Hetiedthemallthreewitharope，anddrovethemawaytillhecametoamill。Heknockedatthewindow，andthemillerputhisheadoutandaskedwhathewanted。
’Ihavethreetiresomeanimals，’heanswered，’whichIdon’twanttokeepanylonger。Ifyouwilltakethem，givethemfoodandstabling，anddoasItellyouwiththem，Iwillpayyouasmuchasyouwant。’
Themillerreplied，’Whynot？WhatshallIdowiththem？’
ThentheHuntersaidthattotheolddonkey，whichwasthewitch，threebeatingsandonemeal；totheyoungerone，whichwastheservant，onebeatingandthreemeals；andtotheyoungestone，whichwasthemaiden，nobeatingandthreemeals；forhecouldnotfinditinhishearttoletthemaidenbebeaten。
Thenhewentbackintothecastle，andhefoundthereallthathewanted。Afteracoupleofdaysthemillercameandsaidthathemusttellhimthattheolddonkeywhichwastohavethreebeatingsandonlyonemealhaddied。’Thetwoothers，’headded，’arecertainlynotdead，andgettheirthreemealseveryday，buttheyaresosadthattheycannotlastmuchlonger。’
ThentheHuntertookpityonthem，laidasidehisanger，andtoldthemillertodrivethembackagain。Andwhentheycamehegavethemsomeofthegoodcabbagetoeat，sothattheybecamehumanagain。Thenthebeautifulmaidenfellonherkneesbeforehim，saying，’Oh，mydearest，forgivemetheillIhavedoneyou！Mymothercompelledmetodoit；itwasagainstmywill，forIloveyoudearly。Yourwishing-cloakishanginginacupboard，andasforthebird-heartIwillmakeadrinkandgiveitbacktoyou。’
Buthechangedhismind，andsaid，’Keepit；itmakesnodifference，forIwilltakeyoutobemyowndeartruewife。’
Andtheweddingwascelebrated，andtheylivedhappytogethertilldeath。
InapartoftheworldwhosenameIforgetlivedonceuponatimetwokings，calledPeridorandDiamantino。Theywerecousinsaswellasneighbours，andbothwereundertheprotectionofthefairies；thoughitisonlyfairtosaythatthefairiesdidnotlovethemhalfsowellastheirwivesdid。
Nowitoftenhappensthatasprincescangenerallymanagetogettheirownwayitisharderforthemtobegoodthanitisforcommonpeople。SoitwaswithPeridorandDiamantino；butofthetwo，thefairiesdeclaredthatDiamantinowasmuchtheworst；
indeed，hebehavedsobadlytohiswifeAglantino，thatthefairieswouldnotallowhimtoliveanylonger；andhedied，leavingbehindhimalittledaughter。Asshewasanonlychild，ofcoursethislittlegirlwastheheiressofthekingdom，but，beingstillonlyababy，hermother，thewidowofDiamantino，wasproclaimedregent。TheQueen-dowagerwaswiseandgood，andtriedherbesttomakeherpeoplehappy。Theonlythingshehadtovexherwastheabsenceofherdaughter；forthefairies，forreasonsoftheirown，determinedtobringupthelittlePrincessSerpentineamongthemselves。
AstotheotherKing，hewasreallyfondofhiswife，QueenConstance，butheoftengrievedherbyhisthoughtlessways，andinordertopunishhimforhiscarelessness，thefairiescausedhertodiequitesuddenly。WhenshewasgonetheKingfelthowmuchhehadlovedher，andhisgriefwassogreat(thoughheneverneglectedhisduties)thathissubjectscalledhimPeridortheSorrowful。ItseemshardlypossiblethatanymanshouldlivelikePeridorforfifteenyearsplungedinsuchdepthofgrief，andmostlikelyhewouldhavediedtooifithadnotbeenforthefairies。
TheonecomfortthepoorKinghadwashisson，PrinceSaphir，whowasonlythreeyearsoldatthetimeofhismother’sdeath，andgreatcarewasgiventohiseducation。BythetimehewasfifteenSaphirhadlearnteverythingthataprinceshouldknow，andhewas，besides，charmingandagreeable。
