A certain king had a beautiful garden, and in the garden stood a tree which bore golden apples. These apples were always counted, and about the time when they began to grow ripe it was found that every night one of them was gone. The king became very angry at this, and ordered the gardener to keep watch all night under the tree. The gardener set his eldest son to watch; but about twelve o’clock he fell asleep, and in the morning another of the apples was missing. Then the second son was ordered to watch; and at midnight he too fell asleep, and in the morning another apple was gone. Then the third son offered to keep watch; but the gardener at first would not let him, for fear some harm should come to him: however, at last he consented, and the young man laid himself under the tree to watch. As the clock struck twelve he heard a rustling noise in the air, and a bird came flying that was of pure gold; and as it was snapping at one of the apples with its beak, the gardener’s son jumped up and shot an arrow at it. But the arrow did the bird no harm; only it dropped a golden feather from its tail, and then flew away. The golden feather was brought to the king in the morning, and all the council was called together. Everyone agreed that it was worth more than all the wealth of the kingdom: but the king said, ‘One feather is of no use to me, I must have the whole bird.’
一个国王有一个美丽的花园，花园里矗立着一棵有金苹果的树。这些苹果总是被计算在内，大约在他们开始成熟的时候，发现每天晚上都有一个苹果不见了。国王对此非常生气，命令园丁整夜守在树下。园丁让他的大儿子看着；但是大约十二点钟，他睡着了，第二天早上，另一个苹果不见了。然后第二个儿子被命令观看；午夜时分，他也睡着了，第二天早上，另一个苹果不见了。然后第三个儿子主动提出要看守；但园丁起初不让他看守，因为担心他会受到一些伤害；然而，最后他同意了，年轻人躺在树下看守。当钟敲十二点时，他听到空中沙沙作响的声音，一只纯金的鸟飞来飞去；当它用喙咬一个苹果时，园丁的儿子跳起来向它射箭。但箭没有害鸟，只是从尾巴上掉下一根金色的羽毛，然后飞走了。金色的羽毛在早上被带到国王面前，所有的会议都被召集在一起。每个人都认为它比王国的所有财富都更有价值，但国王说： “一根羽毛对我毫无用处，我必须拥有整只鸟。”
Then the gardener’s eldest son set out and thought to find the golden bird very easily; and when he had gone but a little way, he came to a wood, and by the side of the wood he saw a fox sitting; so he took his bow and made ready to shoot at it. Then the fox said, ‘Do not shoot me, for I will give you good counsel; I know what your business is, and that you want to find the golden bird. You will reach a village in the evening; and when you get there, you will see two inns opposite to each other, one of which is very pleasant and beautiful to look at: go not in there, but rest for the night in the other, though it may appear to you to be very poor and mean.’ But the son thought to himself, ‘What can such a beast as this know about the matter?’ So he shot his arrow at the fox; but he missed it, and it set up its tail above its back and ran into the wood. Then he went his way, and in the evening came to the village where the two inns were; and in one of these were people singing, and dancing, and feasting; but the other looked very dirty, and poor. ‘I should be very silly,’ said he, ‘if I went to that shabby house, and left this charming place’; so he went into the smart house, and ate and drank at his ease, and forgot the bird, and his country too.
然后园丁的大儿子出发，想很容易找到那只金鸟；当他走了一小段路后，他来到一片树林里，在树林边，他看到一只狐狸坐在那里；于是他拿起弓，准备向它射击。然后狐狸说： “不要射我，因为我会给你很好的忠告；我知道你的业务是什么，你想找到那只金鸟。您将在晚上到达一个村庄；当您到达那里时，您会看到两家彼此相对的客栈，其中一家非常令人愉快，看起来很漂亮：不要进去，但在另一个晚上休息，尽管在您看来它可能非常贫穷和卑鄙。“但是儿子心里想， ‘这样的野兽怎么会知道这件事呢？’于是，他向狐狸射箭；但他错过了，狐狸把尾巴放在背上，跑进了树林。然后他走了，晚上来到两家旅馆所在的村庄；其中一个是人们唱歌、跳舞和宴会；但另一个看起来很脏，很穷。“我应该很傻，”他说， “如果我去那个破旧的房子，离开了这个迷人的地方” ；所以他走进了智能房子，轻松地吃喝，忘记了那只鸟，也忘记了他的国家。
Time passed on; and as the eldest son did not come back, and no tidings were heard of him, the second son set out, and the same thing happened to him. He met the fox, who gave him the good advice: but when he came to the two inns, his eldest brother was standing at the window where the merrymaking was, and called to him to come in; and he could not withstand the temptation, but went in, and forgot the golden bird and his country in the same manner.
