第4章

Sheanswered，’Nomortalisableentirelytounderstandthepowerofthisring，becausenoonethoroughlyunderstandsthesecretsignsengraveduponit。Butevenwithmyhalf-knowledgeIcanworkgreatwonders。IfIputtheringuponthelittlefingerofmylefthand，thenIcanflylikeabirdthroughtheairwhereverIwishtogo。IfIputitonthethirdfingerofmylefthandI

aminvisible，andIcanseeeverythingthatpassesaroundme，thoughnoonecanseeme。IfIputtheringuponthemiddlefingerofmylefthand，thenneitherfirenorwaternoranysharpweaponcanhurtme。IfIputitontheforefingerofmylefthand，thenIcanwithitshelpproducewhateverIwish。IcaninasinglemomentbuildhousesoranythingIdesire。Finally，aslongasIweartheringonthethumbofmylefthand，thathandissostrongthatitcanbreakdownrocksandwalls。Besidesthese，theringhasothersecretsignswhich，asIsaid，noonecanunderstand。Nodoubtitcontainssecretsofgreatimportance。TheringformerlybelongedtoKingSolomon，thewisestofkings，duringwhosereignthewisestmenlived。Butitisnotknownwhetherthisringwasevermadebymortalhands:itissupposedthatanangelgaveittothewiseKing。’

Whentheyouthheardallthishedeterminedtotryandgetpossessionofthering，thoughhedidnotquitebelieveinallitswonderfulgifts。Hewishedthemaidenwouldlethimhaveitinhishand，buthedidnotquiteliketoaskhertodoso，andafterawhilesheputitbackintothebox。Afewdaysaftertheywereagainspeakingofthemagicring，andtheyouthsaid，’Idonotthinkitpossiblethattheringcanhaveallthepoweryousayithas。’

Thenthemaidenopenedtheboxandtooktheringout，anditglitteredasshehelditliketheclearestsunbeam。Sheputitonthemiddlefingerofherlefthand，andtoldtheyouthtotakeaknifeandtryashardashecouldtocutherwithit，forhewouldnotbeabletohurther。Hewasunwillingatfirst，butthemaideninsisted。Thenhetried，atfirstonlyinplay，andthenseriously，tostrikeherwiththeknife，butaninvisiblewallofironseemedtobebetweenthem，andthemaidenstoodbeforehimlaughingandunhurt。Thensheputtheringonherthirdfinger，andinaninstantshehadvanishedfromhiseyes。

Presentlyshewasbesidehimagainlaughing，andholdingtheringbetweenherfingers。

’Doletmetry，’saidtheyouth，’whetherIcandothesewonderfulthings。’

Themaiden，suspectingnotreachery，gavehimthemagicring。

Theyouthpretendedtohaveforgottenwhattodo，andaskedwhatfingerhemustputtheringonsothatnosharpweaponcouldhurthim？’

’Oh，themiddlefingerofyourlefthand，’themaidenanswered，laughing。

Shetooktheknifeandtriedtostriketheyouth，andheeventriedtocuthimselfwithit，butfounditimpossible。Thenheaskedthemaidentoshowhimhowtosplitstonesandrockswiththehelpofthering。Sosheledhimintoacourtyardwherestoodagreatboulder-stone。’Now，’shesaid，’puttheringuponthethumbofyourlefthand，andyouwillseehowstrongthathandhasbecome。Theyouthdidso，andfoundtohisastonishmentthatwithasingleblowofhisfistthestoneflewintoathousandpieces。Thentheyouthbethoughthimthathewhodoesnotusehisluckwhenhehasitisafool，andthatthiswasachancewhichoncelostmightneverreturn。Sowhiletheystoodlaughingattheshatteredstoneheplacedthering，asifinplay，uponthethirdfingerofhislefthand。

’Now，’saidthemaiden，’youareinvisibletomeuntilyoutaketheringoffagain。’

Buttheyouthhadnomindtodothat；onthecontrary，hewentfartheroff，thenputtheringonthelittlefingerofhislefthand，andsoaredintotheairlikeabird。

