Once upon a time, a mighty king ruled justly and fairly in his kingdom. He won great victories over his enemies, but more than anything he was proud of his orchard. Golden apples of eternal youth were growing on branches of apple trees in this orchard. Armed servants were guarding the orchard but each night an unknown thief was stealing golden apples. The king, extremely annoyed, asked his three sons to watch over the orchard.

Three brothers spent the next night under the apple trees. Soon after midnight two older brothers were falling asleep. However, the youngest son, named Ivan, tried hard to stay awake and alert. His efforts were not in vain: a beautiful bird with fiery red feathers in the long tail appeared in the garden, trying to pluck golden apples. The firebird was so magnificent! Ivan wanted to catch the bird, but the bird flew away leaving one of her glowing feathers in his hand.

Ivan, full of joy, brought the feather to the king. The king was so impressed by the beauty of the feather, that he immediately commanded his three sons to get the firebird for him.

His sons left the king’s palace, mounted their horses and set off across the wilderness searching for the firebird. Ivan, the youngest among the brothers, was not believed to be successful in this journey. Older brothers had teased him frequently, making his life quite miserable. Considering Ivan a burden, older brothers parted with him.

Ivan continued his travel alone. The road was looking deserted. All of a sudden, a gray wolf was chasing Ivan’s horse. Trying to escape, the horse was moving faster, but the wolf jumped forcefully toward the horse’s neck, and the animal, deadly injured by the wolf’s jaws, fell breathless. Terrified, Ivan ran away while the wolf was devouring the dead horse.

…He was getting very tired and alone walking in the fields on his feet for many hours. Then he saw the same gray wolf which appeared in front of him saying, “Sorry, I had to kill your horse. I want to help you. I will take you wherever you go.” Ivan was getting so desperate that he gladly accepted his new companion’s help.

Ivan told him about his father’s order to bring the firebird to the king’s palace. The gray wolf said, “I know where to find the firebird.”

Ivan sat on the wolf’s back, and in a flash they reached a distant land where the firebird lived in a golden cage behind the stone walls surrounding a beautiful garden. The wolf instructed Ivan to take the bird out of the golden cage, advising him, “Do not take the cage!”

But, having the firebird in his hands, Ivan could not help thinking how splendid the golden cage was. He could not resist his wish to get it, and touched the cage. Multiple numbers of guards quickly moved into the garden and seized him.

He was brought into the king’s palace. Of course, the king was enraged and wanted to throw Ivan into the prison. However, Ivan was offered an alternative. The king told Ivan that he desperately wanted to own a majestic white horse with the golden mane, which belonged to the king from a neighboring land. The king promised, “Get this horse for me, and, in return, I will forgive you and give you the firebird.”

Ivan returned to the gray wolf and told him about what had happened in the garden. The gray wolf was saddened by the story. He said that Ivan should listen to him next time. Ivan promised, and with the lightning speed the wolf rushed to the land of the king who owned the horse with the golden mane.

When they reached the stables, the wolf said, “Take the horse, but do not take the golden bridle.” Upon entering the stable Ivan was astonished by the beauty of the white horse with the long, gracefully flowing down golden mane. He stretched his hand toward the horse, but stopped halfway because he saw a shining golden bridle hanging on the wall. Ivan, beside himself with delight, touched the bridle. Not a second later, armed guards rushed into the stable and caught him.

The guards brought Ivan into the palace and threw him on the ground under the king’s feet. The king was furious. He angrily said, “Why did you try to steal my horse? You are a thief! You deserve the cruelest punishment. But I will let you go unharmed and I will give you my horse with the golden mane if you promise to bring over here Princess Helena, the most beautiful maiden in the whole world.”

Upon Ivan’s return, wolf, angry with Ivan’s misbehavior, said that Ivan again had not followed his advice. Ivan sighed and accepted the blame.

The companions went on down the road leading to the far-off kingdom where beautiful Princess Helena was taking a stroll in the green gardens. This time the wolf wanted to accomplish the task. He left Ivan at the garden gate and crawled unnoticed toward Helena until he got close to her, pulled her gently on his back and rushed away. Ivan joined them, when the wolf with Helena on his back approached the gate.

Soon, they reached the road. The gray wolf was moving in a great stride while Ivan and Helena, sitting on the wolf’s back, were talking to each other. In no time Ivan fell in love with beautiful Helena. Ivan was terrified by the thought that he had to deliver this beautiful Princess to the king. Ivan wanted Princess to belong to him.

He asked the wolf to help him. “I helped you before, and I will help you again. I will turn into Princess Helena. Take me to the king, and he will give you the horse with the golden mane”, said the wolf. “Move away quickly after you get the horse. I will escape from the king’s palace and find you later”, he continued. “Just don’t forget to call my name. This will let me come back to you”. He pronounced a magic word which turned the gray wolf into a young woman looking just like Princess Helena, and was taken by Ivan to the king.

Soon Ivan and Helena were far away on the road sitting on the back of the white horse with the golden mane. While talking to each other, they forgot about the whole world. Only at the end of the third day Ivan called the wolf, and he immediately appeared in front of Ivan, just to listen to Ivan’s next request. As they were getting close to the kingdom where Ivan had to exchange the horse with the golden mane for the firebird, Ivan became frustrated with the thought that he had to give up his horse.

Again, the gray wolf promised to help. He turned into a horse with the golden mane, and was brought to the king. Seeing his wish fulfilled, king, in return, gave the firebird to Ivan.

Ivan was overfilled with joy moving back home with beautiful Princess Helena sitting close to him on the back of the white horse with the golden mane and holding the magnificent firebird in his hands. Soon the gray wolf joined them. They travelled together until they reached the place where the gray wolf had to part with Ivan and Helen.

When Ivan and Helen reached the green meadows close to his father’s kingdom, Ivan stopped to rest in the shadow of a tree growing not far from the road. He fell asleep. Princess Helena was sitting by his side. Unfortunately, his brothers returning home with empty hands, annoyed beyond all measures, saw Ivan sleeping under the tree, surrounded by beautiful Princess Helena, the white horse with the golden mane, and the majestic firebird.

The brothers pulled out their knives and stabbed Ivan in his chest. Leaving Ivan dying under the tree, they seized Princess Helena, the horse and the firebird. After that, the triumphant brothers, endlessly bragging about their good fortune, headed to the king’s palace.

The king threw a grand feast in honor of his older sons. Princess Helena, under the threat of death, had to keep silent about evil deeds of the king’s sons.

From far away, the gray wolf sensed that Ivan was dead and hurried to save him. He found Ivan’s lifeless body covered with blood and left by his brothers for wild animals. A black crow was jumping close to Ivan’s body, trying to get a piece of his flesh. The wolf clenched the crow’s wing in his teeth. The crow, desperately asking for mercy, promised to bring magical death-and-life waters to revive Ivan. The wolf let her go and sat down by Ivan’s side protecting him.

On the third day the crow returned with two small bottles of water. The gray wolf sprinkled Ivan’s wounds with water of death, and the wounds disappeared. Then the wolf sprinkled Ivan’s dead body with water of life. Ivan opened his eyes and greeted his faithful friend.

They hurried to the king’s palace where Ivan’s oldest brother was going to marry the beautiful Helena. The inconsolable princess was in tears thinking about Ivan slain by his brothers. When Ivan, live and looking better than ever, appeared on the wedding, she told the king that Ivan was killed by his brothers.

The king was outraged. He threw his wicked older sons into a prison for the rest of their lives. Ivan married the princess. They lived happily ever after, ruling the kingdom with great wisdom and kindness.