le. The dawn began
to display itself over the mountains, and his servants had not returned;
the more brilliantly the rays ascended, the greater was his anxiety; a
deadly perspiration came out upon his forehead. Soon the sun showed
itself in the east like a thin slip of flame--and then with a loud crash
the door flew open, and on the threshold stood the wizard. He looked
round the room, and seeing the princess was not there, laughed a hateful
laugh and entered the room. But just at that moment, pop! the window
flew in pieces, the gold ring fell on the floor, and in an instant there
stood the princess again. Sharpsight, seeing what was going on in the
castle, and in what danger his master was, told Long. Long made a step,
and threw the ring through the window into the room. The wizard roared
with rage till the castle quaked, and then, bang! went the third iron
hoop that was round his waist, and sprang off him; the wizard turned
into a raven, and flew out and away through the shattered window.

Then, and not till then, did the beautiful damsel speak and thank the
prince for setting her free, and blushed like a rose. In the castle and
round the castle everything became alive again at once. He who was
holding in the hall the outstretched sword, swung it into the air, which
whistled again, and then returned it to its sheath; he who was stumbling
on the threshold, fell on the ground, but immediately got up again and
felt his nose to see whether it was still entire; he who was sitting
under the chimney put the piece of meat into his mouth and went on
eating; and thus everybody completed what he had begun doing, and at the
point where he had left off. In the stables the horses merrily stamped
and snorted, the trees round the castle became green like periwinkles,
the meadows were full of variegated flowers, high in the air warbled the
skylark, and abundance of small fishes appeared in the clear river.
Everywhere was life, everywhere enjoyment.

Meanwhile a number of gentlemen assembled in the room where the prince
was, and all thanked him for their liberation. But he said: "You have
nothing to thank me for; if it had not been for my trusty servants Long,
Broad, and Sharpsight, I too, should have been what you were." He then
immediately started on his way home to the old king, his father, with
his bride and servants. On the way they met Broad and took him with
them.

The old king wept for joy at the success of his son; he had th