Whenthemaidensawhimflyingawayshethoughtatfirstthathewasstillinplay，andcried，’Comeback，friend，fornowyouseeIhavetoldyouthetruth。’Buttheyoungmannevercameback。

Thenthemaidensawshewasdeceived，andbitterlyrepentedthatshehadevertrustedhimwiththering。

Theyoungmanneverhaltedinhisflightuntilhereachedthedwellingofthewisemagicianwhohadtaughthimthespeechofbirds。Themagicianwasdelightedtofindthathissearchhadbeensuccessful，andatoncesettoworktointerpretthesecretsignsengraveduponthering，butittookhimsevenweekstomakethemoutclearly。ThenhegavetheyouththefollowinginstructionshowtoovercometheDragonoftheNorth:’Youmusthaveanironhorsecast，whichmusthavelittlewheelsundereachfoot。Youmustalsobearmedwithaspeartwofathomslong，whichyouwillbeabletowieldbymeansofthemagicringuponyourleftthumb。Thespearmustbeasthickinthemiddleasalargetree，andbothitsendsmustbesharp。Inthemiddleofthespearyoumusthavetwostrongchainstenfathomsinlength。

AssoonastheDragonhasmadehimselffasttothespear，whichyoumustthrustthroughhisjaws，youmustspringquicklyfromtheironhorseandfastentheendsofthechainsfirmlytothegroundwithironstakes，sothathecannotgetawayfromthem。

Aftertwoorthreedaysthemonster’sstrengthwillbesofarexhaustedthatyouwillbeabletocomenearhim。ThenyoucanputSolomon’sringuponyourleftthumbandgivehimthefinishingstroke，butkeeptheringonyourthirdfingeruntilyouhavecomeclosetohim，sothatthemonstercannotseeyou，elsehemightstrikeyoudeadwithhislongtail。Butwhenallisdone，takecareyoudonotlosethering，andthatnoonetakesitfromyoubycunning。’

Theyoungmanthankedthemagicianforhisdirections，andpromised，shouldtheysucceed，torewardhim。Butthemagiciananswered，’IhaveprofitedsomuchbythewisdomtheringhastaughtmethatIdesirenootherreward。’Thentheyparted，andtheyouthquicklyflewhomethroughtheair。Afterremaininginhisownhomeforsomeweeks，heheardpeoplesaythattheterribleDragonoftheNorthwasnotfaroff，andmightshortlybeexpectedinthecountry。TheKingannouncedpubliclythathewouldgivehisdaughterinmarriage，aswellasalargepartofhiskingdom，towhosoevershouldfreethecountryfromthemonster。TheyouththenwenttotheKingandtoldhimthathehadgoodhopesofsubduingtheDragon，iftheKingwouldgranthimallhedesiredforthepurpose。TheKingwillinglyagreed，andtheironhorse，thegreatspear，andthechainswereallpreparedastheyouthrequested。Whenallwasready，itwasfoundthattheironhorsewassoheavythatahundredmencouldnotmoveitfromthespot，sotheyouthfoundtherewasnothingforitbuttomoveitwithhisownstrengthbymeansofthemagicring。TheDragonwasnowsonearthatinacoupleofspringshewouldbeoverthefrontier。Theyouthnowbegantoconsiderhowheshouldact，forifhehadtopushtheironhorsefrombehindhecouldnotrideuponitasthesorcererhadsaidhemust。Butaravenunexpectedlygavehimthisadvice:’Rideuponthehorse，andpushthespearagainsttheground，asifyouwerepushingoffaboatfromtheland。’Theyouthdidso，andfoundthatinthiswayhecouldeasilymoveforwards。TheDragonhadhismonstrousjawswideopen，allreadyforhisexpectedprey。A

fewpacesnearer，andmanandhorsewouldhavebeenswallowedupbythem！Theyouthtrembledwithhorror，andhisbloodrancold，yethedidnotlosehiscourage；but，holdingtheironspearuprightinhishand，hebroughtitdownwithallhismightrightthroughthemonster’slowerjaw。ThenquickaslightninghesprangfromhishorsebeforetheDragonhadtimetoshuthismouth。Afearfulclaplikethunder，whichcouldbeheardformilesaround，nowwarnedhimthattheDragon’sjawshadcloseduponthespear。WhentheyouthturnedroundhesawthepointofthespearstickinguphighabovetheDragon’supperjaw，andknewthattheotherendmustbefastenedfirmlytotheground；buttheDragonhadgothisteethfixedintheironhorse，whichwasnowuseless。Theyouthnowhastenedtofastendownthechainstothegroundbymeansoftheenormousironpegswhichhehadprovided。