时间过去了；大儿子没有回来，也没有听到他的消息，第二个儿子出发了，同样的事情也发生在他身上。他遇到了狐狸，狐狸给了他很好的建议：但当他来到两家旅馆时，他的大哥站在做欢乐的窗口，叫他进来；他不能忍受诱惑，但进去了，以同样的方式忘记了金鸟和他的国家。
Time passed on again, and the youngest son too wished to set out into the wide world to seek for the golden bird; but his father would not listen to it for a long while, for he was very fond of his son, and was afraid that some ill luck might happen to him also, and prevent his coming back. However, at last it was agreed he should go, for he would not rest at home; and as he came to the wood, he met the fox, and heard the same good counsel. But he was thankful to the fox, and did not attempt his life as his brothers had done; so the fox said, ‘Sit upon my tail, and you will travel faster.’ So he sat down, and the fox began to run, and away they went over stock and stone so quick that their hair whistled in the wind.
时间又过去了，最小的儿子也想到外面的世界去寻找那只金鸟；但是他的父亲很长一段时间都不听，因为他非常喜欢他的儿子，害怕他也会遇到一些厄运，并阻止他回来。然而，最后人们同意他应该去，因为他不会在家休息；当他来到树林里时，他遇到了狐狸，听到了同样好的忠告。但他感谢狐狸，没有像他的兄弟那样尝试过自己的生命；所以狐狸说， “坐在我的尾巴上，你会走得更快。“所以他坐了下来，狐狸开始跑，他们飞快地越过股票和石头，他们的头发在风中吹口哨。
When they came to the village, the son followed the fox’s counsel, and without looking about him went to the shabby inn and rested there all night at his ease. In the morning came the fox again and met him as he was beginning his journey, and said, ‘Go straight forward, till you come to a castle, before which lie a whole troop of soldiers fast asleep and snoring: take no notice of them, but go into the castle and pass on and on till you come to a room, where the golden bird sits in a wooden cage; close by it stands a beautiful golden cage; but do not try to take the bird out of the shabby cage and put it into the handsome one, otherwise you will repent it.’ Then the fox stretched out his tail again, and the young man sat himself down, and away they went over stock and stone till their hair whistled in the wind.
当他们来到村庄时，儿子听从了狐狸的劝告，没有四处张望便走进那家破旧的客栈，安安稳稳地住了一夜。第二天清晨，狐狸再次出现，在他准备启程时说道：‘径直前行，直到你看到一座城堡，城堡前有一队士兵正酣睡打鼾；不要理会他们，径直进入城堡继续前行，直到来到一间屋子，那里有一只金鸟栖息在木笼中；旁边还有一座精美的金笼；但切勿将金鸟从破旧的木笼中取出放入华丽的金笼，否则你会后悔的。’说完，狐狸再次伸出尾巴，年轻人坐了上去，他们便越过树桩和岩石疾驰而去，风呼啸着掠过他们的发丝。
Before the castle gate all was as the fox had said: so the son went in and found the chamber where the golden bird hung in a wooden cage, and below stood the golden cage, and the three golden apples that had been lost were lying close by it. Then thought he to himself, ‘It will be a very droll thing to bring away such a fine bird in this shabby cage’; so he opened the door and took hold of it and put it into the golden cage. But the bird set up such a loud scream that all the soldiers awoke, and they took him prisoner and carried him before the king. The next morning the court sat to judge him; and when all was heard, it sentenced him to die, unless he should bring the king the golden horse which could run as swiftly as the wind; and if he did this, he was to have the golden bird given him for his own.
