Prevod

Once upon a time there was a king who had a beautiful pleasure garden behind his castle, and in it stood a tree that bore golden apples. When the apples ripened, they were counted, but the very next morning one was missing. This was reported to the king, and he ordered that a watch be kept beneath the tree every night. The king had three sons, and at nightfall he sent the eldest into the garden. But when midnight came, the prince could no longer fight off sleep, and the next morning another apple was missing. The following night the second son had to keep watch, but he fared no better. When the clock struck twelve, he fell asleep, and in the morning an apple was missing. Now it was the third son's turn to keep watch. He was willing enough, but the king had little faith in him and thought he would accomplish even less than his brothers. At last, however, he gave his consent. So the young prince lay down beneath the tree, kept watch, and would not let sleep overcome him. As the clock struck twelve, something rustled through the air, and in the moonlight he saw a bird flying towards him, its plumage gleaming all over with gold. The bird alighted in the tree and had just pecked off an apple when the young prince shot an arrow at it. The bird flew away, but the arrow had struck its plumage, and one of its golden feathers fell to the ground. The young prince picked it up, brought it to the king the next morning, and told him what he had seen during the night. The king assembled his council, and everyone declared that a feather like this was worth more than the whole kingdom. "If the feather is so precious," declared the king, "then one alone is of no use to me. I must and shall have the whole bird."

The eldest son set out, trusting in his own cleverness and certain that he would find the golden bird. When he had gone some distance, he saw a fox sitting at the edge of a forest, raised his gun, and took aim. The fox called out, "Do not shoot me, and in return I will give you some good advice. You are on your way to find the golden bird, and this evening you will come to a village where two inns stand opposite each other. One is brightly lit, with much merrymaking inside, but do not go in there. Go to the other, however shabby it may look." How could such a foolish animal possibly give me sensible advice? thought the prince, and fired. But he missed the fox, which stretched out its tail and ran swiftly into the forest. The prince continued on his way and towards evening came to the village where the two inns stood. In one there was singing and dancing; the other looked poor and dreary. I should be a fool, he thought, to go into that wretched inn and pass the fine one by. So he went into the merry inn, lived there in luxury and revelry, and forgot the bird, his father, and all good counsel.

Some time passed, and still the eldest son did not come home. Then the second son set out to search for the golden bird. Like his elder brother, he met the fox and was given the same good advice, which he ignored. He came to the two inns, and his brother, who was standing at the window of the one from which the sounds of merriment rang out, called to him. He could not resist, went inside, and lived only for his own pleasures.

More time passed, and now the youngest prince wished to set out and try his luck, but his father would not allow it. "It is no use," he said. "He is even less likely to find the golden bird than his brothers, and if any misfortune befalls him, he will not know how to help himself. He lacks good sense." At last, however, when the prince would give him no peace, he let him go. Once again the fox was sitting at the edge of the forest, begged for its life, and offered its good advice. The young prince was kindhearted and said, "Do not worry, little fox. I will do you no harm!" "You will not regret it," replied the fox, "and so that you may travel faster, climb onto my tail." Scarcely had he seated himself when the fox began to run, racing over stock and stone so fast that the wind whistled through their hair. When they reached the village, the young prince dismounted, followed the good advice, and went straight into the humble inn without looking about him. There he spent a peaceful night. The next morning, when he came out into the fields, the fox was already sitting there and said, "Now I will tell you what to do next. Keep going straight ahead, and at last you will come to a castle with a whole troop of soldiers lying in front of it. But pay no heed to them, for they will all be sleeping and snoring. Walk right through their midst and straight into the castle, then pass through all the rooms. At last you will come to a chamber where a golden bird hangs in a wooden cage. Beside it stands an empty golden cage for show, but take care not to take the bird out of its shabby cage and put it into the splendid one, or things may go badly for you." With these words the fox stretched out its tail again, and the prince seated himself upon it. Away they raced over stock and stone, so fast that the wind whistled through their hair. When he reached the castle, he found everything just as the fox had said. The prince entered the chamber where the golden bird was in a wooden cage, with a golden cage standing beside it; the three golden apples lay scattered about the room. He thought it would be absurd to leave such a beautiful bird in so plain and ugly a cage, so he opened the door, caught the bird, and put it into the golden one. At that very moment, however, the bird gave a piercing cry. The soldiers awoke, rushed in, and led him away to prison. The next morning he was brought before a court, and since he confessed everything, he was sentenced to death. But the king said he would spare his life on one condition: he must bring him the golden horse, which could run faster than the wind. Then he would receive the golden bird as a reward into the bargain.

