ONCE upon a time there lived a Boyar， that is a nobleman， who was a rich man and had a large estate。He kept a great number of hunters to beat up his forests and to bring him fresh venison every day， for he loved venison。Among those hunters there were three who never missed their mark。They always came home with their bags full， and they always hunted together， and no one of them would return home without the other two。So they went on hunting for a long time until the forest in which they used to go for deer and for birds had become entirely exhausted。One day， after they had been trying in vain to get something， two succeeded in shooting a few partridges， but however much the third might try he could not find anything to shoot。When his companions saw that he had not been successful they would not leave him。They did not wish to see him go home empty-handed， so they decided to try some other part， and they entered a forest which they had never yet visited。Trees had fallen down， the thicket was very dense， and yet they hunted in vain and saw nothing。On they went in search of deer， and thus， plunging deeper and deeper into the forest， they soon missed their way， and still the third hunter had an empty bag。
When the day drew to a close they found themselves lost in that wild forest， and， not knowing what to do， they decided to spend the night there。They were full of anxious thoughts about their friends at home， who would be wondering what had happened to them， for hitherto they had never failed to come back at the appointed time， bringing the venison for the Boyar’s table。
The next morning they tried again to find their way out， and， walking along， they found that the forest had become more open； trees were cut， and the whole looked like a park very well cared for； and continuing their walk through the clearing， they came suddenly upon a lovely lake glittering in the light of the sun。A beautiful meadow fringed the lake， for the trees around it had been entirely cut down and an open space made。It was then about midday。Tired out， they lay down in the shadow of the trees。Suddenly they heard the noise of a bird， and lifting their eyes they saw one fly down and sit under a tree not far from the lake。What a beautiful bird it was， the like of which no one of them had seen before。When the third hunter saw the bird on the ground he got ready to shoot it， but his companions stopped him， and said：“This is too wonderful a bird。Let us first see what it is doing here；”and so they kept quiet， watching it。
It looked around for a while， then， after turning a somersault three times， became a handsome youth， who sprang into the lake and disported himself in the water for about an hour， after which he came back to the spot under the tree where he had previously alighted， and turned again into a bird； then， rising up into the air， he flew away。
The three hunters watched with amazement the doings of the bird。They waited until it had disappeared， and then they started again on their search to find a way home。At the other end of the lake they found a path， and， following it， they came to some villages which they seemed to recognize。On the way the third hunter shot a little goat， and， continuing their journey， the three friends reached their homestead at the end of the second day。
When they approached the Boyar he said to them：“What has happened to you？ Where have you been， and what have you brought？”So they told him how they had lost their way in the forest， how they had come to the clearing and to the lake， and what had happened to that wonderful bird。
The Boyar was greatly astonished at their tale， and asked them，“Can you catch that bird and bring it to me？”
“Yes，”they replied，“we believe we can do it。But you must give us two flasks， one filled with good wine and the other with strong spirits， and the rest we will do。”He gave them the two flasks， and the next day they started on their journey。Now that they knew the way they found the place easily。Then they took two pegs and drove them into the tree under which the bird had alighted。On one they hung one flask， and on the other the other flask， and then hid themselves under the trees。The bird came， and after turning three somersaults again became a man。He looked around， and his eyes fell upon the two flasks。Curious to know what they contained， he took the one with the wine and poured out a little of the contents， which looked like a yellow water。He tasted it， and liked the taste so much that he took the flask and drank all the wine。Then he opened the other flask， and， finding the spirits also to his taste， he emptied it at one draught。He then sprang into the water， had his swim， came back and turned into a bird。But when he tried now to fly he found his wings too heavy， for the spirits and the wine had begun to work on him； and so， falling down， he lay helpless on the ground。The hunters had been waiting for that。As soon as they saw him lying there， limp and helpless， they sprang forward， tied his legs and his wings， and carried him to the Boyar。The Boyar had already come out to meet them at the gate， for he was curious to see that rare and wonderful bird。He gave them not only the promised reward， but also in addition to it a handsome present， and then they went again to their own homes to attend to their work。
