There was once a wealthy man who had twelve sons; eleven of them were clever but the youngest was regarded as a fool. Now this man had a fine mare, which had twelve colts; eleven were handsome, and one was ugly. And it came to pass that when the colts were one year old, the man decided to give a colt to each of his sons. Each son, according to his age, was permitted to choose the colt he wanted for his own. Naturally, the eleven clever sons chose the eleven handsome colts, so that the twelfth colt, the ugly one, was left for the youngest son. He started to weep because of his bad luck, when the colt suddenly spoke to him and said: If you will stop crying and do everything I tell you to do, I will show you how to make me handsome. Now the lad was stunned to discover his colt could talk, and he began to realize that he might have been fortunate after all for having received this colt rather than any of the others—for he was not as foolish as they thought. Then he replied to the colt and said: Of course I will listen to you. In that case, said the colt, get on my back and let us ride together into the forest. The lad did this, and let the colt lead him. In this way they arrived at a fountain hidden deep within the forest. Then the colt said: Let me stand beneath the waters of this fountain, and then dry my coat and comb it, and I will become the handsomest colt of all. The lad did everything the colt said, and after its coat had been washed and combed, the boy was amazed to see how handsome the colt had become—far more so than the eleven other colts. And when his brothers saw it, they too were amazed, but there wasn't anything they could do, for each brother had chosen his colt fairly.
One day the youngest brother rose early in the morning, got on his horse, and took a long ride. At first he trotted the horse slowly, but when he reached the open fields he increased the speed until he reached a gallop. After he had ridden for some distance, he saw something nearby that sparkled on the ground.
And when he came closer he stopped the colt, dismounted, and picked up the object and, to his amazement, he found it was a golden feather, radiating many colors in the sunlight.
Just then the colt spoke up and said: Don't take that feather.
Leave it where it lies, or you will have many troubles. Now the lad was taken aback at this, for he had come to respect the wisdom of the colt. But at the same time he saw that the feather was very precious and unique, and he decided to ignore the warning. He picked up the golden feather and put it in his pocket.
As he rode away, the lad tried to decide what he should do with the golden feather. He did not need to sell it, although it was surely valuable, for his father was already wealthy, and he did not lack for anything. Then he considered keeping it for himself, but if he did, who would marvel at its splendor? And at that moment he was struck by a thought: I will present the golden feather to the king, for it is truly fit for a king. He will display it in his palace, and all who visit there will be enchanted by its splendor and beauty. Night began to fall as the young man returned home, happy with his decision to give the golden feather to the king. He slept sweetly that night, and the next morning he rose early and rode the colt to the palace of the king, taking the golden feather with him. When he arrived at the palace gates, and told the guards he had a valuable gift for the king, he was quickly given a royal audience. The king's face lit up at the sight of the golden feather, and he marveled at its beauty. He asked where it had come from and the lad told him how he had found it while riding on his horse. Then the king accepted the gift, and to show his gratitude he appointed the lad captain of his palace guards.
The young man accepted the appointment happily; the golden feather had given him such an important position that now his brothers could no longer consider him a fool. But the former captain of the palace guards, who had lost his position to the young man, was filled with hatred toward him, and vowed to disgrace him in the eyes of the king. For in such a way he might be restored to his former position. And before long he found an opportunity to present himself to the king, and during their conversation he expressed his admiration for the golden feather. He added, however, that while it was truly wonderful, how much more wonderful must be the bird from which it was taken. And he suggested that the person who presented the feather actually acted with disrespect when he gave the king a single feather, while keeping for himself the golden bird from which it came, whose place should be in the king's palace.
Now these words impressed the king, and he was suddenly taken with a great longing to possess the golden bird itself. He sent for the young man, and said to him: Hear me, young man.
You gave me a fine present, a golden feather, and told me that you found it. I am persuaded otherwise. Surely you kept for yourself the bird from which you took the feather. But such a thing should not be done to a king. Go quickly now and bring me the golden bird! If you disobey, I will have your head! Hasten, for if you do not bring the golden bird within three days, your end will be bitter. The young man stood mute while the king spoke, and dared not contradict what he had said, for he knew that the king would not believe him. He left the palace in terror, and all day roamed back and forth through the rooms of his home. In the evening he went to the stable, hugged the horse, and gave him feed. Then he combed the colt's mane, and while he stroked its neck a sigh escaped him. That is when the colt spoke up and said: Why do you sigh? Then the lad told what had happened, and the colt said: Did I not warn you not to pick up the golden feather in the first place? But still, do not despair, for I know where the golden bird can be found. Now the lad was astonished to hear this, and he jumped for joy and said: Let us waste no time; you will lead me to the golden bird, and I will try to capture it. But let us hurry, for I must be back in three days or I will lose my life. Then the lad ran into the house, taking a net and a few provisions, and he hurried back to the stable, mounted the horse, and set off on the quest.
