In ancient times, there lived an old man in one village. And he had three sons. The old man also had a garden in which an apple tree grew. Every year only one apple ripened on it. But the apple was golden and magical: whoever eats it will regain youth and health. But here’s the problem: for the last three years, someone has been secretly picking the magic apple.
The old man's strength began to leave him - he couldn't cope without an apple! And he decided to send his sons to guard that apple tree.
In the first autumn he sent his eldest son. Almost until dawn the son sat without closing his eyes. And only when dawn broke, I couldn’t stand it and dozed off for a while. And when he jumped up, the apple was no longer on the tree.
The next autumn, the old man sent his middle son to guard the apple tree. All night the son did not take his eyes off the apple. Only when it was completely dawn did I fall asleep for a while. I woke up and looked and there was no apple on the tree.
And the old man was getting worse. The third autumn came, and he sent his youngest, beloved son, Hassan. All night Hassan sat under the tree, not taking his eyes off the apple. And when drowsiness began to overwhelm him, he washed himself with cold dew and drove away sleep.
Far after midnight, Hasan heard the sound of the wings of some bird. Looked closely and
sees: a golden bird landed on a tree and grabbed a magic apple. Hasan had an arrow ready, and he shot it at the bird. The arrow knocked down only one feather, and the bird took off and flew away with the apple.
In the morning Hassan came to his father and told him how he had been guarding the apple tree all night, how a golden bird flew in and picked the apple, how he shot an arrow, but it only knocked off one feather from that bird. Hassan showed his father the pen and swore:
- Until I find this bird, I will not return home!
Hasan asked his mother to prepare food for him for the journey, saddled his horse and set off early in the morning.
Whether he traveled a lot or a little - who knows! He arrived at a fork in the road. He sees a stone lying in front of him, and on the stone it is written: If you go to the left, you yourself will die, if you go to the right, your horse will die.
Hassan thought what he should do, and the horse turned right.
He rode for a long time through forests and swamps, mountains and valleys, but there was still no end to the road. The food is long gone. Hassan was hungry, and his horse was completely exhausted.
Suddenly a huge gray wolf blocked his way. The wolf's eyes are burning and his teeth are clicking.
- Get off your horse! - the wolf says menacingly. What was Hasan to do? He has no strength, cannot run away, and the horse can barely stand. Before Hasan had time to get off his horse, it was as if the horse had never been there. The wolf ate him and said to Hasan:
- I was hungry - you helped me. Now I can help you too. Tell me where you are coming from and where you are going? What concern brought you here?
“I’m going for the golden bird,” answered Hasan. And he told the wolf how he guarded the wonderful apple tree, how the golden bird carried away the magic apple, and how he swore to his father that he would not return home until he got that bird.
- I see you are a good son. Sit on top of me, close your eyes and don't open them until I tell you.
Hassan sat astride the wolf and closed his eyes. The wolf rushed like a whirlwind. And before Hassan had time to come to his senses, the wolf stopped.
- We've arrived, get off!
Hassan gets off the wolf, and the wolf says:
— The golden bird lives in the khan’s palace. As the sun sets, sneak into the Khan's palace unnoticed and sneak up to the golden nest. But don't touch the nest.
And that nest was of extraordinary beauty! Hassan wanted to give the bird along with the nest. He violated the wolf's order: as soon as he touched the nest, various bells hanging from the nest began to ring. The guards heard the ringing, ran, grabbed Hassan and took him to the khan.
- How did you manage to get into my palace and why do you need the golden bird?
And Hasan Khan told how he guarded the wonderful apple tree, how the golden bird stole the magic apple, and how he swore to his father that he would not return home until he got that bird.
“I see that you are a good son, and I will help you,” said the khan, after listening to Hassan’s story.
“I’ll give you the golden bird along with the golden nest, but first you get me a golden-maned stallion from the Clay Khan.”
What was Hasan to do? He returned to the wolf and said that he had failed to carry the bird away unnoticed, and now the khan demands that he get the golden-maned stallion from the Clay Khan. Only then will he give him the bird along with the golden nest.
“Even though you didn’t listen to my advice, I will help you get the golden mane.”
stallion,” said the wolf. “Sit on top of me, close your eyes and don’t open them until I tell you.”
Hassan sat astride the wolf and closed his eyes. The wolf rushed like a whirlwind. And before Hassan had time to come to his senses, the wolf stopped and said:
- We've arrived, get off!
Hassan gets off the wolf, and the wolf shows:
- Do you see that fortress over there? This is the domain of the Clay Khan. As the sun sets, sneak into the fortress unnoticed and sneak up to the stables. Among the many horses you will recognize the golden-maned horse. Next to him will lie a golden saddle and a golden bridle. Don't take the saddle or the bridle, don't even touch them. Take the horse by the mane and quietly lead him out of the stable.
Hasan made his way into the fortress and crept up to the stable. There were many horses there, but he only immediately saw a golden-maned horse. And next to the horse lay a golden saddle and a golden bridle of extraordinary beauty.
Hassan wanted to get a horse along with a saddle and bridle. As soon as he touched the saddle, various bells hanging from the saddle began to ring.
The guards heard a ringing sound. They ran, grabbed Hassan and took him to the Clay Khan.
- How did you manage to get into my palace and why do you need a golden-maned horse?
- asked Clay Khan.
And Hassan told Clay Khan everything that happened.
“I see that you are a good son, and I will help you,” said Clay Khan, after listening to Hassan’s story. “I will give you a golden-maned horse along with a golden saddle and bridle, but first you get me a goldfish from the lake of Khan Dadiyana.”
What was Hasan to do? He returned to the wolf and said that he had failed to steal away the golden-maned horse unnoticed, and now the Clay Khan demands that he get a goldfish from the lake of Khan Dadiyana, then he will give him the golden-maned horse along with the golden saddle and bridle.
“Even though you didn’t listen to my advice, I will help you for the last time,” he said.
wolf. - Sit on top of me, close your eyes and don’t open them until I tell you.
Hassan sat astride the wolf and closed his eyes. The wolf rushed like a whirlwind. And before Hassan had time to come to his senses, the wolf stopped:
- We've arrived, get down. Now I’ll get the goldfish myself, and you wait for me on the shore.
The wolf rushed into the lake and dived to the very bottom. One day he looks for a goldfish, another, a third. Only on the fourth day did a wolf emerge with a goldfish.
Hassan was delighted. He sat on the wolf and they rushed to the Clay Khan. Hassan gave him a goldfish, and in return received from him a golden-maned horse along with a golden saddle and bridle. Here the wolf says to Hassan:
“I did everything I could for you.” Now get on the golden mane and go after the golden bird.
- Thank you, gray, for your help! - Hasan thanked him.
He sat on the golden mane and came to the khan, the owner of the golden bird. I gave him the horse, and in return received a bird along with a nest. And in addition, the khan gave Hassan a stately horse, fast as the wind.
Hassan mounted that horse and rushed home to his father.
Since then, the golden apple has never disappeared from the wonderful apple tree. And Hassan's father lived happily ever after.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru