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…………………………… Then came the fourth night, at her window the eagle flew in (The same eagle who gave the golden feathers to Prince Peerless to wake the Queen). The princess handed over the crown to the eagle and much to the princess's astonishment the eagle transformed into a handsome king, King Florimond. He thanked Princess Sunbeam for delivering him from the pain of over 200 years. It was said that 200 years ago there lived an enchanter who was deeply in love with the King Florimond. Unknowing to the enchantress the king was already in true love with the fairy (the lady whose enchantment was broken by Prince Peerless). Enraged the enchantress took away the crown and cursed with a spell on both the king and fairy.  The fairy appeared and thanked her too. 

The fairy laid down two wishes in front of Princess Sunbeam to choose. The first one being wise and happy and the second one being beauty and vanity. Without a second of thought the princess chose wise and happy as beauty is never lasting and vanity is constant misery to others. The fairy being very happy by her choice removed the horn from her head and vanished her into the same woods where Prince Peerless was.

 Prince Peerless and Princess Sunbeam although now being as shepherd and shepherdess met each other. The prince offered the princess for shelter and food in a little cottage where he was living with an old woman. The prince and princess became very good friends. They didn't reveal their true identity as Prince Peerless and Princess Sunbeam. 

 As months passed by, they grew to love each other and wanted to marry. One day when the prince and the princess were in different parts of the wood doing their jobs, a huge dark cloud settled on the forest. Both of them felt drawn by a dark invisible force. The princess found herself in the castle of an evil enchanter who fell in love with her when she was wandering through the forests. The enchanter asked the princess to marry him, or she would be perished just like the other princesses. The princess however said that for she only loved the shepherd and not anyone else. Meanwhile the prince was held in a castle of an enchantress who carried a staff with twenty writhing snakes. The enchantress asked the prince to marry her as he will never be allowed to see his love. But the prince said that he only loved the shepherdess and not anyone else. The prince further added that he wouldn't mind seeing her for the shepherdess lives in his heart.

 Many days and months passed by, and the prince and princess were held captive by the enchantress and enchanter in two different places. Although they didn't meet each other for so long their love grew more and more stronger. Even after so many trials the prince and princess grew rebel towards the enchantress and witch. Alas, the enchanter knowing that the princess will never be his own, he casted a spell on her to become a grasshopper and sing the song of unrequited love all night and day! Similarly, the enchantress knowing that the prince wouldn't be hers, casts a spell on the prince to become a cricket and croak all he can the pangs of his unrequited love. 

And so it was, the princess as the grasshopper and the prince as the cricket flew across the forest looking for each other……………… (will be continued)

 Will they meet each other? Or will they live the rest of their lives singing and croaking the pangs of their unrequited love?

Stay tuned for 'The Golden Branch' (PART: 4)