A king had a beautiful garden with a tree that grew golden apples. Every night, one apple disappeared. The king was angry and ordered the gardener’s sons to watch the tree. The two older sons fell asleep during their watch, but the youngest son stayed awake. At midnight, he saw a bird made of pure gold. He shot an arrow at it, but the bird flew away, leaving behind one golden feather. The king saw the feather and said, "One feather is not enough. I must have the whole bird!"
The eldest son set out to find the bird. On his way, he met a fox. The fox said, "I can help you. Tonight you will reach a village with two hotels. One is beautiful and loud; the other looks poor and quiet. You must stay in the poor one." The son thought the fox was stupid. He went into the beautiful hotel, began drinking and dancing, and forgot about the bird. The second son did exactly the same.
Finally, the youngest son went looking for his brothers and the bird. He met the fox and listened to its advice. "Sit on my tail," said the fox, "and we will travel faster." They flew across the land until they reached a castle. The fox told the son to go inside and find the bird in a wooden cage. "Do not put it in the golden cage next to it," the fox warned.
However, the son saw the golden cage and thought it was better for such a beautiful bird. When he moved the bird, it screamed. The guards woke up and captured him. The king of that castle said, "I will spare your life only if you bring me the golden horse that runs as fast as the wind."
The fox helped him again, but warned him not to use the golden saddle. Again, the son didn’t listen. He was caught and told he must now find a beautiful princess. With the fox’s help, he found the princess. This time, he followed the fox’s instructions perfectly. He used the fox’s clever plans to take the princess, the horse, and the golden bird.
As they traveled home, the fox said, "Please, kill me and cut off my head and feet." The son refused because the fox was his friend. The fox then warned him, "Do not sit by a river and do not save anyone from the gallows."
Near home, the son found his two brothers. They were about to be hanged for their crimes. The son paid for their freedom, but the brothers were ungrateful. While they were resting by a river, the brothers pushed the youngest son into the water and stole the bird, the horse, and the princess.
The son survived because the river was shallow. The fox helped him get out and told him to dress as a poor man to enter the palace. When he arrived, the horse began to eat, the bird began to sing, and the princess stopped crying. The king realized the youngest son was the true hero. The brothers were punished, and the youngest son married the princess.
Years later, the son met the fox again. This time, he did what the fox asked and cut off its head. Immediately, the fox turned into a man—the princess’s long-lost brother. They all lived happily ever after.