The Firebird

Once upon a time, in a faraway kingdom, there lived a powerful and just king. His lands were rich and prosperous, but something strange had begun to happen in his beautiful royal orchard. Every night, one of the golden apples from his prized apple tree would disappear.

Frustrated and eager to find out who was stealing his apples, the king called upon his three sons.

King: "My sons, one of you must find out who is taking the golden apples. Keep watch over the orchard tonight, and whoever catches the thief shall be rewarded."

The king’s eldest son, confident and brave, volunteered to take the first watch. He waited in the orchard until midnight, but soon fell asleep. The next morning, another apple was missing.

The second son took the next night’s watch, but he, too, fell asleep before the thief arrived. Again, a golden apple was gone by dawn.

Finally, the youngest son, Prince Ivan, offered to keep watch. His brothers laughed, thinking he was too inexperienced and weak to catch the thief.

Eldest Brother (mocking): "What makes you think you can do better than us?"

Second Brother: "You’ll fall asleep just as quickly as we did."

But Prince Ivan was determined to succeed. That night, he went to the orchard, sat beneath the golden apple tree, and forced himself to stay awake. As midnight approached, a strange light began to fill the sky, and he looked up to see a magnificent bird flying toward the tree.

Its feathers shimmered like fire, glowing with brilliant colors of red, orange, and gold. It was the Firebird, a magical and rare creature. The Firebird landed on the tree and began to pluck one of the golden apples.

Quickly, Prince Ivan sprang to his feet and grabbed the bird by its tail. The Firebird struggled and pulled away, but in the process, it left behind one of its glowing feathers.

The next morning, Prince Ivan took the feather to his father.

Prince Ivan: "Father, I have discovered the thief. It is the Firebird, but it escaped. I managed to catch one of its feathers."

The king was amazed by the beauty of the feather, but he wanted the entire bird.

King: "This feather is marvelous, but I desire the whole Firebird. Go, Ivan, and bring me the Firebird. If you succeed, you shall have half my kingdom."

Determined to fulfill his father’s wish, Prince Ivan set off on his journey. He traveled through forests, mountains, and valleys, but after many days, he grew weary and lost hope of finding the Firebird.

One evening, as he rested near a stream, a mysterious wolf appeared from the shadows. The wolf had sharp eyes and a silver-gray coat that shone in the moonlight.

Wolf: "Why do you look so sad, Prince Ivan?"

Startled, Ivan explained his quest to capture the Firebird and how he had no idea where to find it.

Prince Ivan: "I don’t know where to go or how to catch it. My journey seems hopeless."

The wolf nodded.

Wolf: "I know where the Firebird resides. It is kept in a golden cage in the kingdom of a powerful tsar. But be warned, Prince Ivan, the tsar will not give it up easily. I will help you, but you must follow my advice carefully."

Grateful for the wolf's help, Ivan climbed onto its back, and the wolf sped through the night, covering great distances in no time. Soon, they arrived at the tsar’s palace, where the Firebird was kept in a beautiful garden, locked in a golden cage.

Wolf: "Take the Firebird, but do not touch the golden cage. If you do, you will be caught."

Ivan did as the wolf instructed. He entered the garden, and there, glowing with fiery light, was the Firebird. Gently, he reached for it, and the bird allowed him to take it in his arms. But as Ivan admired the dazzling golden cage, he hesitated.

Prince Ivan (to himself): "It would be a shame to leave such a beautiful cage behind."

Ignoring the wolf's warning, Ivan touched the cage, and at once, alarms rang out across the palace. The guards seized Ivan and took him before the tsar.

The tsar, impressed by Ivan’s courage but angry at his theft, gave him an ultimatum.

Tsar: "I will not punish you, Prince Ivan, but you must perform a task for me. In exchange for the Firebird, you must bring me the horse with the golden mane from the neighboring kingdom."

Reluctantly, Ivan agreed, and once again, he set off on his quest. The wolf reappeared, having forgiven Ivan for not heeding its advice.

Wolf: "I will help you again, Prince Ivan. The horse with the golden mane is kept in a stable, but remember: take only the horse, and do not touch the golden bridle."

The wolf carried Ivan swiftly to the neighboring kingdom, where they found the horse with the golden mane. Ivan, amazed by its beauty, carefully led the horse out of the stable. But just as he had before, he glanced at the golden bridle and couldn't resist.

The moment he touched it, guards appeared and captured him, taking him before another tsar. This tsar, too, was impressed by Ivan’s bravery but demanded a price.

Tsar: "You may have the horse with the golden mane, but only if you bring me the beautiful princess from the distant kingdom."

Once again, Ivan agreed, and the wolf helped him travel to the distant kingdom where the princess lived. The wolf warned Ivan not to harm the princess or force her to come with him.

Wolf: "Convince her with kindness. She is wise and will understand your plight."

When Ivan met the princess, he explained everything—the Firebird, the golden horse, and the promises he had made to the two tsars.

Moved by his honesty and determination, the princess agreed to go with him willingly.

Princess: "I will help you, Prince Ivan, for you have shown courage and goodness in your heart."

Together, they returned to the tsar with the horse and the princess. The tsar, seeing the beautiful princess, kept his word and allowed Ivan to take the horse with the golden mane.

The wolf then helped Ivan deliver the horse to the first tsar, who, in turn, gave him the Firebird.

With the Firebird, the horse, and the princess by his side, Prince Ivan returned to his father’s kingdom. The king was overjoyed and kept his promise, giving Ivan half the kingdom to rule.

Prince Ivan married the beautiful princess, and they lived happily ever after, with the Firebird’s radiant glow lighting up their lives. And as for the wolf, it disappeared into the forest, having fulfilled its promise to Ivan.

The kingdom prospered, and the tale of Prince Ivan and the Firebird was told for generations, reminding all who heard it of the rewards that come from courage, kindness, and wisdom.