The Boyar could not see enough of that bird to satisfy him， and he locked it away in a strong room， built of stone， with iron bars at the window so closely fitted that there was no possibility of the bird escaping。The key of the door he used to keep in his bosom， and nobody knew where he hid it when he had to leave it behind。But as he did not know what kind of bird it was， he sent an invitation to the learned men of all lands to come to his court so as to find out the nature and peculiarities of this curious bird， and to whomsoever succeeded in giving him the right information he promised a very high and kingly reward。His scribes did as they were told and sent invitations right and left throughout the wide world for the learned men to come to the court of the Boyar on a certain day。
It so happened that one day， a Sunday， when all the people of the house had gone to church， the sole being left at home was the only child of the Boyar， a boy of about eight years。It was a beautiful sunny day， and the child came out to play in the garden。By chance he went near the room in which the bird was locked up， and through the window the bird showed him a golden toy， and said to him：“My dear boy， see what a nice toy I have here for you。”
When the little boy saw the golden toy his heart jumped for joy， and he came near to the room and asked for it。
The bird said：“Let me get out and I will give it to you。”
The boy said：“I would willingly let you out， but I do not know where the key is。”
Now， that bird was an enchanted， uncanny bird， and knew everything， so it said to the boy：“Go into your father’s room， and under the third pillow at the head of the bed there you will find the key。Return with it and open the door。”
The little boy ran as fast as his legs would carry him， found the key， and opened the door。The bird came out and gave him the toy， saying at the same time，“Whenever you are in sore trouble and want me， think of me and I will help you， and remember my name， The Knight of the Flowers；”and with these words the bird rose up in the air and disappeared。
Soon afterwards the father and mother came back， and the boy， keeping his golden toy in his hand， ran out to greet them。When the father saw the beautiful toy， he thought that it was a gift from one of the wise men who had come， for it was the very day fixed for the assembly of the wise men whom he had invited to his house； but， walking on with the child， he asked him，“Who has given you this golden toy？”
“The bird that was in that room，”replied the child。
When the father heard the words of the child， he grew frightened and asked，“How did you get to the bird， and how could he give it to you？”
Then the child told the father all that had happened： how the bird had spoken to him through the window and had promised him the toy if he would let it go free， and it had told him where to find the key to open the door。
When the father heard what had happened， he was greatly vexed and filled with anger at the loss of the bird and at the great shame that would come upon him， for the courtyard was already full with all manner of carts and carriages， and there was not room enough in the stables for the horses， so great was the number of the wise men who had assembled there at his invitation。He felt bitterly disappointed and deeply grieved， and he did not know what to do， for they all came out to greet him when they saw him entering the yard。They wondered， however， at finding him so sad and angry， and asked him the reason。
He said，“Let us first have our meal， then I will tell you。”So when the meal was over he asked them to come into the great hall， and， leading his little boy by the hand， he came to them and told them what the boy had done， and how greatly annoyed and ashamed he was at having invited them for nothing。After he had told them what the boy had done， he said：“And now， ye wise men， sit down and pronounce judgment on my boy， and decide in what manner he should be punished for all the trouble he has caused us， and whatever way you will decide I will submit。”Then， leaving the boy in their midst， he withdrew to the extreme corner of the hall。
Those present began shouting with one voice，“The boy deserves the severest punishment。”Some suggested that he deserved to be shot， others that he ought to be drowned， others that he should be burnt by fire， and others that he should be kept in prison for life， because of the great shame and annoyance he had caused his father， and for the loss of such a rare and precious bird， for which he alone was responsible。
After they had been discussing and shouting for a long while， there rose up a very old man who had listened to their talk quietly， and he said to them：“Friends， remember that this is the only child of our host， and if he be condemned to death the grief of the parents will be only increased。That is not the way to punish him。We must allow him to live， but his father is to give him three purses full of money， to put him in a simple cart driven by a coachman， and to send him out into the world with the order never to return unless he brings back the bird。”
They were all pleased with the old man’s advice， and there and then the father ordered a gipsy to put the horses to an old cart。He gave the boy the three purses of money， and said to him：“Go and take another change of clothes and a hat， and go whither thine eyes will lead thee。”
When the little boy heard his father’s words， he very nigh fainted with grief at the thought of being driven away from his father’s house and sent into the wide world， of which he knew nothing， and he began weeping， lamenting and imploring to be left at home， but to no avail。The judgment had been pronounced， and could neither be altered nor revoked， and he had to be left to his fate。The wise men afterwards separated， each one returning to his own country； and the Boyar remained at home， a broken man through the loss of the bird and the loss of his only child。