I had a dream last night...
I saw the Golden Horse, carrying the Prince, Princess, and the Golden Bird on his back, as they made approached the town north of the Golden Apple King.
As they trotted through the streets, everyone around them would stop and stare, mesmerized by all the shimming gold of the creatures.
Coming up to the two inns, the Prince pulled the horse over to the cheerful one, and flagged down a gentleman who was just about to go in.
"Kind sir," the boy asked "Have my brothers returned through her? Two princes, on a quest for the Golden Bird?"
The gentleman made a confused face, saying "What in fairyland are you talking about? Princes? Here? I don't know anyone who's seen such a thing as that. But I've gotta get going, two rich fellows got in trouble with the law, and I want to see 'em get hanged!"
"Two rich fellows?" the Prince wondered. "Where is this taking place?"
The gentleman pointed to the eastern side of town.
So the Prince pulled the Golden Horse around, and galloped in that direction.
They came to a small crowd of people, with many of them shaking their fist in anger, when the royal group caught sight of the gallows for hanging.
The Princess turned to the boy, "You're not thinking they could be... your brothers, are you?"
"That's what I'm about to find out." he replied, dismounting and getting the attention of a tall thin man. "You there. Just who are these men, and what did they do?"
The man told him "You name it, and they done it. Fighting; stealing; trying to sell the things they stole; bribery."
"Where are they? I must see these men."
So the thin man raised his hand above the crowd, shouting "Here-here! This man wants to see the criminals!"
The crowd turned around to look at the Prince, beginning to separate to each side, as the two men were brought out. The boy couldn't believe it, they really were his two older brothers, wearing dirty rags, with their hands tied behind their backs.
"How could this be?" he asked. "Brothers, tell me you had no part in these crimes!"
The older, bearded one, turned to the other, seeming to smile a bit before replying "It was a mistake! I'd advise you to never stay at that inn, they demanded so much for us to stay there, that we had to sell our royal garments just to pay for it!"
The other one nodded in agreement. "Oh, yes. It must have been the two that bought those clothes who did all those crimes!"
When off to the left, an important-looking man with glasses pointed at them and said "You pair of liars! You know you did those things, and because of your threats against our people, are more than deserving of death."
The Prince turned to him, "This cannot be." he said. "Here, I will pay for them, and take them away with me."
The important-looking man watched the boy take out his money, then nodded his head. "Very well. As long as they never return."
So the two older princes were untied, and allowed to go with the royal company, as the Princess rode the Horse with the Bird, and the Prince walked along with his brothers.
The middle prince tapped the back of his hand on the eldest, saying to his youngest brother "How wonderful! You actually found the Golden Bird... and so much more. Father will be ever so happy!"
The Bearded Prince looked up at the girl on the horse, saying "And such a beautiful princess as well!"
The Prince joyously stepped out in front of them. "They are all such magnificent creatures! You should hear the Bird sing! Oh, and the Horse gallop at full speed! And the Princess could not be more kind and gentle."
–Charles M Warren
