And she said a great deal , for she had worked herself into a terrible passion ; but the Prince humbly implored her pardon , and ventured to point out that it would have been very hard to refuse the young lady 's reasonable request . ` You must learn to do as you are told , ' was all the Frog would reply . But poor Saphir was so unhappy , and begged so hard for forgiveness , that at last the Frog 's anger gave way , and she held up to him a tiny diamond stone . ` Go back , ' she said , ` to the castle , and bury this little diamond close to the door . But be careful not to return to the stable or to the bedroom ; they have proved too fatal to you . Walk straight to the garden and enter through a portico , into a small green wood , in the midst of which is a tree with a trunk of gold and leaves of emeralds . Perched on this tree you will see the beautiful bird you have been seeking so long . You must cut the branch on which it is sitting , and bring it back to me without delay . But I warn you solemnly that if you disobey my directions , as you have done twice before , you have nothing more to expect either of me or anyone else . ' With these words she jumped into the water , and the Prince , who had taken her threats much to heart , took his departure , firmly resolved not to deserve them . He found it all just as he had been told : the portico , the wood , the magnificent tree , and the beautiful bird , which was sleeping soundly on one of the branches . He speedily lopped off the branch , and though he noticed a splendid golden cage hanging close by , which would have been very useful for the bird to travel in , he left it alone , and came back to the fountain , holding his breath and walking on tip-toe all the way , for fear lest he should awake his prize . But what was his surprise , when instead of finding the fountain in the spot where he had left it , he saw in its place a little rustic palace built in the best taste , and standing in the doorway a charming maiden , at whose sight his mind seemed to give way . ` What ! Madam ! ' he cried , hardly knowing what he said . ` What ! Is it you ? ' The maiden blushed and answered : ` Ah , my lord , it is long since I first beheld your face , but I did not think you had ever seen mine . ' ` Oh , madam , ' replied he , ` you can never guess the days and the hours I have passed lost in admiration of you . '
And after these words they each related all the strange things that had happened , and the more they talked the more they felt convinced of the truth of the images they had seen XXXXX their mirrors .
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