The prince set out, but he sighed and was sad, for where was he to find the golden horse? Suddenly he saw his old friend the fox sitting by the road. "You see," said the fox, "this is what comes of not listening to me! But take heart. I will help you and tell you how to get the golden horse. You must go straight on, and you will come to a castle where the horse stands in the stable. The grooms will be lying in front of the stable, but they will be sleeping and snoring, and you can lead the golden horse out without a care. Only one thing you must remember: put the shabby saddle of wood and leather on it, and on no account the golden saddle hanging beside it, or things will go badly for you." Then the fox stretched out its tail, the prince seated himself upon it, and away they raced over stock and stone, so fast that the wind whistled through their hair. Everything was just as the fox had said, and he came to the stable where the golden horse stood. But as he was about to put the shabby saddle on it, he thought, Such a beautiful creature would be disgraced if I did not give it the fine saddle it deserves. Yet scarcely had the golden saddle touched the horse when it began to neigh loudly. The grooms awoke, seized the young prince, and threw him into prison. The next morning the court sentenced him to death, but the king promised to spare his life and give him the golden horse as well if he could bring back the beautiful princess from the golden castle.

With a heavy heart the young prince set out, but luckily he soon found the faithful fox. "I ought to leave you to your misfortune," said the fox, "but I pity you and will help you out of your trouble once more. Your road leads straight to the golden castle. You will arrive in the evening, and at night, when all is quiet, the beautiful princess goes to the bathhouse to bathe. As she goes in, spring forward and give her a kiss. Then she will follow you, and you can lead her away. Only do not let her say goodbye to her parents first, or things may go badly for you." Then the fox stretched out its tail, the prince seated himself upon it, and away they raced over stock and stone, so fast that the wind whistled through their hair. When he reached the golden castle, everything was as the fox had said. He waited until midnight, when everyone was fast asleep and the beautiful maiden went to the bathhouse, then sprang out and gave her a kiss. She said she would gladly go with him, but with tears in her eyes she begged him to let her say goodbye to her parents first. At first he resisted her pleas, but when she wept all the more and fell at his feet, he gave in at last. Scarcely had the maiden approached her father's bed when he and everyone else in the castle awoke, and the young prince was seized and put in prison.

The next morning the king said to him, "Your life is forfeit, and you can find mercy only if you remove the mountain that stands before my windows and blocks my view. You must accomplish this within eight days. If you succeed, you shall have my daughter as your reward." The prince began to dig and shovel without ceasing, but when, after seven days, he saw how little he had accomplished and that all his work amounted to almost nothing, he fell into deep sorrow and gave up all hope. On the evening of the seventh day, however, the fox appeared and said, "You do not deserve my help, but go and lie down to sleep. I will do the work for you." The next morning, when he awoke and looked out of the window, the mountain had vanished. Full of joy, the young prince hurried to the king and told him that the task was done. Whether the king liked it or not, he had to keep his word and give him his daughter.

Now the two set off together, and before long the faithful fox joined them. "You have the best prize, to be sure," it said, "but the golden horse belongs with the maiden from the golden castle." "How am I to get it?" asked the young prince. "I will tell you," replied the fox. "First take the beautiful maiden to the king who sent you to the golden castle. There will be boundless rejoicing, and they will gladly give you the golden horse and lead it out for you. Mount it at once and reach down to shake everyone's hand in farewell, leaving the beautiful maiden until last. When you have taken her hand, swing her up behind you and gallop away. No one will be able to catch you, for the horse runs faster than the wind."

