FOR THE CHILDREN.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XLV, Issue 13844, 2 September 1908, Page 9

FOR THE CHILDREN.

THE GOLD BIRD IN THE KING'S GARDEN. • "I A certain king had a beautiful gardeili, .. • and in it stood a lice which bore golden" , apples. About the time when the apples \\ grew ripe, it was found that . every night : j. on? of them wns-gune. ' ' 1 \ The king became very ungiy at" this, a rid., reordered the gardener to watch 11 s night.",-,' J , The gardener set Id l - eldest, son to witch*" > ■ but ab.uit twelve o'clock he fell n>ie--p,<aiid, , in the morning nnotlier of the apples-- Was • / . | missing. , Then the second son was; ori;ie|<»d. *-• to watch ; and at midnight, too, fell asleep, t %' and in the Jriornipg'another apple \yas-, gjjpeJli v Then the third son lav down under, the : tree to watch. As tOih clock struck tWGlte a. bird of 1 pure gold c%meand• as v it vili ' v -' snapping at one of the apples the gardener's/ . - :; son shot an arrow at it. But the aiiow djd ' the bird no harm; only it dropped a golden;: w feather from its tail, and then Hew away? 1 / : : The golden feather was brought to the king in the morning;;- Everyone^ tljs4 : \ i ' it was ; worth more titii * all the" wealtlf of the kingdom; but the" king • 'Mid; "'tiih'e* featherns of 110 use to me; I must have the '•s#. • whole'.bird." " " "" M ■"' fcK; Then the gardener's eldest son set'-out' 1 find the golden bird, arid wllen lie : b«d g(|®.'- ;• a little way lie ; came to a wood, and he". a fox, and was going to .shoot, it.' ' But Live fox .said : : *- : fv - v.'A-,. ... ; '• "Do not. shoot me,' for I will -give rod . good advice. ;;I know that you want to micb -'f the golden". bird. , You'will reach' a village'/ 1 • and you will see twoinns.' opposite to cacli ' other, one "• of which 'is, "very Tjp'a'utiful',' to^t?-'=? look at." Do r hot' go in there, but rest: for,";! ; --) the night in the other.''"' " ' ' ' -I" * ~Vj i- But the son took no notice of the fox, and when he came.to:the village he went..wav; into tho smart house, -and ate'*aud' dr.Jitk''; and forgot about the .bird. "Time paused on, and, as the eldest- son did' not back, the second son set:out,: and the' iflina ; thing, happened to hinv--"?^ The youngest son then went to seek 1 the golden bird. As lie caine to Xhe> wood lie .' met the fox, and heard the same good, ad- V;k' vice. But lie was thankful to the fox," and < did not try v to shoot him,..and,so tho fo,xi-' * said, " Sit upon my tail, and you will f lfast„ . XUSter. '!■ i. -f- ... ... v . So he sat down, and the fox.begajn Ja"?, J run, 1 and away they went, ;so fast that their ■ j hair whistled' in the,wind:*' * f *-V 'VWPZ&I • ; .When; they^came'. to the' village, th£ went to the shabby inn,' and stayed there' y* \ all..night. •:In . the morning , tlie.''fox.-'caifie 4> s 'again and said: . . >.., r. -?a? .u. t - '-'Go straight forward till you coinc tola , castle, before • which i lje-a whole I .'troop'of;< soldiers fust, asleep,.,. Take, no . - ' them, but go into . the castle and pp.ssi'cnvMe! : till you come to 'a. rpom where ,the 1 /' ; ; bird ■ sits :in a y wooden cage. Close' : :.bv:vit.j*{";S stands a beautiful golden.cage; hutdo.notv' try to take the bird out o-f the shabby..cage, and put it into the handsome one." : Then the fox stretched. out his tail again, and away they went. ' ; j.' • ■'; v-v; . Before the castle gate ail was as''the foi 1' ' had said. ' So the son went in and found the - , chamber where the < golden jbi rd; ; lifutiSinWiCftfl wooden cage, and the three golden apples'- > that had been lost fwere lying close by it. Then ho thought ' : , "It will be an odd thing to bring away/;., - j such ay fin© bird in?