城堡门前的一切正如狐狸所说：儿子走进城堡，找到了那间屋子，金鸟正挂在木笼中，下方摆放着金笼，三只失落的金苹果就放在旁边。他心想：‘用这破旧的笼子带走如此漂亮的鸟儿实在滑稽’，于是打开门抓住金鸟，将它放入金笼。然而金鸟发出刺耳的尖叫，惊醒了所有士兵，他们将他擒获并押送至国王面前。次日法庭开庭审判，听完陈述后，判决他死刑，除非他能带回那匹能如风般疾驰的金马；若能做到，便可将金鸟据为己有。
So he set out once more on his journey, sighing, and in great despair, when on a sudden his friend the fox met him, and said, ‘You see now what has happened on account of your not listening to my counsel. I will still, however, tell you how to find the golden horse, if you will do as I bid you. You must go straight on till you come to the castle where the horse stands in his stall: by his side will lie the groom fast asleep and snoring: take away the horse quietly, but be sure to put the old leathern saddle upon him, and not the golden one that is close by it.’ Then the son sat down on the fox’s tail, and away they went over stock and stone till their hair whistled in the wind.
于是他再次踏上旅程，满心悲叹与绝望，突然他的朋友狐狸出现了，说道：‘你瞧，这都是因为你未听从我的劝告所致。不过我仍会告诉你如何找到金马，只要你照我说的做。你必须径直前行，直到抵达那匹金马所在的城堡；马厩中金马正立着，旁边躺着一名睡意正浓的侍从；你要悄悄牵走金马，但务必给它套上旧的皮鞍，而不是旁边那座金鞍。’随后儿子坐上狐狸的尾巴，他们再次越过树桩和岩石疾驰而去，风呼啸着掠过他们的发丝。
All went right, and the groom lay snoring with his hand upon the golden saddle. But when the son looked at the horse, he thought it a great pity to put the leathern saddle upon it. ‘I will give him the good one,’ said he; ‘I am sure he deserves it.’ As he took up the golden saddle the groom awoke and cried out so loud, that all the guards ran in and took him prisoner, and in the morning he was again brought before the court to be judged, and was sentenced to die. But it was agreed, that, if he could bring thither the beautiful princess, he should live, and have the bird and the horse given him for his own.
一切顺利，侍从正打着呼噜，手搭在金鞍上。但当儿子看到金马时，觉得给它套上皮鞍实在可惜：‘我要给它配上好的金鞍，’他说，‘它值得拥有。’当他拿起金鞍时，侍从惊醒并大声呼喊，所有卫兵冲了进来将他擒获。次日清晨，他再次被带到法庭受审，并被判处死刑。但众人商定，若他能带回那位美丽的公主，便可免死，并将金鸟与金马据为己有。
Then he went his way very sorrowful; but the old fox came and said, ‘Why did not you listen to me? If you had, you would have carried away both the bird and the horse; yet will I once more give you counsel. Go straight on, and in the evening you will arrive at a castle. At twelve o’clock at night the princess goes to the bathing-house: go up to her and give her a kiss, and she will let you lead her away; but take care you do not suffer her to go and take leave of her father and mother.’ Then the fox stretched out his tail, and so away they went over stock and stone till their hair whistled again.
于是他非常悲伤地离开了；但老狐狸跟上来问道：‘你为何不听我的劝告？若听了，你本可带走那只鸟和马；不过我仍愿再给你一条建议。径直前行，傍晚时你会抵达一座城堡。午夜十二点，公主会去浴室：上前亲吻她，她会让你带她离开；但切记不要让她去告别她的父母。’随后狐狸伸出尾巴，他们便一路越过树桩和石头，直到毛发再次呼啸作响地离去。
As they came to the castle, all was as the fox had said, and at twelve o’clock the young man met the princess going to the bath and gave her the kiss, and she agreed to run away with him, but begged with many tears that he would let her take leave of her father. At first he refused, but she wept still more and more, and fell at his feet, till at last he consented; but the moment she came to her father’s house the guards awoke and he was taken prisoner again.
