e saw in the distance a cloud of dust, he ran down
to the steps so as to be ready to receive them. Bowing low before the
fairest in the world, he spoke: 'Noble lady, will you do me the honour
to become my wife?'

But she answered, 'That can only be when Ciccu brings me the veil that I
let fall on my way here.'

And the king turned to Ciccu and said, 'Ciccu, if you do not find the
veil at once, you shall lose your head.'

Ciccu, who by this time had hoped for a little peace, felt his heart
sink at this fresh errand, and he went into the stable to complain to
the faithful horse.

'It will be all right,' answered the horse when he had heard his tale;
'just take enough food for the day for both of us, and then get on my
back.'

They rode back all the way they had come till they reached the place
where they had found the eagle caught in the snare; then the horse bade
Ciccu to call three times on the king of the birds, and when he replied,
to beg him to fetch the veil which the fairest in the world had let
fall.

'Wait a moment,' answered a voice that seemed to come from somewhere
very high up indeed. 'An eagle is playing with it just now, but he will
be here with it in an instant;' and a few minutes after there was a
sound of wings, and an eagle came fluttering towards them with the veil
in his beak. And Ciccu saw it was the very same eagle that he had freed
from the snare. So he took the veil and rode back to the king.

Now the king was enchanted to see him so soon, and took the veil from
Ciccu and flung it over the princess, crying, 'Here is the veil you
asked for, so I claim you for my wife.'

'Not so fast,' answered she. 'I can never be your wife till Ciccu puts
on my finger the ring I threw into the stream. Ciccu, who was standing
by expecting something of the sort, bowed his head when he heard her
words, and went straight to the horse.

'Mount at once,' said the horse; 'this time it is very simple,' and he
carried Ciccu to the banks of the little stream. 'Now, call three times
on the emperor of the fishes, and beg him to restore you the ring that
the princess dropped.

Ciccu did as the horse told him, and a voice was heard in answer that
seemed to come from a very long way off.

'What is your will?' it asked; and Ciccu replied that he had been
commanded to bring back the ring that the princess had flung away, as
she rode past.

'A fish is playing with it just now,' replied the voice; 'however, you
shal