nd said to himself, 'Anything
else Puddocky could have helped me in, but this task is quite beyond her
power. How could she ever find a beautiful wife for me? Her swamps are
wide and empty, and no human beings dwell there; only frogs and toads
and other creatures of that sort.' However, he sat down as usual under
the bridge, and this time he sighed from the bottom of his heart.

In a few minutes the toad stood in front of him and asked, 'What's the
matter with you now, my dear Prince?'

'Oh, Puddocky, this time you can't help me, for the task is beyond even
your power,' replied the Prince.

'Still,' answered the toad, 'you may as well tell me your difficulty,
for who knows but I mayn't be able to help you this time also.'

The Prince then told her the task they had been set to do. 'I'll help
you right enough, my dear Prince,' said the little toad; 'just you go
home, and I'll soon follow you.' With these words, Puddocky, with a
spring quite unlike her usual slow movements, jumped into the water and
disappeared.

The Prince rose up and went sadly on his way, for he didn't believe it
possible that the little toad could really help him in his present
difficulty. He had hardly gone a few steps when he heard a sound behind
him, and, looking round, he saw a carriage made of cardboard, drawn by
six big rats, coming towards him. Two hedgehogs rode in front as
outriders, and on the box sat a fat mouse as coachman, and behind stood
two little frogs as footmen. In the carriage itself sat Puddocky, who
kissed her hand to the Prince out of the window as she passed by.

Sunk deep in thought over the fickleness of fortune that had granted him
two of his wishes and now seemed about to deny him the last and best,
the Prince hardly noticed the absurd equipage, and still less did he
feel inclined to laugh at its comic appearance.

The carriage drove on in front of him for some time and then turned a
corner. But what was his joy and surprise when suddenly, round the same
corner, but coming towards him, there appeared a beautiful coach drawn
by six splendid horses, with outriders, coachmen, footmen and other
servants all in the most gorgeous liveries, and seated in the carriage
was the most beautiful woman the Prince had ever seen, and in whom he at
once recognised the beautiful Parsley, for whom his heart had formerly
burned. The carriage stopped when it reached him, and the footmen sprang
down and opened the door for him. He got in