The Taking Of The Golden Horse
Night One: The Legend Of The Golden Castle
I had a dream last night...
I saw the Prince, cautiously sneaking up to the stable of the grand estate.
As he approached the entry-way, he saw several of the groomers on each side, standing up, yet fast asleep.
He began to quietly step past them, when one of the groomers spoke:
“So you wanna hear about the legend of the Golden Castle, do ya’?”
The Prince froze in his tracks, wondering how he could’ve been caught, when he saw that the groomsman’s eyes were still closed.
“That’s right. That’s right. I know the story well.” said the sleep-talking man. “You see, long ago, there was a very noble and humble king and queen, who ruled their kingdom quite fairly. Before long, the Queen was expecting a child, and when it came time for her to give birth, she began having great difficulty in her labor, until she was but a hair’s breadth from death.
“So the King called out to the Creator of Heaven and Earth for help for his wife, and flying into the window came a beautiful fairy woman with golden wings! She told the King she would help his wife, but to be careful not to favor this child over any others he should have later on. The King agreed wholeheartedly, praying only that the fairy do what she could for his wife and their child.
“So the fairy used her magic staff on the Queen, and she did not breath her last, but gave birth to a darling daughter with beautiful golden hair. They thanked the fairy, and asked her to be the girl’s godmother when the child was christened.
“Later, though the King feared his wife having more children, she became with child again, and gave birth to daughter with hair as brown as the earth. To celebrate, the Golden Fairy gave the king a tree that bore Golden Apples.
But then the face of the sleeping groomer seemed to turn bitter, as he said “Well what do ya’ mean by that? The golden fruit tree isn’t near the Golden Castle anymore because it died long ago. But it’s from a seed of that tree that the king to the South got his Golden Apple tree. Make a bit more sense to ya’? Good.
“So the King, seeing as his eldest daughter had golden hair, considered the tree to be hers, and would only let her eat of its fruit.
“Then the Queen bore a third child, a boy with the hair of a raven. So the Golden Fairy brought the King and Queen a wonderful Golden Bird, who would sing like no other bird, and even proclaim what might happen in future times. But again, the King thought the Golden Bird should belong to his Golden Princess.
“Soon, the Queen had a forth child, this one was a boy who had the color of the harvest upon his head, so rich was his blond locks. And in commemoration, the Golden Fairy brought an amazing Golden Horse, which could run faster than the wind. And you can bet that this horse we have here is one and the same.
“With this gift too, the King thought it should go to his eldest, who loved to ride it once she got to the age.
“Next the Queen had a third girl, as their fifth child, with hair as bright and red as the dawn itself. The Golden Fairy came once more, and though she didn’t know about how the King had been favoring his eldest daughter, she saw how happy they all were, and how humble the King and Queen had remained. So she used her magic to turn the entire castle into gold!”
But then the groomsman seemed confused. “What’s that?” he asked his imaginary listener, of whom the Prince could only guess at what was being said. “Well I’ll tell you why it’s now empty.” assured the man. “As the King’s children got older, some of them began to resent their oldest sibling, though it was no fault of her own. And they all went out to make lives of their own.
“When one day, the second eldest came back, ‘Lady of the fruit tree,’ they called her. She let her heart grow dark, and sought to learn the ways of dark magic. She cut down the Golden Apple tree, and forced her parents and her sister from the Golden Castle, keeping the golden creatures with her, and everyone else away.
“So the King and Queen moved to a neighboring kingdom, where their daughter married a prince, having a daughter of her own, one with as golden of hair as her mother.”
Then, smiling, the groomsman licked his lips. “Yes, I’ll have another biscuit...” And grew quiet once more.
The Prince was intrigued by such a story, but knew he better hurry to the Golden Horse.
–Charles M Warren
Night Two: The Moonlit Springs
I had a dream last night...
I saw the Golden Bird, sitting in his wooden cage in the dark, listening to someone talking in the next room.
“I’ve got another one!” exclaimed the voice. “First fox we’ve killed in days. There can’t be too many more out there.”
Then came the voice of the man of the mansion, “Well I’ll be happy when we can tell that old lady that we’ve done it.”
“Say, do you think that Prince will really be able to get the Golden Horse?”
“With that snob holding onto it?” replied the man, “You know how he gets whatever he wants... and never lets go!”
The Golden Bird cocked his head and turned around, brushing his tail against the cage door, and causing it to swing open, as it had apparently not been secured!
