The Grimm tale “The Golden Bird” is classified as ATU 550, the folktale type often called “Bird, Horse and Princess” or “The Quest for the Golden Bird.”
The story follows a gardener’s youngest son as he pursues a golden bird, a golden horse, and a princess, aided by a helpful fox. Its Grimm collection number is KHM 57, and it appeared in the Brothers Grimm’s 1812 Kinder- und Hausmärchen.
ATU refers to the Aarne-Thompson-Uther Index, a reference system for recurring international folktale plots. ATU 550 covers related versions across Europe and beyond, including stories involving a miraculous bird, a special horse, a princess, and an animal helper.
A common mix-up is confusing ATU 550 with the tale’s KHM number, 57. Another is treating every golden-bird or Firebird story as identical; those traditions can share motifs while belonging to different versions or catalogued types.