In the meantime the Prince 's companions sought him far and wide , but to no purpose , so they sent two messengers to tell the sad news to the King , who immediately ordered a regiment of cavalry and one of infantry to go and look for him . After three days ' search , they found the hut . The Prince was still sitting by the door and had been so happy in the maiden 's company that the time had seemed like a single hour . Before leaving he promised to return and fetch her to his father 's court , where he would make her his bride . When he had gone , she sat down to her wheel to make up for lost time , but was dismayed to find that her thread had lost all its brightness . Her heart beat fast and she wept bitterly , for she remembered the old woman 's warning and knew not what misfortune might now befall her . The old woman returned in the night and knew by the tarnished thread what had happened in her absence . She was furiously angry and told the maiden that she had brought down misery both on herself and on the Prince . The maiden could not rest for thinking of this . At last she could bear it no longer , and resolved to seek help from the Prince . As a child she had learned to understand the speech of birds , and this was now of great use to her , for , seeing a raven pluming itself on a pine bough , she cried softly to it : `` Dear bird , cleverest of all birds , as well as swiftest on wing , wilt thou help me ? '' `` How can I help thee ? '' asked the raven . She answered : `` Fly away , until thou comest to a splendid town , where stands a king 's palace ; seek out the king 's son and tell him that a great misfortune has befallen me . '' Then she told the raven how her thread had lost its brightness , how terribly angry the old woman was , and how she feared some great disaster . The raven promised faithfully to do her bidding , and , spreading its wings , flew away . The maiden now went home and worked hard all day at winding up the yarn her elder sisters had spun , for the old woman would let her spin no longer . Toward evening she heard the raven 's `` craa , craa , '' from the pine tree and eagerly hastened thither to hear the answer . By great good fortune the raven had found a wind wizard 's son in the palace garden , who understood the speech of birds , and to him he had entrusted the message . When the Prince heard it , he was very sorrowful , and took counsel with his friends how to free the maiden .
Then he said to the wind wizard 's son : `` Beg the raven to fly quickly back to the maiden and tell her XXXXX be ready on the ninth night , for then will I come and fetch her away . ''
At Before Toward from in of so that to until