he waters, not knowing how he was to search for what lay at
the bottom of the deep ocean.

Again the King of the Fishes came to him, asking the cause of his
sadness. Benito replied, "The Princess lost her ring while we were
crossing the sea, and I have been sent to find it."

The King-Fish summoned all the fishes to come to him. When they had
assembled, he noticed that one was missing. He commanded the others
to search for this one, and bring it to him. They found it under
a stone, and it said, "I am so full! I have eaten so much that I
cannot swim." So the larger ones took it by the tail and dragged it
to their King.

"Why did you not come when summoned?" asked the King-Fish. "I was so
full I could not swim," replied the Fish.

The King-Fish, suspecting that it had swallowed the ring, ordered it
to be cut in two. The others cut it open, and, behold I there was the
lost ornament. Benito thanked the King of the Fishes, took the ring,
and brought it to the monarch.

When the great ruler got the ring, he said to the Princess, "Now that
I have your ring, will you become my wife?"

"I will be your wife," replied the Princess, "if you will find the
earring I lost in the forest as I was journeying with Benito."

Instantly Benito was called, and was ordered to find the lost jewel. He
was very weary from his former journey; but, mindful of his duty,
he started for the forest, reaching it before the day was over. He
searched for the earring faithfully, following the road which he and
the Princess had taken; but all in vain. He was much discouraged, and
sat down under a tree to rest. To his surprise a mouse of monstrous
size appeared before him. It was the King of the Mice.

"Why are you so sad?" asked the Mouse.

"I am searching for an earring which the Princess lost as we passed
through the forest, but am unable to find it."

"I will find it for you," said the King-Mouse.

Benito's face brightened at hearing this. The King-Mouse called all
his followers, and all but one little mouse responded. Then the King
of the Mice ordered some of his subjects to find the absent one. They
found him in a small hole among the bamboo-trees. He said he could not
go because he was so satisfied (sated). So the others pulled him along
to their master; and he, finding that there was something hard within
the little mouse, ordered him to be cut open. It was done; and there
was the very earring for which the tired servant was looking. Ben