In “The Golden Bird,” a fox helps the youngest son on his quest.
The story begins when a king’s apple tree is robbed of a golden apple each night. The youngest of the gardener’s three sons stays awake, sees the golden bird, and knocks a feather from it. The king then sends the sons to capture the remarkable bird.
A talking fox becomes the youngest son’s supernatural guide. It repeatedly gives practical advice: choose the shabby inn rather than the attractive one, use the wooden cage rather than the golden cage, and select a plain saddle rather than a golden one. The son sometimes ignores the warnings, but the fox continues helping him obtain the golden bird, a golden horse, and a princess.
The tale is KHM 57 and was included in the Grimms’ first 1812 collection. It belongs to ATU 550, “The Quest for the Golden Bird,” a widespread European story type. Near the end, the fox reveals that it is an enchanted man—the princess’s brother—rather than an ordinary animal.