ThePrince，whofeltmorehopefulthanhehaddonesincehelefthome，didpreciselyashehadbeenordered。Helefthisattendantsinthehamlet，foundtheroadthefroghaddescribedtohim，andfolloweditallalone，andatlasthearrivedatthegateofthecastle，whichwasevenmoresplendidthanhehadexpected，foritwasbuiltofcrystal，andallitsornamentswereofmassivegold。However，hehadnothoughtstospareforitsbeauty，andquicklyburiedhisgrainofsandintheearth。Inoneinstantthegatesflewopen，andallthedwellersinsidefellsoundasleep。Saphirflewstraighttothestable，andalreadyhadhishandonthefinesthorseitcontained，whenhiseyewascaughtbyasuitofmagnificentharnesshangingupcloseby。Itoccurredtohimdirectlythattheharnessbelongedtothehorse，andwithouteverthinkingofharmforindeedhewhostealsahorsecanhardlybeblamedfortakinghissaddle，hehastilyplaceditontheanimal’sback。Suddenlythepeopleinthecastlebecamebroadawake，andrushedtothestable。TheyflungthemselvesonthePrince，seizedhim，anddraggedhimbeforetheirlord；but，luckilyforthePrince，whocouldonlyfindverylameexcusesforhisconduct，thelordofthecastletookafancytohisface，andlethimdepartwithoutfurtherquestions。
　　Verysad，andverymuchashamedofhimselfpoorSaphircreptbacktothefountain，wheretheFrogwasawaitinghimwithagoodscolding。
　　’Whomdoyoutakemefor？’sheexclaimedangrily。’DoyoureallybelievethatitwasjustforthepleasureoftalkingthatIgaveyoutheadviceyouhaveneglectedsoabominably？’
　　ButthePrincewassodeeplygrieved，andapologisedsoveryhumbly，thataftersometimetheheartofthegoodlittleFrogwassoftened，andshegavehimanothertinylittlegrain，butinsteadofbeingsanditwasnowagrainofgold。Shedirectedhimtodojustashehaddonebefore，withonlythisdifference，thatinsteadofgoingtothestablewhichhadbeentheruinofhishopes，hewastoenterrightintothecastleitself，andtoglideasfastashecoulddownthepassagestillhecametoaroomfilledwithperfume，wherehewouldfindabeautifulmaidenasleeponabed。Hewastowakethemaideninstantlyandcarryheroff，andtobesurenottopayanyheedtowhateverresistanceshemightmake。
　　ThePrinceobeyedtheFrog’sordersonebyone，andallwentwellforthissecondtimealso。Thegateopened，theinhabitantsfellsoundasleep，andhewalkeddownthepassagetillhefoundthegirlonherbed，exactlyashehadbeentoldhewould。Hewokeher，andbeggedherfirmly，butpolitely，tofollowhimquickly。
　　Afteralittlepersuasionthemaidenconsented，butonlyonconditionthatshewasallowedfirsttoputonherdress。ThissoundedsoreasonableandnaturalthatitdidnotenterthePrince’sheadtorefuseherrequest。
　　Butthemaiden’shandhadhardlytouchedthedresswhenthepalacesuddenlyawokefromitssleep，andthePrincewasseizedandbound。Hewassovexedwithhisownfolly，andsotakenabackatthedisaster，thathedidnotattempttoexplainhisconduct，andthingswouldhavegonebadlywithhimifhisfriendsthefairieshadnotsoftenedtheheartsofhiscaptors，sothattheyoncemoreallowedhimtoleavequietly。However，whattroubledhimmostwastheideaofhavingtomeettheFrogwhohadbeenhisbenefactress。Howwasheevertoappearbeforeherwiththistale？Still，afteralongstrugglewithhimself，hemadeuphismindthattherewasnothingelsetobedone，andthathedeservedwhatevershemightsaytohim。Andshesaidagreatdeal，forshehadworkedherselfintoaterriblepassion；butthePrincehumblyimploredherpardon，andventuredtopointoutthatitwouldhavebeenveryhardtorefusetheyounglady’sreasonablerequest。’Youmustlearntodoasyouaretold，’wasalltheFrogwouldreply。
　　ButpoorSaphirwassounhappy，andbeggedsohardforforgiveness，thatatlasttheFrog’sangergaveway，andshehelduptohimatinydiamondstone。’Goback，’shesaid，’tothecastle，andburythislittlediamondclosetothedoor。Butbecarefulnottoreturntothestableortothebedroom；theyhaveprovedtoofataltoyou。Walkstraighttothegardenandenterthroughaportico，intoasmallgreenwood，inthemidstofwhichisatreewithatrunkofgoldandleavesofemeralds。Perchedonthistreeyouwillseethebeautifulbirdyouhavebeenseekingsolong。Youmustcutthebranchonwhichitissitting，andbringitbacktomewithoutdelay。ButIwarnyousolemnlythatifyoudisobeymydirections，asyouhavedonetwicebefore，youhavenothingmoretoexpecteitherofmeoranyoneelse。’
　　Withthesewordsshejumpedintothewater，andthePrince，whohadtakenherthreatsmuchtoheart，tookhisdeparture，firmlyresolvednottodeservethem。Hefounditalljustashehadbeentold:theportico，thewood，themagnificenttree，andthebeautifulbird，whichwassleepingsoundlyononeofthebranches。Hespeedilyloppedoffthebranch，andthoughhenoticedasplendidgoldencagehangingcloseby，whichwouldhavebeenveryusefulforthebirdtotravelin，heleftitalone，andcamebacktothefountain，holdinghisbreathandwalkingontip-toealltheway，forfearlestheshouldawakehisprize。
