He woke her , and begged her firmly , but politely , to follow him quickly . After a little persuasion the maiden consented , but only on condition that she was allowed first to put on her dress . This sounded so reasonable and natural that it did not enter the Prince 's head to refuse her request . But the maiden 's hand had hardly touched the dress when the palace suddenly awoke from its sleep , and the Prince was seized and bound . He was so vexed with his own folly , and so taken aback at the disaster , that he did not attempt to explain his conduct , and things would have gone badly with him if his friends the fairies had not softened the hearts of his captors , so that they once more allowed him to leave quietly . However , what troubled him most was the idea of having to meet the Frog who had been his benefactress . How was he ever to appear before her with this tale ? Still , after a long struggle with himself , he made up his mind that there was nothing else to be done , and that he deserved whatever she might say to him . 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 XXXXX give way .
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