age and put
it in the splendid one, or it will be very unlucky for thee."

With these words the fox once more stretched out its tail, and the
King's son sat upon it again, and away they went over hill and dale,
with their hair whistling in the wind.

When they arrived at the castle, the Prince found everything as the
fox had said, and he soon discovered the room in which the golden bird
was sitting in its wooden cage; by it stood a golden one; while three
golden apples were lying about the room. But the Prince thought it
would be silly to put such a lovely bird in so ugly and common a cage;
so, opening the door, he placed it in the golden cage. In an instant
the bird set up a piercing shriek, which awakened all the soldiers,
who rushed in and made him prisoner.

The next morning he was brought before a judge, who at once condemned
him to death. Still, the King said his life should be spared on one
condition, and that was, that he brought him the golden horse, which
ran faster than the wind; and if he succeeded he should also receive
the golden bird as a reward.

The young Prince set out on his journey, but he sighed and felt very
sorrowful, for where was he to find the golden horse? All at once, he
saw his old friend, the fox, sitting by the wayside.

"Ah!" exclaimed the fox, "thou seest now what has happened through not
listening to me. But be of good courage; I will look after thee,
and tell thee how thou mayest discover the horse. Thou must travel
straight along this road until thou comest to a castle; the horse is
there in one of the stables. Thou wilt find a stable boy lying before
the stall, but he will be fast asleep and snoring, so thou wilt be
able to lead out the golden horse quite quietly. But there is one
thing thou must be careful about, and that is to put on the shabby old
saddle of wood and leather, and not the golden one which hangs beside
it--otherwise everything will go wrong with thee." Then the fox
stretched out his tail, the Prince took a seat upon it, and away they
went over hill and dale, with their hair whistling in the wind.

Everything happened as the fox had said. The Prince came to the stable
where the golden horse was standing, but, as he was about to put on
the shabby old saddle, he thought to himself, "It does seem a shame
that such a lovely animal should be disgraced with this. The fine
saddle is his by right; it must go on."

Scarcely had the golden saddle rested on the horse's b