So it was that they rode a great distance throughout the night, and the colt galloped so fast it seemed as if its hoofs were flying. At last, as day dawned, they arrived at a beautiful garden.
There the colt said: You must dismount and open the gate to this garden, which is the home of the golden bird. In the middle of the garden there are two trees. One of these is the tree of life, and the other is the tree of death. Both trees bear an enticing fruit, and look exactly alike. But you must be very careful that you select the right tree, and once you have found it, you must climb it. For there, in the top of that tree of life, is the nesting place of the golden bird. Wait there, remaining very still, and when the golden bird comes to perch on a branch of that tree, throw the net over it. But take care, for if you let the golden bird escape, you will never have a second chance to capture it. The lad listened very carefully to all that the colt said. Then he asked: But how can I distinguish the tree of life from the tree of death? Look at the base of each tree, said the colt, and see if you can find there a golden feather, like the one you gave to the king. For it will be resting beneath the tree on which the bird sat when the feather fell, and this will be the tree of life. Still, to be certain, all you need to do is to observe each tree in the mirror of the feather. For it will reflect the tree of life clearly, but the tree of death cannot be seen in any mirror. The boy thanked the colt and entered the gates of the garden.
And in the middle of the garden there were two trees, just as the colt had said, with ripe apples growing from their branches. The lad approached and studied them, and it seemed to him that the two trees were identical in every respect, for each looked like the mirror image of the other. Then he looked at the base of each tree, and beneath one of them he found a single golden feather, glittering in the light, while no feathers were to be found beneath the other. Thus he knew which tree was almost surely the tree of life. But to be certain, he held up the golden feather and saw it reflected that tree clearly. Then he held the feather so as to reflect the other tree, but it did not appear in the mirror of the feather at all. After this he put the golden feather away, and climbed up the tree of life with the net in his hand. When he reached the upper branches he hid himself as best he could, and waited for the golden bird to arrive.
All at once there was a flash of light and the sound of beating wings, and the golden bird landed on its favorite branch in the tree, which was within the reach of the lad. He remained very still, not even breathing, with the net clutched in his hand.
Suddenly the bird began to sing, and the song was more beautiful and haunting than any he had ever heard. It filled him with strange feelings, and he felt his determination weakening as the song of the golden bird took root in his soul. Recognizing this, he hesitated no longer, and in a single motion brought the net down on top of the golden bird, which flapped its wings and sought to fly away, but found that it was trapped. Then the lad slowly climbed down the tree of life, the net in his hand, and hurried out of the garden. There he found the colt waiting, mounted it, and rode off, and by that evening they had arrived at the palace of the king.
The boy presented himself to the king and said: Here, my lord, is the golden bird you requested. And the king was astonished when he saw the magnificence of the golden bird. He pressed the young man's hand warmly and said: This is indeed a wonderful gift you have given me this time. It is invaluable.
But tell me, does the bird sing? Then the lad replied: Yes, sire, I heard it singing just before I captured it. Good, said the king. Now how shall I repay you? Let me honor you this day, and appoint you captain over a thousand of my troops. Now the young man was very pleased to be appointed to such a high position, and his family was also very proud of him, and no longer regarded him as foolish. But the usurped captain of a thousand troops was filled with hatred for the young man, and swore to take his revenge. He waited for an opportune moment, and this soon came. One day the king held a reception for his ministers and the distinguished lords of his kingdom. All the visitors looked with fascination at the vessels of gold and silver, and the art objects and exquisite treasures which decorated the rooms of the palace. But the eyes of all were chiefly directed at the wonderful golden bird, which was displayed in a cage.
The former captain of a thousand troops approached the king and said: The golden bird is truly a miracle, my lord king, but the cage in which it is kept is poor compared to its worth.
