lew up into the air. The wizard at once changed himself
into a hawk, and flew up after it. The dove now turned into a gold ring,
and fell into a girl's lap. The hawk now turned into a man, and offered
the girl a great sum of money for the gold ring, but she would not part
with it, seeing that it had fallen down to her, as it were, from Heaven.
However, the wizard kept on offering her more and more for it, until at
last the gold ring grew frightened, and changed itself into a grain of
barley, which fell on the ground. The man then turned into a hen, and
began to search for the grain of barley, but this again changed itself
to a pole-cat, and took off the hen's head with a single snap.

The wizard was now dead, the pole-cat put on human shape, and the youth
afterwards married the girl, and from that time forward let all his
magic arts alone.

The Golden Lion

Sicilianische Mahrchen. L. Gonzenbach.

There was once a rich merchant who had three sons, and when they were
grown up the eldest said to him, 'Father, I wish to travel and see the
world. I pray you let me.'

So the father ordered a beautiful ship to be fitted up, and the young
man sailed away in it. After some weeks the vessel cast anchor before a
large town, and the merchant's son went on shore.

The first thing he saw was a large notice written on a board saying that
if any man could find the king's daughter within eight days he should
have her to wife, but that if he tried and failed his head must be the
forfeit.

'Well,' thought the youth as he read this proclamation, 'that ought not
to be a very difficult matter;' and he asked an audience of the king,
and told him that he wished to seek for the princess.

'Certainly,' replied the king. 'You have the whole palace to search in;
but remember, if you fail it will cost you your head.'

So saying, he commanded the doors to be thrown open, and food and drink
to be set before the young man, who, after he had eaten, began to look
for the princess. But though he visited every corner and chest and
cupboard, she was not in any of them, and after eight days he gave it up
and his head was cut off.

All this time his father and brothers had had no news of him, and were
very anxious. At last the second son could bear it no longer, and said,
'Dear father, give me, I pray you, a large ship and some money, and let
me go and seek for my brother.'

So another ship was fitted out, and the young man sailed away,