simond, who was as good
and handsome as his elder brother Bramintho was ugly and wicked. Their
mother detested her eldest son, and had only eyes for the youngest. This
excited Bramintho's jealousy, and he invented a horrible story in order
to ruin his brother. He told his father that Rosimond was in the habit
of visiting a neighbour who was an enemy of the family, and betraying to
him all that went on in the house, and was plotting with him to poison
their father.

The father flew into a rage, and flogged his son till the blood came.
Then he threw him into prison and kept him for three days without food,
and after that he turned him out of the house, and threatened to kill
him if he ever came back. The mother was miserable, and did nothing but
weep, but she dared not say anything.

The youth left his home with tears in his eyes, not knowing where to go,
and wandered about for many hours till he came to a thick wood. Night
overtook him at the foot of a great rock, and he fell asleep on a bank
of moss, lulled by the music of a little brook.

It was dawn when he woke, and he saw before him a beautiful woman seated
on a grey horse, with trappings of gold, who looked as if she were
preparing for the hunt.

'Have you seen a stag and some deerhounds go by?' she asked.

'No, madam,' he replied.

Then she added, 'You look unhappy; is there anything the matter? Take
this ring, which will make you the happiest and most powerful of men,
provided you never make a bad use of it. If you turn the diamond inside,
you will become invisible. If you turn it outside, you will become
visible again. If you place it on your little finger, you will take the
shape of the King's son, followed by a splendid court. If you put it on
your fourth finger, you will take your own shape.'

Then the young man understood that it was a Fairy who was speaking to
him, and when she had finished she plunged into the woods. The youth was
very impatient to try the ring, and returned home immediately. He found
that the Fairy had spoken the truth, and that he could see and hear
everything, while he himself was unseen. It lay with him to revenge
himself, if he chose, on his brother, without the slightest danger to
himself, and he told no one but his mother of all the strange things
that had befallen him. He afterwards put the enchanted ring on his
little finger, and appeared as the King's son, followed by a hundred
fine horses, and a guard of officers all ric