In a kingdom not too far from here, where the trees grew tall and the rivers sparkled, lived a young king who loved adventures. His favorite adventure was riding his horse deep into the forest.

One sunny afternoon, while chasing a playful deer, he found himself in a part of the forest he’d never seen. And there, peeking through the leaves, was a tall, lonely tower. Suddenly, he heard the most beautiful singing. It was sweeter than any bird, softer than any lullaby.

He tiptoed closer and saw a lovely young woman at the window. She had kind eyes and a gentle smile, but she looked a little sad.
"Who are you?" the king whispered.
"I am a princess," she said softly, "but an old, grumpy woman keeps me locked in this tower. She says I can never leave."
The king felt very sorry for her. "I will come back and rescue you!" he promised.
The princess smiled. "Take this golden ring," she said, handing it down. "So you will know it is truly me."

The king galloped back to his castle, his heart full of hope. But the old woman was sneaky. When the king returned, she hid the princess and brought out her own daughter. This daughter was... well, not quite as lovely as the princess. And she certainly couldn't sing like her.
"Here is the princess!" cackled the old woman.
Just as the king was about to take her hand, a little bird chirped from a nearby tree: "Tweet, tweet, dear King, take a peek! This isn't the one you seek. The true one has a golden ring, a lovely song she likes to sing!"

The king looked closely. No ring! "This is not her!" he said.
The old woman grumbled and brought out her second daughter. This one was also... different.
Again, a little bird sang, this time a bit louder: "Chirp, chirp, oh King, so grand! Look closely at her hand! The true one's ring shines bright and bold, a story waiting to be told!"

The king shook his head. "Still not her!"
The old woman was getting very cross. She brought out her third daughter.
And a third little bird joined in, its voice clear and true: "Pip, pip, good King, be wise! Check for the sparkle in her eyes! The true princess, fair and sweet, has a golden ring you're meant to meet!"

"Where is the real princess?" demanded the king, remembering the sweet voice and the golden ring.
The old woman, seeing her tricks had failed, finally brought out the true princess. Her eyes sparkled, and on her finger was the golden ring!
"It is you!" cried the king, overjoyed.

He took her hand, and they left the tower together. The three little birds fluttered around them, chirping happily. And guess what? As soon as the princess was free, the three little birds transformed back into her own three sisters! The grumpy old woman had turned them into birds.

The king married the princess, and her sisters lived with them in the castle. They all lived happily, with lots of singing and no more lonely towers. And the grumpy old woman? Well, she had to go find a new tower to be grumpy in, far, far away.

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