I had a dream last night...
I saw the Prince, riding upon the Fox’s tail, heading for a cluster of small trees on the western side of the Castle Of The Golden Apples.
The canine stopped in the midst of the trees, and let the boy off, instructing “You must present yourself as a gardener, so that you may get close enough to your father to tell him the truth; how you obtained the Princess and the Golden Creatures, and the wicked things your brothers have done.”
“But the workers’ gateman won’t let just anyone in.”
“Do you know the gateman?” asked the Fox.
“Yes. I’ve spoken to him a few times.”
“Will he recognize you?”
“I believe so.” the Prince replied.
“Then as the king’s son, you must ask him to let you through, and not give away who you really are.”
The Prince then turned around to head for the gate, eyeing the Fox suspiciously. “So that’s it? That’s all you have to tell me?”
The canine looked around in thought. “Yes... I believe so. Oh, and good luck.”
But the Prince turned back around to face the creature. “No warning about what not to do?”
The Fox closed his eyes and gently shook his head. “My dear boy, even if I did, would you really be able to follow it?” not meaning to sound as harsh as it really did.
As much as he hated to admit it, he couldn’t argue any differently, so he made his way for the castle wall.
Walking up to the Gateman, he greeted him with a nod, and said “I’d like to be a gardener for the king.”
“I’m sure you would–” the man started, when he realized something about the boy. “The young prince?” he asked.
The boy nodded.
“But everyone’s saying that you’re dead!” the gateman continued.
“I have to speak to my father, but no one else may know that I am here.” explained the Prince.
“Then go right in, I can not say no to a son of the king.”
The boy slipped into the courtyard, making his way for the King’s private garden, when he saw his two evil brothers coming down the walk.
The Prince lowered his head, and let his dark hair fall forward to help hide his face.
The middle prince said to the eldest “Now that that inept brother of ours has been taken care of, what about the Princess?”
“Why, she goes to the oldest and wisest of us, of course! Me!” he replied.
“Yeah... Well... She ain’t as pretty as when I first saw her anyway.”
“Is that so?” asked the eldest.
“Yeah.” he replied. “And them beasts have also lost a bit of their shine. After all, wasn’t that bird supposed to be able to sing?”
“It doesn’t matter none really. His feathers are worth enough as it is. The horse is the real worthless one. Has hardly been willing to raise his head since we got here!”
His brother agreed, saying “A depressing bunch to be around for sure.”
Feeling more betrayed than ever, the Prince looked up at them as he passed by, noticing something different in their eyes.
As arrogant and objectionable as they could be, he never knew his brothers to act this way, and was convinced that something else was behind it.
Making it into the King’s garden, the Prince saw the Golden Apple Tree, and looked around for his father and the Golden Creatures.
He passed by a window, leaning down to keep from being seen, when the Golden Princess bursted out.
“What is this I feel?” she asked. “Why has my sorrow lifted? As if sweet comfort were drawing near.”
Having made it as far as the next window, the boy turned around, deciding to take the Princess up into his arms, when he heard the Golden Bird beginning to sing the most beautiful song.
He turned his ear to it, listening to its rises and falls, until all was interrupted by the neighing of a great horse. And turning back toward the far end of the courtyard, he saw his father watching a groomer with the Golden Horse.
The horse shook his mane and broke free of the one holding him, prancing majestically before the King, as if he were suddenly in the presence of a good friend.
So the Prince quickly headed toward his father, watching as the King nodded to the groomer, and turned to go back into the castle.
“Father!” the boy called out. But no one seemed to hear him. That is except for the horse, who turned to look at him, and came galloping up to greet the boy.
The Prince put his arms around the creature’s neck, “My, it is good to see you, boy. I promise I will straighten this whole mess out.”
–Charles M Warren
