down and, following the fox's
advice, went into the mean looking tavern without hesitating, and there
he passed a quiet night. The next morning, when he went out into the
field, the fox, who was sitting there already, said:

"I will tell you further what you have to do. Go straight on until you
come to a castle, before which a great band of soldiers lie, but do not
trouble yourself about them, for they will be all asleep and snoring;
pass through them and forward into the castle, and go through all the
rooms until you come to one where there is a golden bird hanging in a
wooden cage. Near at hand will stand empty a golden cage of state, but
you must beware of taking the bird out of his ugly cage and putting him
into the fine one; if you do so you will come to harm."

After he had finished saying this the fox stretched out his tail again,
and the king's son sat him down upon it; then away they went over stock
and stone, so that the wind whistled through their hair. And when the
king's son reached the castle he found 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 that 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 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-