that in three days her father would be off to the wars, leaving
his sword in her room. If any man could find it and bring it to him he
would receive her hand as a reward. At this point a cock crew, and the
youth jumped up hastily saying: 'Of course I shall ride with the king
to the war, and if I do not return, take your violin every evening to
the seashore and play on it, so that the very sea-kobolds who live at
the bottom of the ocean may hear it and come to you.'

Just as the princess had foretold, in three days the king set out for
the war with a large following, and among them was the young prince,
who had presented himself at court as a young noble in search of
adventures. They had left the city many miles behind them, when the
king suddenly discovered that he had forgotten his sword, and though
all his attendants instantly offered theirs, he declared that he could
fight with none but his own.

'The first man who brings it to me from my daughter's room,' cried he,
'shall not only have her to wife, but after my death shall reign in my
stead.'

At this the Red Knight, the young prince, and several more turned
their horses to ride as fast as the wind back to the palace. But
suddenly a better plan entered the prince's head, and, letting the
others pass him, he took his precious parcel from his breast and
wished himself a lion. Then on he bounded, uttering such dreadful
roars that the horses were frightened and grew unmanageable, and he
easily outstripped them, and soon reached the gates of the palace.
Here he hastily changed himself into a bee, and flew straight into the
princess's room, where he became a man again. She showed him where the
sword hung concealed behind a curtain, and he took it down, saying as
he did so: 'Be sure not to forget what you have promised to do.'

The princess made no reply, but smiled sweetly, and slipping a golden
ring from her finger she broke it in two and held half out silently to
the prince, while the other half she put in her own pocket. He kissed
it, and ran down the stairs bearing the sword with him. Some way off
he met the Red Knight and the rest, and the Red Knight at first tried
to take the sword from him by force. But as the youth proved too
strong for him, he gave it up, and resolved to wait for a better
opportunity.

This soon came, for the day was hot and the prince was thirsty.
Perceiving a little stream that ran into the sea, he turned aside,
and, unbuckling the sword,