Ridley and the Three Magic Birds: A Quest for Courage and Truth

It was a gloomy night when Ridley trudged home, exhausted and barely alive. Hunting had been fruitless, and to make matters worse, his bow had snapped in his hand, leaving him to pick out splinters. He hoped the others had better luck, but he doubted it. Just as he neared the city limits, he heard the heavy footsteps of something large moving nearby. He stopped, gripping his dagger tightly.

The fight was over surprisingly quickly. The immense boar, blinded by rage, barely noticed Ridley’s slight figure. Using his hunting skills, Ridley swiftly defeated the beast. His spirits lifted—this meat would last them well, and he’d have time to craft a new bow before the next hunt. Whistling cheerfully, he dragged the carcass toward the cemetery where his friends waited by the tomb that had become his home. Ridley had once arrived penniless and homeless, but here he belonged now.

Greeting the foxes in their tongue, he boasted about his catch. They exchanged glances and whispered. “Ridley, did you hear the king’s proclamation?” asked Gille. “What proclamation?” Ridley asked. “The one about the giant beast and the prince’s promise of marriage to whoever slays it,” Nuzza said. Ridley stared at them, realizing he’d kept too distant from human news. “You mean the plague of swallows and the king’s promise of his second daughter?” he guessed. The foxes smiled wolfishly. “Wrong,” said Nuzza. “That was years ago. This beast terrorizes the countryside now, and the king promised his only unattached child, the prince.”

Ridley sank, stunned. Still, they feasted on the boar and cured the rest. Three days later, Ridley sat waiting to meet the king, carrying the boar’s head as proof. He hoped the king would revoke his ridiculous proclamation, leaving the prince free. But the king wasn’t pleased by this unexpected hero. Instead, he grandly welcomed Ridley as the “brave slayer” and gave him a challenge: to prove worthy as a suitor, he must capture three magical birds whose feathers had been gifted to the king—a golden Firebird, a blue Falcon, and the white Bird of Truth. Ridley rolled his eyes but accepted the quest, planning to shock the king by ultimately refusing the prince.

Back at the graveyard, Ridley showed the feathers to his friends. The Firebird belonged to a distant Tsar, the Blue Falcon was kept by the witch Shi, and the Bird of Truth was a mystery. They agreed Nuzza and Ridley would pursue the Firebird and Falcon, while Gille sought more about the Bird of Truth.

Nuzza guided Ridley to the witch Shi’s garden. Posing as a servant, Ridley tended Shi’s fierce animals, slowly earning trust to care for her prized hunting birds. After weeks, he fed and groomed the birds until Shi left. Seizing his chance, Ridley took the Blue Falcon, dagger raised to protect against Shi’s magic. When Shi returned and unleashed a spell, Ridley’s dagger reacted—the witch vanished, leaving only a pile of twigs behind. They burned the remains and freed the other animals before continuing toward the Tsar’s kingdom.

The Tsar was rich but cruel, making Ridley feel justified in stealing the Firebird. Climbing over the garden wall, he found the bird caged in iron and the golden cage beside it. Choosing practicality over beauty, he took the iron cage but accidentally stepped on the garden path, triggering alarms. Guards woke, and Ridley fled, slamming the gates shut with a magical twig that sprouted thorns and flowers, blocking pursuit. He reunited with Nuzza and Gille, who had found more about the Bird of Truth.

The ancient owl near the marshes told them the Bird of Truth was a plain, silent bird imprisoned by the giant Kalju, who kept many loud, quarrelsome birds. The owl warned them of the giant’s few minutes of sleep daily and gave directions to the castle.

Waiting for the giant’s slumber, Ridley sneaked inside, found the silent Bird of Truth cornered by the others, and rescued it. Using another magical stone, he ignited a fiery barrier between them and the angry giant. Safe again, the trio headed home with their prized birds.

Returning to the palace ragged and weary, Ridley waited to meet the king, doubting his worth. The king reluctantly praised his success but still considered him just a candidate for the prince’s hand. Suddenly, Prince Everett burst in, chastising his father for breaking promises. Everett dismissed formality and offered friendship—and possibly more—to Ridley.

Ridley bowed, humbled yet intrigued. Everett took his arm warmly, and the idea of refusal vanished. It seemed a new alliance—and perhaps love—was beginning after all.