Everything went well, and the prince carried the beautiful maiden away on the golden horse. The fox kept pace with them and said to the young prince, "Now I will help you get the golden bird as well. When you are near the castle where the bird is kept, let the maiden dismount, and I will take her into my care. Then ride the golden horse into the castle courtyard. There will be great rejoicing at the sight of it, and they will bring out the golden bird for you. As soon as you have the cage in your hand, gallop back to us and collect the maiden." When the plan had succeeded and the prince was ready to ride home with his treasures, the fox said, "Now you must reward me for my help." "What do you ask in return?" said the young prince. "When we reach the forest over there, shoot me dead and cut off my head and paws." "A fine way to show my gratitude!" said the prince. "I could never grant you that." Then the fox said, "If you will not do it, I must leave you. But before I go, I will give you one more piece of good advice. Beware of two things: buy no gallows-flesh, and do not sit on the edge of a well!" With that, it ran into the forest.

The young prince thought, "What a strange creature, with such odd fancies. Who would buy gallows-flesh? And I have never yet felt the slightest desire to sit on the edge of a well." He rode on with the beautiful maiden, and his road took him once more through the village where his two brothers had remained. There was a great crowd and much commotion, and when he asked what was happening, he was told that two men were to be hanged. When he came closer, he saw that they were his brothers, who had committed all manner of wicked deeds and squandered everything they owned. He asked whether they could be set free. "If you are willing to pay for them," the people replied, "but why would you waste your money buying such wicked men their freedom?" He did not hesitate, but paid for them, and once they were released, they all continued their journey together.

They came to the forest where they had first met the fox, and since it was cool and pleasant there while the sun was burning hot, the two brothers said, "Let us rest here by the well for a while and have something to eat and drink!" He agreed, and as they talked he forgot himself and sat down on the edge of the well, suspecting no harm. But the two brothers pushed him backwards into the well, took the maiden, the horse, and the bird, and went home to their father. "We have brought you not only the golden bird," they said, "but we have also won the golden horse and the maiden from the golden castle." There was great rejoicing, but the horse would not eat, the bird would not sing, and the maiden sat and wept.

The youngest brother, however, had not perished. Fortunately the well was dry, and he landed unharmed on soft moss, but he could not climb out again. Even in this distress the faithful fox did not desert him. It leaped down to him and scolded him for forgetting its advice. "But I cannot help myself," it said. "I will bring you back into the daylight once more." It told him to grasp its tail and hold on tightly, then pulled him up. "You are not out of danger yet," said the fox. "Your brothers were not certain you were dead, and they have posted guards all around the forest, with orders to kill you if you show yourself." A poor man was sitting by the road, and the young prince exchanged clothes with him and in this way reached the king's court. No one recognized him, but the bird began to sing, the horse began to eat, and the beautiful maiden stopped weeping. The king asked in wonder, "What does this mean?" The maiden said, "I do not know, but I was so sad, and now I am so happy. It is as though my true bridegroom had come." She told him everything that had happened, although the other brothers had threatened to kill her if she revealed anything. The king ordered everyone in the castle to be brought before him, and the young prince came too, dressed as a poor man in his ragged clothes. But the maiden recognized him at once and threw her arms around his neck. The wicked brothers were seized and executed, while he was married to the beautiful maiden and named the king's heir.

But what became of the poor fox? Long afterwards, the prince went into the forest again one day. There the fox met him and said, "You now have everything you could wish for, but there is no end to my misfortune, though it lies within your power to release me." Once again it begged him to shoot it dead and cut off its head and paws. So he did, and scarcely was it done when the fox turned into a man, who was none other than the beautiful princess's brother, freed at last from the spell that had bound him. And now nothing was wanting to their happiness for as long as they lived.