The Golden Bird
In the fair kingdom of Zalindov, there was a queen named Nora. She was a woman of exceptional intelligence, remarkable beauty, resolute spirit and a compassionate heart. Yet, she was unhappy because she felt alone, her companionship with the king was fading and her only son, Adrian, was always involved in knightly pursuits.
One day, a mysterious merchant arrived in the kingdom. He had strange wares from distant lands and amongst them, there was one of particular interest - a tiny golden bird that could sing the most melodious tunes. Nora was entranced by the bird's songs. She saw it as the companion she lacked and so, she purchased it without any second thought.
As the days went by, the queen would spend hours listening to the bird. Its songs filled her loneliness, brought her joy, and somehow eased the coldness creeping between her and the king. Intrigued by his mother's fondness, Adrian brought a real songbird, hoping it would please her more. Unfortunately, the queen found no joy in the warbling of the live bird. She preferred the enchanting tunes of her golden bird.
Worried about the enchantment over queen, Adrian decided to investigate. Eventually, a golden feather led him to discover the merchant's deceit. The bird was enchanted with a spell that drains happiness from the listener to give the owner eternal life.
Adrian confronted the merchant, who smirked and confessed. In a swift move, Adrian drew his sword and challenged the merchant into a duel. In the heat of the moment, Adrian's knightly training proved supreme. He defeated the merchant and with his final breath, the false merchant revealed that the enchantment could be broken by the song of a real bird singing out of love.
Adrian raced back to the castle and got the live songbird. He pleaded to the bird to sing, to save his mother. But no matter how dire Adrian's pleas were, the songbird remained silent. At that moment, Adrian realized that the bird had been confined. Remembering the merchant’s phrase 'out of love,' he freed the bird.
As the bird spread its wings to touch the blue canvas of freedom, it sang. It sang out of happiness, it sang out of love, it sang for its freedom. As the real melody filled the castle, the golden bird's tune faded.
Queen Nora woke up from her entranced state. Finding herself surrounded by her family, she realized what she had truly missed – the love and warmth of her family, not the artificial companionship of the golden bird. She embraced her son, reconciled with the king, and the song of the real bird represented a new beginning to their lives.
Beyond the beautiful melodies and mesmerizing attractions, the royal family discovered the importance of true love, affection, and freedom. And thus, their tale served as a reminder, a reminder of keeping our hearts open to the real songs of life, rather than being bewitched by the golden birds.