The Golden Bird

Page 1

Long ago, there was a farmer who had worked for the king for many years. This farmer took care of the most beautiful tree in the king’s garden. This tree was special because it grew golden apples. Every morning, the king came out of his castle, and he counted the golden apples. One day, the king counted, and he realized that an apple was missing. He was angry, and he told the farmer to watch the tree more carefully.

Page 2

The farmer planned to stay awake all night to watch the tree. But at midnight, he went to sleep. When he woke up the next morning, another golden apple was missing. When the king saw this, he was even more angry than before! The next night, the farmer told his son to watch the tree. The farmer’s son watched the tree carefully. Midnight came, and the farmer’s son was still awake. Then, soon after midnight, a golden bird flew down from the dark sky, and it took a golden apple. The farmer’s son tried to catch the golden bird, but it escaped. But he found one golden feather that had fallen to the ground, and he picked it up. When the farmer woke up the next morning, his son gave the feather to him.

Page 3

When the king came out of the castle later that morning, the farmer showed the golden feather to him. The king thought the feather was beautiful, and he wanted to have the golden bird. So, the king said to the farmer, “I know that you and your son are honest because you gave this feather to me. Now, I want you to send your son to find the golden bird.” The farmer told his son what the king wanted him to do. The farmer’s son promised to find the golden bird and bring it to the king.

Page 4

The farmer’s son began his journey later that day. He packed food and supplies in a backpack, and he carried his bow and arrows. He said goodbye to his father, and he walked into the forest. When the farmer’s son was walking through the forest, he saw a fox. He pulled out his bow and arrow so he could shoot the fox. But suddenly, the fox spoke to the farmer’s son. The fox said, “Do not kill me now because I can help you. I know that you want to catch the golden bird. Well, I know where it lives!” Then, the farmer’s son let the fox join him on his quest to find the golden bird.

Page 5

The farmer’s son followed the fox through the forest for many days. At last, the fox took the farmer’s son to a tall castle. Outside the castle, many soldiers were sleeping. The fox said, “The golden bird is in this castle, inside a large cage. You must bring the bird and the cage! Don’t worry about the soldiers. They won’t wake up. You will be safe.” The farmer’s son went into the castle, and he found the bird. But the cage looked too heavy to carry, so he tried to take the golden bird out of the cage. When he touched the golden bird, it cried loudly. Then, all of the soldiers woke up, and they caught the farmer’s son.

Page 6

The soldiers took the farmer’s son to a prince. The prince said, “Although you tried to steal my golden bird, I forgive you. And I will give the golden bird to you if you do something for me.” Then, the prince said, “I want the golden horse. Bring it to me, and you can have the golden bird.” The farmer’s son said that he would find the golden horse and bring it to the prince. The farmer’s son met the fox again outside the castle, and he told the fox about the golden horse. The fox said, “I will take you to the castle with the golden horse. But don’t try to ride the horse!”

Page 7

The fox took the farmer’s son to the second castle. When the farmer’s son entered, he saw many sleeping soldiers. He walked quietly through many rooms. Finally, he saw the golden horse. The farmer’s son noticed that the sun was starting to rise. He was worried that the soldiers would wake up soon. So, he thought, “I can go quickly if I ride the horse.” The farmer’s son tried to get on the horse, but the horse cried loudly. All of the soldiers woke up, and they caught the farmer’s son.

Page 8

The soldiers took the farmer’s son to the second prince. The prince said, “I will forgive you for trying to steal my golden horse. And I will give it to you if you do something for me.” The farmer’s son promised to help the second prince, so the prince said, “I will give you the golden horse if you bring my sister to me.” The farmer’s son left the second castle, and he found the fox again. Then, he told the fox about the second prince’s request. The fox said, “I will take you to the castle with the princess, but you must not try to kiss her!”

Page 9

The fox and the farmer’s son went to the third castle. The fox said, “You will find the princess sleeping in this castle. But remember, you must not try to kiss her!” The farmer’s son entered the third castle, and again he saw many sleeping soldiers, He walked quietly from room to room. In a room near the back of the castle, he finally found the princess. She was very beautiful, and the farmer’s son fell in love with her immediately. He tried to kiss her cheek, but she woke up, and she cried loudly in surprise. Then, the soldiers woke up, and they caught the farmer’s son.

Page 10

The soldiers took the farmer’s son to the third prince. The prince said, “I can see that you love my sister. And she seems to love you, too. So, I will let you marry her, but first you must do something for me. My father, the king, has been missing for many years. If you find my father and bring him to me, you may marry my sister, the princess.” The farmer’s son bowed, and promised that he would find the king, and bring him to the prince.

Page 11

The farmer’s son met the fox outside the third castle, and he told the fox about his new quest. The fox told the farmer’s son that he would take him to the king. But first, the farmer’s son had to talk to the three princes. The fox said, “Tell the three princes to go into the forest. Tell them to bring the golden bird, the golden horse, and the princess. Tell them to go to the place where I met you, and tell them to be there in three days.”

Page 12

The farmer’s son went back to the three castles, and he talked to the three princes. He told them to meet him in the forest in three days. He said to the first prince, “When you come into the forest, bring the golden bird.” To the second prince, he said, “When you come into the forest, bring the golden horse.” And when he spoke to the third prince, she said, “When you come into the forest, bring the princess.” After the farmer’s son had spoken to each prince, he went to the forest to wait for them.

