ng."

So, very early next morning, Ivan Golik went down to the sea. He
shouted with an heroic voice, and whistled with an heroic whistle,
till the whole sea was troubled by a storm. Then the two pike he had
thrown back into the sea came swimming to the shore. "Why dost thou
call us, O Ivan Golik?" said they.

"Why should I not call you? The serpent flew over the sea early
yesterday morning and dropped in it his daughter's ring. Search for it
everywhere. If you find it, I shall remain alive, but if you find it
not, know that the serpent will remove me from the face of the
earth!"

Then they swam off and searched, nor was there a single corner of the
sea where they searched not. Yet they found nothing. At last they swam
off to their mother, and told her what a great woe was about to
befall. Their mother said to them, "The ring is with me. I am sorry
for him, and still more sorry for you, so you may have it." And with
that she drew off the ring, and they swam with it to Ivan Golik, and
said, "Now we have requited thy service. We have found it, but 'twas a
hard task."

Then Ivan Golik thanked the two pike and went on his way. He found the
prince weeping, for the serpent had already sent for him twice, and
there was no ring. The moment he saw Ivan Golik he sprang to his feet,
and said, "Hast thou the ring?"

"Yes, here it is! But look! the serpent himself is coming!"

"Let him come!"

The serpent was already on the threshold as the prince was going out.
They ran against each other with their foreheads, and the serpent was
very angry. "Where's the ring?" cried he.

"There it is! But I will not give it to thee, but to her from whom
thou didst take it."

The serpent laughed. "Very good!" said he, "but now let us go to
dinner, for my guests are many, and we have been waiting for thee this
long time."

So they went. The prince arrived at the house, where eleven serpents
were sitting down to dinner. He saluted them, and then went on to the
daughters, and said, as he drew off the ring, "To which of you does
this belong?"

Then the youngest daughter blushed and said, "To me!"

"If it be thine, take it, for I sounded all the depths of the sea in
searching for it."

All the others laughed, but the youngest daughter thanked him.

Then they all went to dine. After dinner the serpent said to him, in
the presence of all the guests, "Well, prince, now that thou hast
dined and rested, to thy tasks again! I have a bow of