Pewnego dnia, a mother tells her daughter, Marouette, she has found an advertisement for work - as a maid for one who lives on the 745th floor of a building, in the apartment on the left. The daughter does not wish to work as a maid, but her mother curtly rebukes her and has her out the door. As the elevator is broken, the daughter has to climb the 745 floors, which the author asserts is just as far as travelling from one country to another. When she finally arrives, she discovers that no one will answer the door no matter how often she rings. However, the door is not closed and there is light coming through, Marouette decides to enter. She discovers a little palace entirely made of gold as well as a bird in a gilded cage which says and repeats: "Bon appétit! Bonne nuit! Bon appétit! Bonne nuit!". She also discovers a table set with dinner and a little bed. She proceeds to eat, then sleep, while the bird changes its tune to: "À demain! À demain! À demain!". The next morning, she finds herself in her own bed, and her mother scolds for not having gone to work. So she makes the same trip, for three days straight. On the third day, the bird turns into a prince and asks her to marry him. The man looking for a maid had turn the prince into a parakeet. He himself lives on the 745th floor, but in the appartment on the right. Marouette has broken the spell by visiting the prince three times.
