it was nearly midnight before he returned to the palace , but , instead of entering , he went down to the shore and hid behind a rock . he had scarcely done so when the girl came out of the sea , and stretched out her arms towards his window . in an instant the prince had seized her hand , and though she made a frightened struggle to reach the water - for she in her turn had had a spell laid upon her - he held her fast . ' you are my own wife , and i shall never let you go , ' he said . but the words were hardly out of his mouth when he found that it was a hare that he was holding by the paw . then the hare changed into a fish , and the fish into a bird , and the bird into a slimy wriggling snake . this time the prince 's hand nearly opened of itself , but with a strong effort he kept his fingers shut , and drawing his sword cut off its head , when the spell was broken , and the girl stood before him as he had seen her first , the wreath upon her head and the birds singing for joy . the very next morning the stepmother arrived at the palace with an ointment that the old witch had given her to place upon her daughter 's tongue , which would break the dove 's spell , if the rightful bride had really been drowned in the sea ; if not , then it would be useless . the mother assured her that she had seen her stepdaughter sink , and that there was no fear that she would ever come up again ; but , to make all quite safe , the old woman might bewitch the girl ; and so she did . after that the wicked stepmother travelled all through the night to get to the palace as soon as possible , and made her way straight into her daughter 's room . ' i have got it ! i have got it ! ' she cried triumphantly , and laid the ointment on her daughter 's tongue . ' now what do you say ? ' she asked proudly . ' dirty creatures ! dirty creatures ! ' answered the daughter ; and the mother wrung her hands and wept , as she knew that all her plans had failed . at this moment the prince entered with his real wife . ' you both deserved death , ' he said , ' and if it were left to me , you should have it . but the princess has begged me to spare your lives , so you will be put into a ship and carried off to a desert island , where you will stay till you die . ' then the ship was made ready and the wicked woman and her daughter were placed in it , and it sailed away , and no more was heard of them . but the prince and his wife lived together long and happily , and ruled their people well . 
why did the witch's ointment not work ?
the rightful bride had not really been drowned in the sea .
the rightful bride was not drowned in the sea .