- this sliabbv cage.'' • > So took .: hold of it, : and put it into the golden cage. But the bird ; «wt up ' a loud scream .that; the soldiers awoke, a:ndig#s took him prisoner. ; The next, morning the > Court sentenced him to die, unless he should bring the king the golden horse which could ; • ' run as swiftly as: the wind. If lie didj&his, .lie was to have the, golden , bird for his 3 >-^ So he set out one® more 011 his journey,''.-V when the fox met him and said: - >..' i" , " You see j now what has happened through not listening to my advice. ,I' will: 1 ;?, \' f however, tell -ou how to find the golden ' v'V, horse*. Yoji must go straight' on till you come to a castle where the horse stands in , his stall. By his side will lie the groom fast asleep. Take away the horse quietly, " .but he sure to put the old leathern saddle" / upon him, and not the golden'one close by it. > •• ■ 'i-V- ! f„ '' Then the son sat down on the fox's tail, * > and away they went.' ?1 All went right, and the groom lav snoring with his hand upon the golden saddle. Bat when tho eon look- .. | ed. at the horse, he thought it -> great pity to put the leathern saddle"upon l it.iU - ■ -■- , " " I will give him i ho good one," said he. 'I am sure he deserves it." , , . ) ~ As he took up tW golden ' saddle ' the ;'. . groom awoke, and called out loudly that all 'it-' the guards l ait in and took the young man i, prisoner, and in the morning he was 'again brought before the Court and sentenced toLT' die. ( But ,it was. agreed that if he - couldo bring; thither the beautiful ■ princess .-heshould live, and have" the'; bird "fthd:Alie - J Then 'lie went on his .fay atain very i : adr. " ■ ly: but the old fox came and said: : "Why did you not- listen. me? .. BtjJ .'f will (riioe more <;ive you advice. (!<> straight 011, and in the evening you will jurive At., a castle. •At twelve o'clock at night | I the princess goes to,the bathroom :goup , : to her.and' give.' her a kiss, and" slia will let) ". - you lead her away; but do not ; allow t lwtM-3 to take leave of : her:. father." . . , ; As they came to the cattle, all was astho' fox •had said, tod at tweh c o'clock.tlwr 1 young man met the princess, and gave, her.,, 1 a kiss, and she agreed to inn away "!witl» " p him, but begged with many tears that W„, would let her take leave of her father. A* . " first he refused, but at last he consented; but the moment slio.v-auie to her father's '■ • house the guards awoke, ; and took him ; pii«?;jsfS soner. „ Ji , w: :7 - • : -i'iThen.:he..:Xva.«'- bmught before -tbe-"king,'-, who .said •" Yon ill never luiv? jpv daiigh-7 ' ter .unless , in. eight, days you dig .away V <■' I hill in front of my^vindow." ....... 1 ;^ 1 '. ! : Now, this hill_.*ira«< so big that no..rine. l l J • s [could take it a way';. when he, had work- ! Ed seven days, and had done very, little, tlfe. j I | ; fox came, and. said , : " Lie down and go to sleep, and " work for you." '~ , - „ ,u->-^ In the morning the hill \yas gone. ~,.. ,*'y; ' > Then the king was obliged ;to keep his'l word, and away went tlie young .man-and the princess; but? the fox ; came : and said to him: .. , "We will have all three—the princess; tho 'J horse, and the bird. -When you come-to-the king, and he asks for the beautiful princess, yon ..must' sav, 'Here she ' ist- Then you "" will mount the golden horse thai- are./-!!;-' to give you, and put your hand to take leave, .. • of them; butshake hands' with ihe prineew o 1: - last. Then lift her quickly on to the horap>.' All went riciil, and still following tfw. i ; fox's advice, the youngest son ; returned safely to'the king. ' He told, the . king of ; his brothers' evil''! vS'; deeds,■ arid they were ' punished; and I\'| the king died the younge&fc son. and 1 tlw Princess ruled the kingdom. , ; \