　　Butwhatwashissurprise，wheninsteadoffindingthefountaininthespotwherehehadleftit，hesawinitsplacealittlerusticpalacebuiltinthebesttaste，andstandinginthedoorwayacharmingmaiden，atwhosesighthismindseemedtogiveway。
　　’What！Madam！’hecried，hardlyknowingwhathesaid。’What！
　　Isityou？’
　　Themaidenblushedandanswered:’Ah，mylord，itislongsinceI
　　firstbeheldyourface，butIdidnotthinkyouhadeverseenmine。’
　　’Oh，madam，’repliedhe，’youcanneverguessthedaysandthehoursIhavepassedlostinadmirationofyou。’Andafterthesewordstheyeachrelatedallthestrangethingsthathadhappened，andthemoretheytalkedthemoretheyfeltconvincedofthetruthoftheimagestheyhadseenintheirmirrors。Aftersometimespentinthemosttenderconversation，thePrincecouldnotrestrainhimselffromaskingthelovelyunknownbywhatluckychanceshewaswanderingintheforest；wherethefountainhadgone；andifsheknewanythingoftheFrogtowhomheowedallhishappiness，andtowhomhemustgiveupthebird，which，somehoworother，wasstillsoundasleep。
　　’Ah，mylord，’shereplied，withratheranawkwardair，’astotheFrog，shestandsbeforeyou。Letmetellyoumystory；itisnotalongone。Iknowneithermycountrynormyparents，andtheonlythingIcansayforcertainisthatIamcalledSerpentine。Thefairies，whohavetakencareofmeeversinceI
　　wasborn，wishedmetobeinignoranceastomyfamily，buttheyhavelookedaftermyeducation，andhavebestowedonmeendlesskindness。Ihavealwayslivedinseclusion，andforthelasttwoyearsIhavewishedfornothingbetter。Ihadamirror’——hereshynessandembarrassmentchokedherwords——butregainingherself-control，sheadded，’Youknowthatfairiesinsistonbeingobeyedwithoutquestioning。Itwastheywhochangedthelittlehouseyousawbeforeyouintothefountainforwhichyouarenowasking，and，havingturnedmeintoafrog，theyorderedmetosaytothefirstpersonwhocametothefountainexactlywhatI
　　repeatedtoyou。But，mylord，whenyoustoodbeforeme，itwasagonytomyheart，filledasitwaswiththoughtsofyou，toappeartoyoureyesundersomonstrousaform。However，therewasnohelpforit，and，painfulasitwas，Ihadtosubmit。I
　　desiredyoursuccesswithallmysoul，notonlyforyourownsake，butalsoformyown，becauseIcouldnotgetbackmypropershapetillyouhadbecomemasterofthebeautifulbird，thoughI
　　amquiteignorantastoyourreasonforseekingit。’
　　OnthisSaphirexplainedaboutthestateofhisfather’shealth，andallthathasbeentoldbefore。
　　OnhearingthisstorySerpentinegrewverysad，andherlovelyeyesfilledwithtears。
　　’Ah，mylord，’shesaid，’youknownothingofmebutwhatyouhaveseeninthemirror；andI，whocannotevennamemyparents，learnthatyouareaking’sson。’
　　InvainSaphirdeclaredthatlovemadethemequal；Serpentinewouldonlyreply:’Iloveyoutoomuchtoallowyoutomarrybeneathyourrank。Ishallbeveryunhappy，ofcourse，butI
　　shallneveraltermymind。IfIdonotfindfromthefairiesthatmybirthisworthyofyou，then，whateverbemyfeelings，I
　　willneveracceptyourhand。’
　　Theconversationwasatthispoint，andbidfairtolastsometimelonger，whenoneofthefairiesappearedinherivorycar，accompaniedbyabeautifulwomanpastherearlyyouth。Atthismomentthebirdsuddenlyawakened，and，flyingontoSaphir’sshoulderwhichitneverafterwardsleft，beganfondlinghimaswellasabirdcando。ThefairytoldSerpentinethatshewasquitesatisfiedwithherconduct，andmadeherselfveryagreeabletoSaphir，whomshepresentedtotheladyshehadbroughtwithher，explainingthattheladywasnootherthanhisAuntAglantine，widowofDiamantino。
　　Thentheyallfellintoeachother’sarms，tillthefairymountedherchariot，placedAglantinebyherside，andSaphirandSerpentineonthefrontseat。ShealsosentamessagetothePrince’sattendantsthattheymighttravelslowlybacktotheCourtofKingPeridor，andthatthebeautifulbirdhadreallybeenfound。Thismatterbeingcomfortablyarranged，shestartedoffherchariot。Butinspiteoftheswiftnesswithwhichtheyflewthroughtheair，thetimepassedevenquickerforSaphirandSerpentine，whohadsomuchtothinkabout。
　　Theywerestillquiteconfusedwiththepleasureofseeingeachother，whenthechariotarrivedatKingPeridor’spalace。Hehadhadhimselfcarriedtoaroomontheroof，wherehisnursesthoughtthathewoulddieatanymoment。Directlythechariotdrewwithinsightofthecastlethebeautifulbirdtookflight，and，makingstraightforthedyingKing，atoncecuredhimofhissickness。Thensheresumedhernaturalshape，andhefoundthatthebirdwasnootherthantheQueenConstance，whomhehadlongbelievedtobedead。Peridorwasrejoicedtoembracehiswifeandhissononcemore，andwiththehelpofthefairiesbegantomakepreparationsforthemarriageofSaphirandSerpentine，whoturnedouttobethedaughterofAglantineandDiamantino，andasmuchaprincessashewasaprince。Thepeopleofthekingdomweredelighted，andeverybodylivedhappyandcontentedtotheendoftheirlives。