nd everything as the fox had said:
and he at last entered the room where the golden bird was hanging in a
wooden cage, while a golden one was standing by; the three golden apples
too were in the room. Then, thinking it foolish to let the beautiful
bird stay in that mean and ugly cage, he opened the door of it, took
hold of it, and put it in the golden one. In the same moment the bird
uttered a piercing cry. The soldiers awaked, rushed in, seized the
king's son and put him in prison. The next morning he was brought before
a judge, and, as he confessed everything, condemned to death. But the
king said he would spare his life on one condition, that he should bring
him the golden horse whose paces were swifter than the wind, and that
then he should also receive the golden bird as a reward.

So the king's son set off to find the golden horse, but he sighed, and
was very sad, for how should it be accomplished? And then he saw his old
friend the fox sitting by the roadside.

"Now, you see," said the fox, "all this has happened, because you would
not listen to me. But be of good courage, I will bring you through, and
will tell you how you are to get the golden horse. You must go straight
on until you come to a castle, where the horse stands in his stable;
before the stable-door the grooms will be lying, but they will all be
asleep and snoring; and you can go and quietly lead out the horse. But
one thing you must mind--take care to put upon him the plain saddle of
wood and leather, and not the golden one, which will hang close by;
otherwise it will go badly with you."

Then the fox stretched out his tail, and the king's son seated himself
upon it, and away they went over stock and stone until the wind whistled
through their hair. And everything happened just as the fox had said,
and he came to the stall where the golden horse was: and as he was about
to put on him the plain saddle, he thought to himself,

"Such a beautiful animal would be disgraced were I not to put on him the
good saddle, which becomes him so well." However, no sooner did the
horse feel the golden saddle touch him than he began to neigh. And the
grooms all awoke, seized the king's son and threw him into prison. The
next morning he was delivered up to justice and condemned to death, but
the king promised him his life, and also to bestow upon him the golden
horse, if he could convey thither the beautiful princess of the golden
castle.

With a heavy heart the