young man was about to put the old leather saddle on the golden horse, but then he thought, “This horse is too beautiful for such a shabby saddle. I should use the golden one instead.”
The moment he touched the golden saddle, the groom woke up and shouted loudly. Within seconds, the guards ran in, seized him, and took him back to the king.
The next morning, the court judged him once again. This time, they said he would be put to death unless he could bring back the beautiful princess. If he succeeded, he would receive both the golden bird and the golden horse as a reward.
Feeling more hopeless than ever, the young man set off again. But once more, the fox appeared and said, “Why didn’t you listen to me? If you had, you would already have the bird and the horse. But I will give you one more chance.”
The fox explained, “Walk straight ahead, and by evening, you will reach a castle. At midnight, the princess will go to the bathhouse. Go to her and give her a kiss. She will then follow you willingly. But no matter what, do not let her say goodbye to her parents.”
Then the fox stretched out its tail, and off they went, rushing through the forest as the wind whistled past them.