Itwasaboutthistimethatthefairiessuddenlytookfrightlesthisloveforhisfathershouldinterferewiththeplanstheyhadmadefortheyoungprince。So，topreventthis，theyplacedinaprettylittleroomofwhichSaphirwasveryfondalittlemirrorinablackframe，suchaswereoftenbroughtfromVenice。ThePrincedidnotnoticeforsomedaysthattherewasanythingnewintheroom，butatlastheperceivedit，andwentuptolookatitmoreclosely。Whatwashissurprisetoseereflectedinthemirror，nothisownface，butthatofayounggirlaslovelyasthemorning！And，betterstill，everymovementofthegirl，justgrowingoutofchildhood，wasalsoreflectedinthewonderfulglass。
Asmighthavebeenexpected，theyoungPrincelosthisheartcompletelytothebeautifulimage，anditwasimpossibletogethimoutoftheroom，sobusywasheinwatchingthelovelyunknown。Certainlyitwasverydelightfultobeabletoseeherwhomhelovedatanymomenthechose，buthisspiritssometimessankwhenhewonderedwhatwastobetheendofthisadventure。
ThemagicmirrorhadbeenforaboutayearinthePrince’spossession，whenonedayanewsubjectofdisquietseizeduponhim。Asusual，hewasengagedinlookingatthegirl，whensuddenlyhethoughthesawasecondmirrorreflectedinthefirst，exactlylikehisown，andwiththesamepower。Andinthishewasperfectlyright。Theyounggirlhadonlypossesseditforashorttime，andneglectedallherdutiesforthesakeofthemirror。NowitwasnotdifficultforSaphirtoguessthereasonofthechangeinher，norwhythenewmirrorwasconsultedsooften；buttryashewouldhecouldneverseethefaceofthepersonwhowasreflectedinit，fortheyounggirl’sfigurealwayscamebetween。Allheknewwasthatthefacewasthatofaman，andthiswasquiteenoughtomakehimmadlyjealous。Thiswasthedoingofthefairies，andwemustsupposethattheyhadtheirreasonsforactingastheydid。
WhenthesethingshappenedSaphirwasabouteighteenyearsold，andfifteenyearshadpassedawaysincethedeathofhismother。
KingPeridorhadgrownmoreandmoreunhappyastimewenton，andatlasthefellsoillthatitseemedasifhisdayswerenumbered。Hewassomuchbelovedbyhissubjectsthatthissadnewswasheardwithdespairbythenation，andmorethanallbythePrince。
DuringhiswholeillnesstheKingneverspokeofanythingbuttheQueen，hissorrowathavinggrievedher，andhishopeofonedayseeingheragain。Allthedoctorsandallthewater-curesinthekingdomhadbeentried，andnothingwoulddohimanygood。Atlasthepersuadedthemtolethimliequietlyinhisroom，wherenoonecametotroublehim。
Perhapstheworstpainhehadtobearwasasortofweightonhischest，whichmadeitveryhardforhimtobreathe。Sohecommandedhisservantstoleavethewindowsopeninorderthathemightgetmoreair。Oneday，whenhehadbeenleftaloneforafewminutes，abirdwithbrilliantplumagecameandflutteredroundthewindow，andfinallyrestedonthesill。Hisfeathersweresky-blueandgold，hisfeetandhisbeakofsuchglitteringrubiesthatnoonecouldbeartolookatthem，hiseyesmadethebrightestdiamondslookdull，andonhisheadheworeacrown。I
cannottellyouwhatthecrownwasmadeof，butIamquitecertainthatitwasstillmoresplendidthanalltherest。AstohisvoiceIcansaynothingaboutthat，forthebirdneversangatall。Infact，hedidnothingbutgazesteadilyattheKing，andashegazed，theKingfelthisstrengthcomebacktohim。Inalittlewhilethebirdflewintotheroom，stillwithhiseyesfixedontheKing，andateveryglancethestrengthofthesickmanbecamegreater，tillhewasoncemoreaswellasheusedtobebeforetheQueendied。Filledwithjoyathiscure，hetriedtoseizethebirdtowhomheoweditall，but，swifterthanaswallow，itmanagedtoavoidhim。Invainhedescribedthebirdtohisattendants，whorushedathisfirstcall；invaintheysoughtthewonderfulcreaturebothonhorseandfoot，andsummonedthefowlerstotheiraid:thebirdcouldnowherebefound。ThelovethepeopleboreKingPeridorwassostrong，andtherewardhepromisedwassolarge，thatinthetwinklingofaneyeeveryman，woman，andchildhadfledintothefields，andthetownswerequiteempty。