当他们来到城堡时，一切正如狐狸所说，午夜十二点，年轻人遇见了正要去沐浴的公主并亲吻了她，她同意随他私奔，但含泪恳求让他去告别父亲。起初他拒绝，但她哭得愈发厉害，甚至跪倒在他脚下，最终他同意了；然而她一到父亲家中，守卫便惊醒并将他再次抓获。
Then he was brought before the king, and the king said, ‘You shall never have my daughter unless in eight days you dig away the hill that stops the view from my window.’ Now this hill was so big that the whole world could not take it away: and when he had worked for seven days, and had done very little, the fox came and said. ‘Lie down and go to sleep; I will work for you.’ And in the morning he awoke and the hill was gone; so he went merrily to the king, and told him that now that it was removed he must give him the princess.
随后他被带到国王面前，国王说：‘除非你在八天内挖掉挡住我窗户视线的山丘，否则你永远别想娶我的女儿。’这座山丘如此巨大，整个世界也无法将其移走；当他劳作七日却进展甚微时，狐狸来了，说道：‘躺下睡吧，我来替你干活。’次日清晨他醒来，山丘已消失不见；于是他欢快地去见国王，告知山丘已移除，国王必须将公主嫁给他。
Then the king was obliged to keep his word, and away went the young man and the princess; and the fox came and said to him, ‘We will have all three, the princess, the horse, and the bird.’ ‘Ah!’ said the young man, ‘that would be a great thing, but how can you contrive it?’
于是国王不得不履行诺言，年轻人和公主随即离去；狐狸跟来对他说：‘我们将把三样东西都带走——公主、马和鸟。’‘啊！’年轻人说，‘那真是件大事，但你打算如何做到呢？’
‘If you will only listen,’ said the fox, ‘it can be done. When you come to the king, and he asks for the beautiful princess, you must say, “Here she is!” Then he will be very joyful; and you will mount the golden horse that they are to give you, and put out your hand to take leave of them; but shake hands with the princess last. Then lift her quickly on to the horse behind you; clap your spurs to his side, and gallop away as fast as you can.’
‘只要你肯听我说，’狐狸说，‘这事就能办成。当你去见国王，他索要那位美丽的公主时，你只需回答：“她在这里！”那时他会非常高兴；然后你骑上他们要送给你的金马，伸出手来告别众人，但最后才与公主握手。接着迅速将她扶到你身后的马背上，用马刺轻踢马腹，策马疾驰而去。
All went right: then the fox said, ‘When you come to the castle where the bird is, I will stay with the princess at the door, and you will ride in and speak to the king; and when he sees that it is the right horse, he will bring out the bird; but you must sit still, and say that you want to look at it, to see whether it is the true golden bird; and when you get it into your hand, ride away.’
一切顺利：随后狐狸说，‘当你来到藏有金鸟的城堡时，我会留在门口陪着公主，你骑马进去面见国王；当他认出那是真正的金马时，便会取出金鸟；但你必须稳坐不动，声称只是想仔细瞧瞧，确认它是否就是那只在传说中的真金鸟；一旦将鸟拿到手中，立刻策马离开。
This, too, happened as the fox said; they carried off the bird, the princess mounted again, and they rode on to a great wood. Then the fox came, and said, ‘Pray kill me, and cut off my head and my feet.’ But the young man refused to do it: so the fox said, ‘I will at any rate give you good counsel: beware of two things; ransom no one from the gallows, and sit down by the side of no river.’ Then away he went. ‘Well,’ thought the young man, ‘it is no hard matter to keep that advice.’
这也如狐狸所言：他们带走了金鸟，公主再次上马，继续前行至一片大森林。这时狐狸出现，说：“请杀了我，砍下我的头和脚。”但年轻人拒绝这样做，于是狐狸说：“无论如何，我要再给你一条忠告：切记两件事——不要从绞刑架上赎人，也不要坐在河边。”说完便离去。年轻人心想：“这建议不难遵守。”
He rode on with the princess, till at last he came to the village where he had left his two brothers. And there he heard a great noise and uproar; and when he asked what was the matter, the people said, ‘Two men are going to be hanged.’ As he came nearer, he saw that the two men were his brothers, who had turned robbers; so he said, ‘Cannot they in any way be saved?’ But the people said ‘No,’ unless he would bestow all his money upon the rascals and buy their liberty. Then he did not stay to think about the matter, but paid what was asked, and his brothers were given up, and went on with him towards their home.