Surely somewhere there must be a golden cage which is fitting for it. Perhaps he who brought the gift might know where it is to be found. Perhaps he kept it for himself. The king was struck by these words, and he was taken with a passion to have a golden cage worthy of his magnificent golden bird. So he called for the young man, and when he arrived, the king said: All who visit here are filled with admiration for the valuable gift you have given me. But all find the simple cage in which the bird is kept detracts from its worth and beauty. You who gave me the golden bird must surely know where the original cage can be found, and if it is in your home, go quickly and bring it to me! If you do, I will make you general over all my troops. But if you do not return with it in three days, it will cost you your life! With a bitter heart the young man left the palace of the king.
He did not try to explain that he had captured the golden bird in a tree, and the tree of life at that. Therefore, as far as he knew, the golden cage the king demanded did not exist. And with a heavy heart the young man returned home and lay down on his bed, for he thought that his life was lost. He went to sleep and had terrible nightmares, and when he awoke he went to the stable to feed the colt. As usual, he combed its coat and stroked it with affection. And while he did so a deep sigh escaped him.
Why do you sigh? asked the colt. Is the king still not satisfied? No, said the lad, no, he is still not satisfied. Now he wants me to find a golden cage worthy of the golden bird, but such a cage does not exist. You need not be afraid, said the colt, for such a cage does in fact exist, and I can lead you to it.
You should know that you must bring the golden feather with you, the one you found beneath the tree of life. But you should also know that this will be a dangerous quest. And what could be more dangerous than losing my life? asked the young man. Come, let us go now, for I have been given only three days to return with the golden cage. So he packed provisions and took the golden feather with him and they set off on the new quest.
This time the colt again ran all night, and at dawn they reached the garden they had come to the first time, where the lad had captured the golden bird. The colt said: You must enter the gate once more, and make your way through the garden.
Deep within the garden there is a golden palace. Inside that palace are many golden objects, and among them is a golden cage worthy of the golden bird. Now listen carefully, the colt continued. There are one hundred steps that must be climbed to enter that palace. When you reach the door, take out the golden feather, for the palace is very dark, but the golden feather will radiate light, so that you can see where you are going. There you will come upon golden sculptures of every kind, more magnificent than anything you have ever seen, Pay no attention to them, lest you become distracted and touch one, for if you touch any of them, you will be turned into a golden statue yourself! The lad shivered when he heard this, for he knew it was very dangerous to go there, but he also knew there was no turning back. The colt continued to speak: Pass by all of these sculptures until you reach a narrow hall, and follow it to the right. At the end of the corridor you will find a door. Go into that room, and in a closet there you will find an old cage. The room itself will be filled with magnificent golden cages of every kind, but do not touch any of them—only the old one that you find in the closet. But do not even touch it until you first drop the golden feather into the bottom of the cage, and then you will be able to pick up the cage safely. Once you have carried the cage outside the palace and garden, it will no longer possess the power to turn a person into a golden statue, and then you should take out the golden feather and put it away, for who knows, you may need it again someday. Then the boy thanked the colt and made his way through the garden path to the magnificent golden palace. He climbed the hundred steps and opened the door. Inside it was pitch black, but all at once the golden feather began to radiate light, so that he saw golden sculptures everywhere. He gasped at the wondrous objects—chairs and tables, lamps and mirrors, even windows and doors—all made of the purest gold. But standing alongside these were golden statues that struck terror into the heart of the lad, for they were human in every detail, and in each case the hands of the sculptures were touching one of the golden objects. And the lad knew that these statues were of those who had tried to take the golden treasures from there, but did not have the protection of the golden feather, as he did.
Then the lad hurried away from the golden sculptures, and followed the corridor until it narrowed, and there he turned to the right, as the colt had instructed him. When he arrived at the last door, he entered there, and in that room he saw a multitude of golden cages, of every size and shape, one more magnificent than the next. But he remembered what had happened to the other treasure seekers, who were now frozen as golden statues for eternity, and he was careful not to touch any of those cages.
