After the momentous encounter with Princess Zelda within Hyrule Castle, your journey to unravel the mysteries of Hyrule and gather the Spiritual Stones continues. Impa, the Princess’s bodyguard, will guide you to the castle drawbridge, entrusting you with Zelda’s Letter and the knowledge of Zelda’s Lullaby. The path ahead leads towards Death Mountain, but the Princess suggests visiting Kakariko Village at its foot.
The path to Kakariko Village is a short walk east of the Hyrule Castle drawbridge. However, a worthwhile detour lies in the center of Hyrule Field: Lon Lon Ranch. Lon Lon Ranch, located in the heart of Hyrule Field, offers a respite from your journey and several optional tasks for those aiming for 100% completion. Here, you will encounter Malon, Talon, and Ingo.
In the center of the ranch’s corral, you will find Malon tending to her foal, Epona. By speaking to her multiple times and then playing your Fairy Ocarina while standing in front of her, she will teach you Epona’s Song. This melody has a special connection to Epona and will prove useful later in your adventure for summoning her. Additionally, playing Epona’s Song in front of cows at the ranch will reward you with free Lon Lon Milk.
During the day, enter the barn on the left side of the ranch to meet Talon. He offers a minigame for 10 rupees where you must round up three special “Super Cuccos” within a time limit amidst a flock of regular cuccos. A helpful strategy is to first move the regular cuccos out of the way before speaking to Talon to start the game. Successfully completing this challenge will not only earn you 10 rupees but also a valuable reward: a Bottle filled with Lon Lon Milk. Bottles are essential items in your inventory, allowing you to store various helpful substances like fairies and bugs.
Head outside to Hyrule Field and wait for night to hit and head back in. As night descends upon Lon Lon Ranch (you can expedite this by playing the Sun’s Song), two Gold Skulltulas become accessible. After exiting the barn, head around the corner to the left to find a lone tree. Rolling into this tree at night will a Gold Skulltula to fall down. Another Gold Skulltula can be found outside the corral. Follow the corral clockwise, and you will spot the Skulltula on the feeding trough, a wooden overhang located in the lower right corner of the map.
Also during the night, make your way to the feed silo, the large tower situated in the bottom left corner of the ranch map. Inside, you will find several crates. By moving these crates strategically, you can uncover a small hole in the far corner. Crawling through this opening will lead you to Heart Piece #3.
After your time at Lon Lon Ranch, your journey continues towards the west/northwest of Hyrule Field to reach the entrance of Kokiri Forest. Enter the forest during night-time. Upon re-entering Kokiri Forest, the familiar sights and sounds of Link’s home village will greet the player.
Navigate to the southwest section of Kokiri Forest. This is the area where the Know-It-All Brothers’ house is located. Locate the Know-It-All Brothers’ house. It’s a distinctive two-story dwelling in the mentioned part of the village. Head to the backside of the Know-It-All Brothers’ house. A Gold Skulltula will be visible crawling on the back wall of the house.
A notable absence in Kokiri Forest will be that of Saria. Her usual spot near her house will be empty, a subtle indication that the next step in the quest lies within the mysterious Lost Woods. This area is a perplexing maze where taking the wrong turn will lead you back to the beginning. The key to navigating the Lost Woods lies in following the music. From the entrance, the correct path to reach the Sacred Forest Meadow is: Right, Left, Right, Left, Forward, Left, Right.
Successfully navigating the maze will lead you to the Sacred Forest Meadow. Here, you will encounter a Wolfos; defeat it to proceed. Continue to the next area and defeat the Mad Scrubs. On the far side, climb the stairs to reach the area where you will finally meet Saria. Speaking with her will result in her teaching you Saria’s Song.
A shortcut back can be taken by climbing the ladder on the temple-like ramp and jumping across the grassy walls. Additionally, a fairy fountain can be found inside a hole accessible by a ladder in the middle of this area. Re-enter the Lost Woods and take a left from the entrance. Stand on the same stump where the Skull Kids were playing their flutes and play Saria’s Song. Doing so will reward you with another Heart Piece. This demonstrates the immediate utility of the song you just learned.
From there, head to the following area, In the area below the bridge, jump down and go to the other side. You will find a Business Scrub here. Defeat it by reflecting its Deku Nut back at it with your shield. In exchange for your victory, the Business Scrub will offer to sell you a Deku Stick upgrade. This upgrade increases the number of Deku Sticks you can carry.
From the entrance of the Lost Woods, take the right passage. Here, you will see a “target” hanging from a lone tree’s branch. Shoot this target three times in a row with your slingshot to make a Deku Scrub appear, who will reward you with a Deku Seeds Bullet Bag upgrade. This upgrade further increases your carrying capacity for Deku Seeds.
Drop to the area below the “target” and jump down to stand on the stump to the right. Two Skull Kids will appear and play a flute melody. Play along with them on your Ocarina for three rounds, successfully mimicking their tunes, to receive a Heart Piece.
With Saria’s Song learned and the secrets of the Lost Woods explored, head back to Hyrule Field and take the stairway that is just over the bridge to the east of Hyrule Castle. This is the entrance of Kakariko Village.
