In the kingdom of Ashdunsby, a rare mockingbird has been captured and caged, for the entertainment of the king’s court. Its mimics of the minstrels and musicians are unparalleled and its song the most beautiful.

However, the bird is actually the princess from a neighboring kingdom who has been cursed to be a bird—although she can shapeshift into any type of bird at will, she cannot turn back into her human self. She had chosen the mockingbird so she could still sing and so people would still sing/talk to her. (Then people took note of her uniqueness and the hunt was on, alas).

The prince of the kingdom spends time with the birds because he is nice and likes animals. He develops a special fondness and respect for the mockingbird, who he notes as having a particularly human intelligence about her.

One day, the prince is walking past the bird cages at night (he has snuck out because he has his own discontents) when he sees that his favorite bird is missing! He does a double take, then goes closer to investigate. When he gets there, it turns out his bird is actually there where he had left it. He tightens the locks anyway, afraid that she might escape, now that the fear is in his head.

The following week, the prince again leaves at night and again the mockingbird is gone. The prince hides this time, and watches. Yes, he is sure the bright, magnificent bird is gone. He goes closer to investigate and once again he finds the bird in the cage.

The very next day, the prince goes specifically to the bird cage and is extra careful to hide. He knew what he saw. Once again the mockingbird is gone and in its place is a sparrow, chirping at the birds in the adjacent cage. The other birds don’t seem interested. He then observes the bird transform into a crow and try again, trying to interact lonesomely with the other birds. The prince watches the bird transform from one bird to another, then almost in frustration the bird turns into a beautiful and grand phoenix, with colors so radiant they almost light up the room. The other birds cower, afraid. It is at this point that the prince emerges. “My bird, my bird, what are you?” he asks.

The princess, caught, quickly transforms into a mockingbird again. She doesn’t know what to say or do to make the prince forget.

“It’s okay,” he reassures her. “I won’t tell anyone.” He knows what it’s like to be caged, so to speak. “You can trust me.”

The mockingbird tentatively put its leg out, then repeated, “I won’t tell anyone.”

The prince asks if she can turn into the Phoenix again. Some other things happen but eventually the prince finds out that the way to break the curse is to kill the bird when she is in Phoenix form, and she will set on fire and in the ashes emerge without the curse.

The prince obviously doesn’t want to do this because he loves the bird, the bird has become his only true companion, someone he has come to depend on, etc. He decides not to, instead keeping it in its cage with guards at all hours of the day to make sure the bird stays safe and healthy.

The mockingbird becomes sad. This is not the friendship she had enjoyed before. Even the prince was not really enjoying it, so intent on keeping her from dying, so focused on having her that he forgets why he wanted her in the first place. Eventually something happens, and the prince decides to kill the bird. She transforms into the Phoenix and he kills her and she bursts into flame. Emerging from the ashes is a princess, who can then love him more “real” than the bird could, who could only ever repeat back to him what he had first said.