Instead, he opened the closet door, and there he found an old cage, which looked as if it were falling apart. It broke his heart to take this cage when the room was filled with so many magnificent ones, but he remembered the warning of the colt, and did as he had been told, slipping the golden feather into the old cage, and letting it drop to the bottom. Then he stretched out his hand, took the cage, and was relieved to find that he had not become a golden statue. Nor did he linger there after that, but hurried away, and before long he had left the palace and the garden behind him and had returned to the waiting colt. Then he took the golden feather out of the cage, and put it away in his pocket, and as he did so, lo and behold, the cage that had appeared old and broken was transformed into a magnificent golden cage, far more beautiful than any of the others he had left behind. So he rode off, holding the golden cage in his hand, and soon he presented himself before the king and gave the golden cage to him.
Now when the king saw that golden cage, his breath was taken away, for he had never before seen an object its equal. It was laid out entirely in gold, precious gems, and pearls, and by itself it was more valuable than all of the other gold and jewels in the king's treasury. With a beating heart the king took the cage and put the golden bird inside it, and light immediately filled the room. Then the king thanked the young man profusely, and in return for that treasure he appointed him general over his entire army.
Now the young man was proud to be a great general, much respected by the soldiers and the people of that kingdom. But the former general was filled with hatred, and swore revenge. So it was that the next time he had an audience with the king, he praised the valuable gifts the lad had given him, but he also remarked on how it was a pity that the golden bird was mute, and did not sing songs to gladden body and soul.
The king brooded on these words, for he had not forgotten that the lad had told him the golden bird had been singing before its capture. But ever since the bird had been in the palace, it had remained completely silent. Then the king called for the young man and said: You gave me the gold feather, you brought the golden bird, you bestowed on me the wondrous golden cage—but what good are all of these if the bird remains mute, and does not sing sweet songs? You yourself told me that you heard the bird sing, so we know it is not a silent bird by nature.
Yet it has remained as silent as stone since it has been in my presence. This, then, is my last request: If you can make the bird sing, it would complete my happiness, and I would wed you to my daughter, the princess. But if you fail, your end will be bitter. And the king gave him three days in which to succeed in making the bird sing.
Then the lad left the palace weeping and groaning, and his legs would not carry him. For he knew of nothing that could force a captured bird to sing. Oh, if only he had not picked up the golden feather in the first place! And when he came home, he went to the stable to be with his faithful colt, which had consoled him so many times before. The colt recognized at once that he was miserable and asked why, and the boy told him.
When he had finished, the colt said: Fear not, for the golden bird shall sing and you shall wed the princess. Just bring the golden feather and climb on my back, and let us be off! So it was that they rode all night once more, until they reached the garden of the golden bird. When they did, the colt said: Go through the gate and return to the two trees in the center of the garden. When you arrive there, use the golden feather once again to determine which is the tree of life and which the tree of death. Then climb the tree of life once more and this time pick two of its apples and return as quickly as you can. Now the lad did all that the colt had said, and very soon he returned with the two apples. Then he mounted the colt and they rode to the palace, and when they arrived the colt said:
Take one apple with you, and when you reach the presence of the king, place it inside the cage of the golden bird. And when the bird smells the wonderful scent of the apple, it will be reminded of its nesting place in the tree of life, and will sing for the pleasure of all who are present. Neither should you fear that the apple will ever grow rotten, for an apple from the tree of life remains eternally fresh. As for the other apple, feed it to me. Now the lad did not know why the faithful colt wanted to eat that apple, but since it had helped him so often, he did not hesitate, and fed it the apple. And no sooner did the colt finish eating the apple than it was transformed into an old man with the appearance of a prophet. The lad was astounded to see this, and asked the old man who he was, and he said that he was a rabbi who had been enchanted by a witch, but that the apple of the tree of life had broken the spell. Then the boy asked him why he did not request to eat one of those apples the other times they had traveled to the garden. And the old man explained that the spell required that he return to the garden three times, and only then could he eat the apple and break the spell.
Then the old man wished the boy good luck, and accompanied him as he brought the apple into the palace.
When they arrived in the presence of the king, the lad opened the door of the golden cage, and placed the apple inside it. And no sooner did the bird catch the divine scent of that apple of the tree of life than it began to sing, and its song was a miracle to all who heard it, echoing to their very souls.
So it was that soon a lavish wedding took place, when the young man and the princess were wed. And before long the lad was called upon to become king himself, and in this way the golden bird was returned to him after all, along with its cage, and its haunting, lovely song. And the new king took for his minister the old rabbi who had once been his loyal colt, and with his help he ruled in wisdom for many years, and it was a time of great peace in that land.