他带着公主继续前行，最终来到他曾留下两位哥哥的村庄。在那里，他听到一片喧闹声；询问缘由后，人们说：“有两个人即将被处绞刑。”走近一看，发现那两人正是他的哥哥，他们已沦为强盗。于是问道：“难道就没有任何办法救他们吗？”但人们回答：“除非你愿意拿出所有钱财给那些恶棍，换取他们的自由。”年轻人未及细想，便照价付钱，两位哥哥得以释放，随他一同踏上归途。
And as they came to the wood where the fox first met them, it was so cool and pleasant that the two brothers said, ‘Let us sit down by the side of the river, and rest a while, to eat and drink.’ So he said, ‘Yes,’ and forgot the fox’s counsel, and sat down on the side of the river; and while he suspected nothing, they came behind, and threw him down the bank, and took the princess, the horse, and the bird, and went home to the king their master, and said. ‘All this have we won by our labour.’ Then there was great rejoicing made; but the horse would not eat, the bird would not sing, and the princess wept.
当他们来到狐狸初次遇见他们的那片树林时，那里凉爽宜人，两兄弟便说：‘让我们在河边坐下，休息一会儿，吃点喝点。’于是他便答应了，却忘了狐狸的劝告，坐在河岸边；正当他毫无防备时，两人从背后走来，将他推下河岸，夺走了公主、马和鸟，然后回到他们的主人国王那里，说道：‘这一切都是我们辛苦得来的。’于是大家欢天喜地，可那马不肯吃食，那鸟不肯歌唱，公主也一直在哭泣。
The youngest son fell to the bottom of the river’s bed: luckily it was nearly dry, but his bones were almost broken, and the bank was so steep that he could find no way to get out. Then the old fox came once more, and scolded him for not following his advice; otherwise no evil would have befallen him: ‘Yet,’ said he, ‘I cannot leave you here, so lay hold of my tail and hold fast.’ Then he pulled him out of the river, and said to him, as he got upon the bank, ‘Your brothers have set watch to kill you, if they find you in the kingdom.’ So he dressed himself as a poor man, and came secretly to the king’s court, and was scarcely within the doors when the horse began to eat, and the bird to sing, and the princess left off weeping. Then he went to the king, and told him all his brothers’ roguery; and they were seized and punished, and he had the princess given to him again; and after the king’s death he was heir to his kingdom.
小儿子跌到了河底：幸好河水几乎干涸，但他的骨头几乎都摔断了，河岸又如此陡峭，他找不到任何出路。这时老狐狸再次出现，责备他不听劝告，否则就不会遭遇不幸；‘不过，’它说，‘我不能把你留在这里，所以抓住我的尾巴，抓紧了。’随后它将他从河中拉出，当他爬上河岸时说道：‘你的兄弟们已设下埋伏，若发现你回到王国，便会杀了你。’于是他乔装成穷人，悄悄来到国王宫廷，刚进门不久，马便开始吃食，鸟开始歌唱，公主也停止了哭泣。接着他面见国王，将兄弟们的恶行全部告知；他们随即被捕受罚，公主也被重新交还给他；国王去世后，他便继承了王国。
A long while after, he went to walk one day in the wood, and the old fox met him, and besought him with tears in his eyes to kill him, and cut off his head and feet. And at last he did so, and in a moment the fox was changed into a man, and turned out to be the brother of the princess, who had been lost a great many many years.
许久之后的一天，他在林中散步时，老狐狸再次出现，含泪恳求他杀死自己，并割下自己的头和脚。最终他照做了，刹那间狐狸变成了一位男子，原来他就是公主失散多年的哥哥。