Grimms’ Fairy Tales

Based on translations of Kinder und Hausmarchen by Edgar Taylor and Marian Edwardes.

Book Excerpt

He approached the window and invited him inside, where joy and excitement awaited him. He could not resist the temptation and entered, forgetting about the golden bird and its home.

After some time had gone, the youngest son also expressed a wish to set off in search of the golden bird, but his father was slow to consent out of love for his son and concern that he may suffer some disaster and delay his return. Even so, he eventually agreed that he had to go because he couldn’t get any rest at home. When he got close to the woods, he saw a fox and got the same sound advise. Even though he was appreciative of the fox, he did not behave like his siblings, which is why the fox advised him to “sit on my tail” so that he could go more quickly.He then took a seat on the fox’s tail as they set out on their adventure, soaring so quickly over livestock and stone that the wind blew their hair back.

The little boy followed the fox’s instructions without looking when they got to the hamlet, and when he discovered the golden bird, his heart was cheered. He didn’t grab it straight away though, and as he got closer, he heard a voice instructing him to remove a hair off the bird’s tail since it could come in handy later.