Thedeathstruggleofthemonsterlastedthreedaysandthreenights；inhiswrithinghebeathistailsoviolentlyagainsttheground，thatattenmiles’distancetheearthtrembledasifwithanearthquake。Whenheatlengthlostpowertomovehistail，theyouthwiththehelpoftheringtookupastonewhichtwentyordinarymencouldnothavemoved，andbeattheDragonsohardabouttheheadwithitthatverysoonthemonsterlaylifelessbeforehim。

Youcanfancyhowgreatwastherejoicingwhenthenewswasspreadabroadthattheterriblemonsterwasdead。Hisconquerorwasreceivedintothecitywithasmuchpompasifhehadbeenthemightiestofkings。TheoldKingdidnotneedtourgehisdaughtertomarrytheslayeroftheDragon；hefoundheralreadywillingtobestowherhanduponthishero，whohaddoneallalonewhatwholearmieshadtriedinvaintodo。Inafewdaysamagnificentweddingwascelebrated，atwhichtherejoicingslastedfourwholeweeks，foralltheneighbouringkingshadmettogethertothankthemanwhohadfreedtheworldfromtheircommonenemy。ButeveryoneforgotamidthegeneraljoythattheyoughttohaveburiedtheDragon’smonstrousbody，foritbegannowtohavesuchabadsmellthatnoonecouldliveintheneighbourhood，andbeforelongthewholeairwaspoisoned，andapestilencebrokeoutwhichdestroyedmanyhundredsofpeople。Inthisdistress，theKing’sson-in-lawresolvedtoseekhelponcemorefromtheEasternmagician，towhomheatoncetravelledthroughtheairlikeabirdbythehelpofthering。Butthereisaproverbwhichsaysthatill-gottengainsneverprosper，andthePrincefoundthatthestolenringbroughthimill-luckafterall。TheWitch-maidenhadneverrestednightnordayuntilshehadfoundoutwheretheringwas。AssoonasshehaddiscoveredbymeansofmagicalartsthatthePrinceintheformofabirdwasonhiswaytotheEasternmagician，shechangedherselfintoaneagleandwatchedintheairuntilthebirdshewaswaitingforcameinsight，forsheknewhimatoncebytheringwhichwashungroundhisneckbyaribbon。Thentheeaglepounceduponthebird，andthemomentsheseizedhiminhertalonsshetoretheringfromhisneckbeforethemaninbird’sshapehadtimetopreventher。Thentheeagleflewdowntotheearthwithherprey，andthetwostoodfacetofaceoncemoreinhumanform。

’Now，villain，youareinmypower！’criedtheWitch-maiden。’I

favouredyouwithmylove，andyourepaidmewithtreacheryandtheft。Youstolemymostpreciousjewelfromme，anddoyouexpecttolivehappilyastheKing’sson-in-law？Nowthetablesareturned；youareinmypower，andIwillberevengedonyouforyourcrimes。’

’Forgiveme！forgiveme！’criedthePrince；’IknowtoowellhowdeeplyIhavewrongedyou，andmostheartilydoIrepentit。’

Themaidenanswered，’Yourprayersandyourrepentancecometoolate，andifIweretospareyoueveryonewouldthinkmeafool。

Youhavedoublywrongedme；firstyouscornedmylove，andthenyoustolemyring，andyoumustbearthepunishment。’

Withthesewordssheputtheringuponherleftthumb，liftedtheyoungmanwithonehand，andwalkedawaywithhimunderherarm。