ised them all, and, pulling up, asked her daughter if she did not
repent and would not like to come home again. The eel wagged 'No' with
her tail, and the queen told her husband to put a drop of water from
the pool into a bottle, because it was only by that means that she could
seize hold of her daughter. The king did as he was bid, and was just in
the act of drawing the bottle out of the water after he had filled it,
when the turtle knocked against and spilt it all. The king then filled
it a second time, but again the turtle was too quick for him.

The queen saw that she was beaten, and called down a curse on her
daughter that the prince should forget all about her. After having
relieved her feelings in this manner, she and the king went back to the
palace.

The others resumed their proper shapes and continued their journey, but
the princess was so silent that at last the prince asked her what was
the matter. 'It is because I know you will soon forget all about me,'
said she, and though he laughed at her and told her it was impossible,
she did not cease to believe it.

They rode on and on and on, till they reached the end of the world,
where the prince lived, and leaving the girl in an inn he went himself
to the palace to ask leave of his father to present her to him as his
bride; but in his joy at seeing his family once more he forgot all about
her, and even listened when the king spoke of arranging a marriage for
him.

When the poor girl heard this she wept bitterly, and cried out, 'Come to
me, my sisters, for I need you badly!'

In a moment they stood beside her, and the elder one said, 'Do not be
sad, all will go well,' and they told the innkeeper that if any of the
king's servants wanted any birds for their master they were to be sent
up to them, as they had three doves for sale.

And so it fell out, and as the doves were very beautiful the servant
bought them for the king, who admired them so much that he called his
son to look at them. The prince was much pleased with the doves and was
coaxing them to come to him, when one fluttered on to the top of the
window and said, 'If you could only hear us speak, you would admire us
still more.'

And another perched on a table and added, 'Talk away, it might help him
to remember!'

And the third flew on his shoulder and whispered to him, 'Put on this
ring, prince, and see if it fits you.'

And it did. Then they hung a collar round his neck, and held a feather