The prince stumbled through the forest for hours.
His leg hurt, and one arm was broken.
"I will find my way to the palace," he thought.
"Then I will go back to the tower, and . . . oof!"
The prince tripped on a tree root.
As he fell forward, sharp thorns scratched his face.
His head hit a big rock.
Then everything went black.
The next morning Rapunzel woke at sunrise.
"Oh no! I fell asleep," she thought.
She began looking for the prince again.
Suddenly Prickle flew to her.
He flapped his wings and chirped.
"Prickle!" Rapunzel said.
"Do you want me to follow you?"
Prickle took off through the forest.
Rapunzel ran after him.
At last, Prickle stopped.
He chirped loudly near some thornbushes.
Beyond the thornbushes was a ditch.
Rapunzel ran to the ditch and peered down.
Someone lay in the mud!
"Prince!" Rapunzel cried.
There was no answer.
She yelled again. "Prince!"
At last she heard a low moan.
"Rapunzel?" the prince said weakly.
"Yes!" Rapunzel cried. "It's me!"
Rapunzel ran into the ditch.
She grabbed the prince's hand.
He tried to sit up, but he was too weak.
"Don't move, Prince!" Rapunzel said.
"How did you get out of the tower?" he asked.
"I will explain everything later," Rapunzel said.
Rapunzel checked the prince's wounds.
He had scratches on his face.
There was a large cut on his head.
His breathing was weak.
Tears streamed from Rapunzel's eyes.
"I found you, my darling prince!" she said.
"Now I must find a way to save you!"
She grabbed her healing potions and gasped.
They were almost gone!
"Oh no! I used them all on the witch!"