ep no longer, and in the
morning another apple was missing. The second son had to watch the
following night; but it fared no better, for when twelve o'clock had
struck he went to sleep, and in the morning another apple was missing.
Now came the turn of the third son to watch, and he was ready to do so;
but the king had less trust in him, and believed he would acquit himself
still worse than his brothers, but in the end he consented to let him
try. So the young man lay down under the tree to watch, and resolved
that sleep should not be master. When it struck twelve something came
rushing through the air, and he saw in the moonlight a bird flying
towards him, whose feathers glittered like gold. The bird perched upon
the tree, and had already pecked off an apple, when the young man let
fly 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
man picked it up, and taking it next morning to the king, told him what
had happened in the night. The king called his council together, and
all declared that such a feather was worth more than the whole kingdom.

[Illustration: THE GOLDEN BIRD

"THE FOX SAID,
NOW WHAT WILL YOU GIVE ME
FOR MY REWARD?"]

"Since the feather is so valuable," said the king, "one is not enough
for me; I must and will have the whole bird."

So the eldest son set off, and relying on his own cleverness he thought
he should soon find the golden bird. When he had gone some distance he
saw a fox sitting at the edge of a wood, and he pointed his gun at him.
The fox cried out,

"Do not shoot me, and I will give you good counsel. You are on your way
to find the golden bird, and this evening you will come to a village, in
which two taverns stand facing each other. One will be brightly lighted
up, and there will be plenty of merriment going on inside; do not mind
about that, but go into the other one, although it will look to you very
uninviting."

"How can a silly beast give one any rational advice?" thought the king's
son, and let fly at the fox, but missed him, and he stretched out his
tail and ran quick into the wood. Then the young man went on his way,
and towards evening he came to the village, and there stood the two
taverns; in one singing and dancing was going on, the other looked quite
dull and wretched. "I should be a fool," said he, "to go into that
dismal place, while there is anything so good close by."