red by means of
magical arts that the Prince in the form of a bird was on his way to the
Eastern magician, she changed herself into an eagle and watched in the
air until the bird she was waiting for came in sight, for she knew him
at once by the ring which was hung round his neck by a ribbon. Then the
eagle pounced upon the bird, and the moment she seized him in her talons
she tore the ring from his neck before the man in bird's shape had time
to prevent her. Then the eagle flew down to the earth with her prey, and
the two stood face to face once more in human form.

'Now, villain, you are in my power!' cried the Witch-maiden. 'I favoured
you with my love, and you repaid me with treachery and theft. You stole
my most precious jewel from me, and do you expect to live happily as the
King's son-in-law? Now the tables are turned; you are in my power, and I
will be revenged on you for your crimes.'

'Forgive me! forgive me!' cried the Prince; 'I know too well how deeply
I have wronged you, and most heartily do I repent it.'

The maiden answered, 'Your prayers and your repentance come too late,
and if I were to spare you everyone would think me a fool. You have
doubly wronged me; first you scorned my love, and then you stole my
ring, and you must bear the punishment.'

With these words she put the ring upon her left thumb, lifted the young
man with one hand, and walked away with him under her arm. This time
she did not take him to a splendid palace, but to a deep cave in a rock,
where there were chains hanging from the wall. The maiden now chained
the young man's hands and feet so that he could not escape; then she
said in an angry voice, 'Here you shall remain chained up until you die.
I will bring you every day enough food to prevent you dying of hunger,
but you need never hope for freedom any more.' With these words she left
him.

The old King and his daughter waited anxiously for many weeks for the
Prince's return, but no news of him arrived. The King's daughter often
dreamed that her husband was going through some great suffering: she
therefore begged her father to summon all the enchanters and magicians,
that they might try to find out where the Prince was and how he could
be set free. But the magicians, with all their arts, could find out
nothing, except that he was still living and undergoing great suffering;
but none could tell where he was to be found. At last a celebrated
magician from Finland was brought befo