So the bird hopped out onto the rim of the door, looked around at the room, then the scene outside, and flew out into the night air.
The bird flew across the moonlit landscape, soaring over fields of swaying grass, as well as dancing treetops, until he saw a small stream running from the forest.
He dove down to skim over this stream, following it up through the dense forest to where it might lead.
Coming to one pool of water from which it ran, the bird perched on a limb hanging over the water, and bent down to get a drink, tilting his head back after each beak-full of water. When he heard the sound of girls laughing.
The Golden Bird hopped over to another low branch, then took off into the air, with his tail pulling up droplets of water as it lifted from the pool’s surface.
He flew through a space in the tree limbs, and discovered a spring from where the stream originated. And in the stream, were several young maidens, bathing in the moonlight.
The bird rose up off the branch he was resting on, and flew over to a limb closer to the maidens.
“Might as well enjoy it tonight.” said one of the girls. “She’ll have it all to herself tomorrow night.”
“Well I suppose it is the only time she has to herself, getting out of the castle and all.”
“And how many girls can say that they’ve bathed in the same waters as the Golden Princess?”
–Charles M Warren
Night Three: The Prince And The Rider
I had a dream last night...
I saw the Golden Horse in the stall of his stable, shaking his mane in the cool night air. When who should pop up from the wooden door keeping him in but the Prince.
The young man slipped under the stall door, and patted the horse on the side. “Amazing.” he exclaimed. “You’re more beautiful than I could’ve ever imagined. Just let me get your saddle, and we’ll be out of here.”
He slipped back out, and reached for the leather saddle, only to glance over at the golden one. But then he shook his head, reminding himself of the Fox’s advice, and what happened the last time he didn’t take it.
Carrying the saddle back to the Horse’s side, he lifted it up over the creature’s back, and shifted it around for a proper fit. But something seemed wrong. The saddle just looked so out of place sitting on such a lovely animal.
“What harm could it really do?” asked the Prince. “A horse certainly can’t crow like a bird. Perhaps I shall inspect the golden saddle, to see if it would be safe after all.”
So the Prince went back out, and approached the ornate harness, feeling around its cold, metal edge for anything that might alarm the groomers. But he could find no such thing. So, carefully, he lifted the saddle up off its hook on the stable wall, and examined the underside of it, again finding no evidence of it doing any harm.
Taking the golden saddle over to the horse, and sitting it aside so that he could remove the leather one, the Prince swung the shiny seat up onto the horse’s back. But the cold metal must have surprised the horse, as it caused the animal to rear up and whinny loudly!
The Prince turned to the stall door, fearing the worst, as the groomers came rushing in and grabbed hold of him.
Hearing the ruckus, the horse’s rider came out to see what was going on, stepping into the stable. “My horse?! What happened? Is he all right?” then he saw the Prince. “And who is this?! A horse thief?!”
The Prince looked up at the rider with concern. “My greatest apologies, kind sir. I merely came to ride the Golden Horse.”
“Ride it right out of my hands!” snapped the Rider. “I can see that you are from a rich family. Tell me, why is it that you wanted my horse?”
“If you really must know,” began the Prince, “I only wish to have the Golden Bird, as it was caught taking the golden apples from my father’s garden. But when the man who keeps the bird saw me trying to take it, he said he would only forgive my crime and give me the bird if I could get him the Golden Horse.”
“So you really are nothing but a thief after all.”
“Please sir, I was told that the horse was not yours either.” explained the Prince.
“Oh but it is!” the Rider replied. “The old woman of the Golden Castle gave it to me!”
The Prince looked away in thought. “So it is true...” Turning back to the Rider, he said “Then surely there is something I can retrieve for you, in the same way I am doing for the others!”
“Hah!” scoffed the Rider. “Send you on another thief’s errand?!”
These words hurt the Prince. What was this fox leading him to do? But what choice did he have now? Yet he assured the Rider “Whatever you wish, I promise that I will bring it to you, and bear the full brunt of the consequences.”
“Very well.” he replied. “There is a certain princess, with hair as dazzling as gold. She lives in the next castle north of here, and would love me herself if she only got to know me better.”
“A princess?” asked the Prince.
“Yes. Only then may you have the Golden Horse!”
–Charles M Warren
Night Four: The Princess And Her Mother
I had a dream last night...
I saw the Golden Princess, sitting upon a pillow on the floor, with an older golden-haired woman standing behind her, sipping on some tea.