Page 13

In three days, the princes went into the forest with their soldiers. But when the princes saw each other, they were very angry! The first prince said to the second prince, “Why are you here? You killed our father!” The second prince said, “I did not kill our father!” Then, he pointed at the third prince, and he said, “He killed our father!” The farmer’s son was confused because he had not realized that the three princes were brothers. And he did not know that they hated each other. Soon, there was going to be a war between the three princes! The farmer’s son wondered why the fox wanted to bring the three princes together.

Page 14

The fox appeared next to the farmer’s son. The fox saw the armies of the three princes, and he knew that there would be a war. The fox quickly said to the farmer’s son, “You must kill me now!” The farmer’s son was surprised. He said, “No! I can’t kill you. You helped me so much. And you were patient when I made mistakes.” Then, the fox said, “You must kill me! If you don’t kill me now, the three princes will start a war!” The farmer’s son looked at the three armies. He saw the anger and hatred in the eyes of the three princes. Again, the fox said, “You must kill me. It’s the only way to stop the war!” So, the farmer’s son sadly raised his sword, and he killed the fox.

Page 15

There was a sudden flash of light and a loud BANG! The three princes were surprised, and they stopped preparing for their war. The princes and all of the soldiers looked at the farmer’s son. He was crying and kneeling next to the dead fox. But then, the dead fox began to glow. The light grew brighter and brighter. At last, the shape of a man appeared. When the light faded, everyone could see that the man was the king. The princes, the princess, and all of the soldiers bowed when they saw their king again.

Page 16

The three princes and the princess ran forward to meet their father. They raised him onto their shoulders, and they yelled, “The king has returned! The king has returned!” Everybody cheered and danced because they loved the king, and they were happy that he had returned. When the princes had put the king down, he went to the farmer’s son. The king said, “An evil witch had turned me into a fox. When you killed the fox, you broke the witch’s curse. You freed me, and you brought my family together. You can have the golden bird and the golden horse. Also, you can marry my daughter, the princess.”

Page 17

So, the farmer’s son married the princess in her father’s castle. Among the guests were the farmer and his king. The farmer’s son gave the golden bird to his king. Then, he gave the golden horse to his father. After that, the two kings met, and they became good friends. The farmer’s son and the the princess were given their own castle, and they lived happily together for the rest of their lives.

Page 18

The Golden Bird

Page 19

Long ago, there was a farmer who had worked for the king for many years. This farmer took care of the most beautiful tree in the king’s garden. This tree was special because it grew golden apples. Every morning, the king came out of his castle, and he counted the golden apples. One day, the king counted, and he realized that an apple was missing. He was angry, and he told the farmer to watch the tree more carefully.

Page 20

The farmer planned to stay awake all night to watch the tree. But at midnight, he went to sleep. When he woke up the next morning, another golden apple was missing. When the king saw this, he was even more angry than before! The next night, the farmer told his son to watch the tree. The farmer’s son watched the tree carefully. Midnight came, and the farmer’s son was still awake. Then, soon after midnight, a golden bird flew down from the dark sky, and it took a golden apple. The farmer’s son tried to catch the golden bird, but it escaped. But he found one golden feather that had fallen to the ground, and he picked it up. When the farmer woke up the next morning, his son gave the feather to him.

Page 21

When the king came out of the castle later that morning, the farmer showed the golden feather to him. The king thought the feather was beautiful, and he wanted to have the golden bird. So, the king said to the farmer, “I know that you and your son are honest because you gave this feather to me. Now, I want you to send your son to find the golden bird.” The farmer told his son what the king wanted him to do. The farmer’s son promised to find the golden bird and bring it to the king.

Page 22

The farmer’s son began his journey later that day. He packed food and supplies in a backpack, and he carried his bow and arrows. He said goodbye to his father, and he walked into the forest. When the farmer’s son was walking through the forest, he saw a fox. He pulled out his bow and arrow so he could shoot the fox. But suddenly, the fox spoke to the farmer’s son. The fox said, “Do not kill me now because I can help you. I know that you want to catch the golden bird. Well, I know where it lives!” Then, the farmer’s son let the fox join him on his quest to find the golden bird.

Page 23

The farmer’s son followed the fox through the forest for many days. At last, the fox took the farmer’s son to a tall castle. Outside the castle, many soldiers were sleeping. The fox said, “The golden bird is in this castle, inside a large cage. You must bring the bird and the cage! Don’t worry about the soldiers. They won’t wake up. You will be safe.” The farmer’s son went into the castle, and he found the bird. But the cage looked too heavy to carry, so he tried to take the golden bird out of the cage. When he touched the golden bird, it cried loudly. Then, all of the soldiers woke up, and they caught the farmer’s son.

Page 24

The soldiers took the farmer’s son to a prince. The prince said, “Although you tried to steal my golden bird, I forgive you. And I will give the golden bird to you if you do something for me.” Then, the prince said, “I want the golden horse. Bring it to me, and you can have the golden bird.” The farmer’s son said that he would find the golden horse and bring it to the prince. The farmer’s son met the fox again outside the castle, and he told the fox about the golden horse. The fox said, “I will take you to the castle with the golden horse. But don’t try to ride the horse!”