both men were thirsty, and, besides, they had much to say; and so the
hours slipped by and found them still talking. Then the servant girl
came out to fetch a pail of water, and, being a kind-hearted lass, she
gave some to the horse to drink. What was her surprise when the animal
said to her: 'Take off my bridle and you will save my life.'

'I dare not,' said she; 'your master will be so angry.'

'He cannot hurt you,' answered the horse, 'and you will save my life.'

At that she took off the bridle; but nearly fainted with astonishment
when the horse turned into a dove and flew away just as the old man came
out of the house. Directly he saw what had happened he changed himself
into a hawk and flew after the dove. Over the woods and fields they
went, and at length they reached a king's palace surrounded by beautiful
gardens. The princess was walking with her attendants in the rose garden
when the dove turned itself into a gold ring and fell at her feet.

'Why, here is a ring!' she cried, 'where could it have come from?' And
picking it up she put it on her finger. As she did so the hill-man lost
his power over Hans--for of course you understand that it was he who had
been the dog, the cow, the horse and the dove.

'Well, that is really strange,' said the princess. 'It fits me as though
it had been made for me!'

Just at that moment up came the king.

'Look at what I have found!' cried his daughter.

'Well, that is not worth much, my dear,' said he. 'Besides, you have
rings enough, I should think.'

'Never mind, I like it,' replied the princess.

But as soon as she was alone, to her amazement, the ring suddenly left
her finger and became a man. You can imagine how frightened she was, as,
indeed, anybody would have been; but in an instant the man became a ring
again, and then turned back to a man, and so it went on for some time
until she began to get used to these sudden changes.

'I am sorry I frightened you,' said Hans, when he thought he could
safely speak to the princess without making her scream. 'I took refuge
with you because the old hill-man, whom I have offended, was trying to
kill me, and here I am safe.'

'You had better stay here then,' said the princess. So Hans stayed, and
he and she became good friends; though, of course, he only became a man
when no one else was present.

This was all very well; but, one day, as they were talking together,
the king happened to enter the room, and although Ha