Grandma's stories

Once upon a time , in the country of Akhilapuri there was a king . He had three sons who were agile and smart . An apple tree was growing up in the middle of the garden of his palace . One day , the apple tree bloomed for first time . Gradually the tree was covered with shining golden apples . It was a miracle to every one . " Beautiful golden apples ! It may be stolen , " So the King ordered to guard around the apple tree . Every morning all golden apples were counted . One day as usual the golden apples were counted . The guard , who counted the apples , was shocked for a moment because one of the apples disappeared . When the king was informed , he angered . The king commanded ; " Powerful guard around the apple tree " . Then the apple tree was well protected . However everyday one of the apples was missed . The eldest prince told the King " Father , I want to catch the thief . So today , I will guard the apple tree " . The king agreed . That night the prince guarded the tree . But after midnight , he felt sleep . Unknow ingly , he fell in to a short sleep . As usual one of the apples was missed that night . The king again angered . He felt . it was a shame to the royal family . Next day the second prince guarded the apple tree . He also fell in to sleep like his brother and one of the apples disappeared . Next turn was to the youngest prince . He , too , was ready to guard the apple tree . Teasing his son , the king said ; " My dear son ! you are not better than your brothers " . That night , the youngest prince guarded the tree anxiously . At midnight he looked at the sky . Suddenly he saw a sight , something was flowing through the air from the east . The Prince peered at it when came near the tree . " What a wonderful golden bird " . The golden bird sat on the branch of the apple tree . Then it pecked one golden apple and began to fly . Atonce , the prince sent an arrow , aimed at the bird . It hewed one of the feathers of the bird and fell down to the earth . Next morning the prince gave that feather to the king . The King proclaimed " I will bestow half of my kingdom as reward to those who catch the golden bird " . For getting the reward , many searched for the bird . Among them , the eldest prince , too , searched for the bird . He walked for a long distance and reached to a bush : Suddenly a fox appeared infront of him . The prince took his pistol . Then the fox said , " Don't kill me . If you free me , I will help you to find out the golden bird " . The prince laughed loudly and said , " What a silly fox can help a prince " . He took his pistol and fired . Suddenly the fox hid in the bush . The prince again walked and reached at a small village . There he saw two inns . The first one was big and beautiful . The second was small and ugly . He stayed in the first inn . It was a nice place . So he spent there for days happily . The king was very sad . The second prince went to find out the where abouts of the eldest prince . He , too , saw the fox in the bush and fired his pistol . But the fox disappeared in the bush . He reached the same village and stayed in the same inn as his brother did . Months elapsed . The youngest prince was very sad and ready to search for his brothers . The king hindered him . At last he got king's permission and began his search . The fox appeared in front of him and said " Don't kill me , if you free me I will help you to find out the golden bird " The prince considered the fox's request favourably . Then the fox said , " Oh prince ! you obey me . On your way you see two inns . Once of them is beautiful but the other is dirty . You will not enter to the first inn . You must stay in the second inn " . The prince agreed . The fox continued " Okay ! you climb on my back . I will carry you to the inn . As a wind , the fox ran to the inn with the prince . He spent the night in the dirty and small inn , as the fox instructed . The fox came again in the morning . He said , " Hey ! Prince , I will take you to a palace . There you can see two nests to keep the golden bird . One of the nests is made iron . Other is made of gold . The golden bird is kept in the iron nest . You don't even look in to the golden nest " . The prince agreed . Then the fox ran faster than the wind , with the Prince . They arrived at palace . There , the prince saw two nests . The golden bird was kept in the iron nest . The prince took the iron nest . Suddenly he looked to the golden nest . " How wonderful !. This golden nest is suitable to the golden bird " . Forgetting the words of fox , the prince opened the iron nest and took the golden bird out . Atonce the bird cried loudly . The soldier's came and bound the prince and presented before the king . The king ordered to the Prince . " If you bring the golden horse , you will be free and rewarded the golden bird . Otherwise , your pun ishment will be death " . The Prince agreed to bring the golden horse . On the way , he again met the fox . The fox said , " you didn't listen my words . So you fell in to danger . I will help you . Come ! we must go to the pal ace where the golden horse stays " Then the fox ran with the prince and stopped near a stable . He said to the prince . " You go straight to the horse . Near the horse , you see two saddles . One of them is leather and other is gold . You will take only the leather saddle . You don't even look to the golden one " . Then the fox vanished in to the forest . The Prince came near the horse . He saw the saddles . He thought , " How beautiful the horse is ! The golden saddle is suited to this horse " . Maks He touched the golden saddle , the horse made a loud noise . The soldiers caught the prince and imprisoned him . Next day , he was presented before the king . The king ordered , " you go and bring the princess from the golden palace for me . You will be free and rewarded the golden horse . Otherwise your punishment will be death " . The Prince was in a puzzle . At last the prince agreed to bring the princess . The prince began to search for the golcen palace . On the way , he met again fox . He said , " Oh prince ! you again disregarded my words . So this danger . happened " . " I will help you this time too . I will carry you to the golden palace where the princess lives . Then you can do as your likes " . Carrying the prince , the fox ran as fast as wind , and stopped near the palace . Then the fox revealed , " At night the Princess will come out from her room when all of them are asleep . When she begins . to walk in the garden , you will hold her hand and brings out " . At that time she will ask you time to say farewell to her father . " You don't allow her " . Then the fox disappeared . At night the prince waited . Every one was in sleep . He saw the princess opened her door and came out . She began to walk in the garden . The prince came near and hold her hand and led to the palace gate . Atonce she began to weep . She begged him to allow her to bid farewell to her father . At first he re fused her request . But her repeated requests soft ened his mind and allowed her to do so . The Princess went to her father and kissed softly on his forehead . That moment , the king awoke . Again the prince was imprisoned . Next morning the king commanded to the prince , " you try to kidnap my daughter . You are deserving for death punishment . But I will give you a chance to save your life . There is a hill outside the palace . if you remove the hill before the next dawn , you will be released . Moreover I will give you the princess or else . 11 The Prince began to remove the hill . He could not make any changes till evening . Sadly , he threw away his weapons . Suddenly the fox appeared be fore him and said , " I never expect to help you again . You are solely responsible for all these dangers . If you could obey my words , nothings happened . However I will complete this work " Before dawn , the fox removed the hill . The Prince got the princess of the golden palace . When he came out with the princess , the fox appeared again . He said to the prince , " Giving the princess , You will buy the golden horse . When you have got the golden horse you will give shake hand to everyone . Atlast you will give shake hand to the Princess . The moment you hold the Princess , you will pull her out and climb on the golden horse and ride away . No one can come near the golden horse " . The Prince did as the fox said . Thus the prince got the princess and the golden horse . On the way , the fox appeared . He said , " Oh Prince ! you will give the golden horse to the king for getting the golden bird . The moment you get the nest of the bird in your hand , you climb on the horse back and ride away " . He did as the fox said . The Prince rode away on the horse back . The king and his soldiers were startled . Thus the Prince owned the Princess , golden horse , and golden bird . He came back to the inn and met his brothers . The King embraced his youngest son . He declared his youngest prince as next king of his Kingdom . Thus the Prince and the Princess lived happily for a long time . One day , there was a king and a queen . The subjects of his country were satisfied in his rule . As there was no children , the king and the queen were not happy . They prayed to God for a long time . At last the Goddess of Luck blessed them . A female child was born to them .