“Princess,” began the woman, “You’ve been quite distance as of late. Please, tell me what’s on your mind.”
The Princess smiled, gently shaking her head. “Oh Mother, you needn’t bother about my thoughts. I guess it is just my approaching Birthday that has led my mind to wander.” Then, looking up at the woman, she asked “And what of the plans after the celebration?”
“Why, you will be attending the royal refinement school like any other good prince or princess, where they will train you in the ways of a lady, and recommend other royalty and statesmen for you to be matched up with. Running off with another man's horse isn't exactly fitting for a princess, you know.”
The girl smiled, as she explained “I brought i back to him.” But then she turned serious. “And by ‘matched up with,’ you mean... for marriage?”
“Yes, my dear, of course.” replied her mother, stepping in front of her daughter and bending down to look at her in the face. “But do not be concerned. We want only for you to be happy. We would not agree to anything that went against your happiness, or what was right for you.”
The Princess got up, and walked over to the window. “But mother, what of the Golden Bird, and his prophecy about my betrothed?”
“That was but a silly story.” said the Queen.
The Princess turned to her mother in surprise. “But what of the fairy that came at your birth? And all the gifts she gave when my aunts and uncles were born?”
“True, that is the story my father always told us. But we were forced from that castle long ago, and I just don’t see how–”
“The Golden Bird.” Her daughter interupted. “He came at my christening, and told of the Prince that would come for me. Did you not see that with your own eyes and ears?”
“Yes.” the Queen admitted. “And as much as I passed it off as some kind of trick, I will believe it if you wish me to believe it.”
“And the refinement school?” the Princess asked.
“If things happen as the Bird proclaimed, then we will bring someone here to teach you the things you should know.”
“Really?!” asked the Princess excitedly, running up and wrapping her arms around the Queen. “Oh, thank you Mother!”
“I only ask that you give me a kiss goodbye before he takes you away.”
The girl smiled. “I’ll give you two! And father as well!”
–Charles M Warren
Night Five: The Fox At The Mansion
I had a dream last night...
I saw the Fox, moving through the grass at midday, sneaking up on a window of the hunter’s mansion.
The shutters were open, with air being allowed to pass in and out, when the canine leaped up unto the windowsill, and peeked in to see the Golden Bird in his wooden cage.
“Dear friend,” said the Fox, “Have you observed anything about the Princess, and how she can best be reached?”
The bird cocked his head, almost as if he didn’t understand, then opened his beak and said:
"To the east of her castle, in a wood where water starts; the maiden will be bathing, with her protectors quite apart."
The Fox bowed his head, saying "Thank you, kind fowl." And he turned around to leap down onto the ground saying "Now, if only that Rider would leave her alone."
and leaped back onto the ground.
When the bird spoke again: "The Rider causes shame, to the beast that he rides; for his true intentions, he rarely hides. The witch of the castle of sparkling gold, made me fetch the apples, for potions untold. She poisoned the fruit, and with the Rider so sly; sent them to princes, to make them all die."
The Fox narrowed his eyes at the thought of the old woman's treachery. "I figured as much."
"You saved the one prince, so valiant indeed;" said the bird, "yet danger encompasses the others, no warning did they heed."
As the canine began to ponder the Bird's words, he heard talking from the front of the mansion.
So he hopped back down to the ground, and quietly snuck up to the front corner of the grand house, peeking around to see the mansion's Hunter speaking with the Rider atop the Golden Horse.
The Rider pointed down at the big man, "What are you trying to do by sending that boy after MY horse?!"
"Ha ha! I knew he wouldn't get him." the Hunter replied. "I was merely ensuring I would never see the lad again."
Seeming to calm down a bit, the Rider said "Well, there are plenty of other horses you could have sent him to steal."
"So what was his punishment?" the hunter asked. "What did you do to him to get him out of your hair?"
"Simple, really." explained the Rider. "I sent him to fetch me the Golden Princess."
"Ho ho ha!" laughed the Hunter. "That's a fool's errand if I've ever heard one! I just hope you weren't looking forward to that coming true!"
The Rider turned away, a bit irritated, before finally replying "No. At the very least, the Princess will see how much I want her. " Then he smiled, "After all, I'm even sending princes to fetch her hand for me!"
As they both began to laugh, the Fox turned away, saying to himself "Don't be too surprised, O proud Rider, when that Prince gains the heart of the object you so selfishly covet!"
–Charles M Warren
(Continued to Week Four)