Allthisbustle，however，endedinnothingbutconfusion，and，whatwasworse，theKingsoonfellbackintothesameconditionashewasinbefore。PrinceSaphir，wholovedhisfatherverydearly，wassounhappyatthisthathepersuadedhimselfthathemightsucceedwheretheothershadfailed，andatoncepreparedhimselfforamoredistantsearch。Inspiteoftheoppositionhemetwith，herodeaway，followedbyhishousehold，trustingtochancetohelphim。Hehadformednoplan，andtherewasnoreasonthatheshouldchooseonepathmorethananother。Hisonlyideawastomakestraightforthosespotswhichwerethefavouritehauntsofbirds。Butinvainheexaminedallthehedgesandallthethickets；invainhequestionedeveryonehemetalongtheroad。Themorehesoughtthelesshefound。
Atlasthecametooneofthelargestforestsinalltheworld，composedentirelyofcedars。Butinspiteofthedeepshadowscastbythewide-spreadingbranchesofthetrees，thegrassunderneathwassoftandgreen，andcoveredwiththerarestflowers。ItseemedtoSaphirthatthiswasexactlytheplacewherethebirdswouldchoosetolive，andhedeterminednottoquitthewooduntilhehadexamineditfromendtoend。Andhedidmore。Heorderedsomenetstobepreparedandpaintedofthesamecoloursasthebird’splumage，thinkingthatwearealleasilycaughtbywhatislikeourselves。Inthishehadtohelphimnotonlythefowlersbyprofession，butalsohisattendants，whoexcelledinthisart。Foramanisnotacourtierunlesshecandoeverything。
AftersearchingasusualfornearlyawholedayPrinceSaphirbegantofeelovercomewiththirst。Hewastootiredtogoanyfarther，whenhappilyhediscoveredalittlewayoffabubblingfountainoftheclearestwater。Beinganexperiencedtraveller，hedrewfromhispocketalittlecup(withoutwhichnooneshouldevertakeajourney)，andwasjustabouttodipitinthewater，whenalovelylittlegreenfrog，muchprettierthanfrogsgenerallyare，jumpedintothecup。Farfromadmiringitsbeauty，Saphirshookitimpatientlyoff；butitwasnogood，forquickaslightningthefrogjumpedbackagain。Saphir，whowasragingwiththirst，wasjustabouttoshakeitoffanew，whenthelittlecreaturefixeduponhimthemostbeautifuleyesintheworld，andsaid，’Iamafriendofthebirdyouareseeking，andwhenyouhavequenchedyourthirstlistentome。’
SothePrincedrankhisfill，andthen，bythecommandoftheLittleGreenFrog，helaydownonthegrasstoresthimself。
’Now，’shebegan，’besureyoudoexactlyineveryrespectwhatI
tellyou。Firstyoumustcalltogetheryourattendants，andorderthemtoremaininalittlehamletclosebyuntilyouwantthem。Thengo，quitealone，downaroadthatyouwillfindonyourrighthand，lookingsouthwards。ThisroadisplantedallthewaywithcedarsofLebanon；andaftergoingdownitalongwayyouwillcomeatlasttoamagnificentcastle。Andnow，’shewenton，’attendcarefullytowhatIamgoingtosay。Takethistinygrainofsand，andputitintothegroundascloseasyoucantothegateofthecastle。Ithasthevirtuebothofopeningthegateandalsoofsendingtosleepalltheinhabitants。Thengoatoncetothestable，andpaynoheedtoanythingexceptwhatItellyou。Choosethehandsomestofallthehorses，leapquicklyonitsback，andcometomeasfastasyoucan。
Farewell，Prince；Iwishyougoodluck，’andwiththesewordstheLittleFrogplungedintothewateranddisappeared。
