dden, nor was there
any sorcerer or learned man to be found who would be able to explain
the inscription.

[Footnote 2: 'Der Norlands Drache,' from _Esthnische Maehrchen_.
Kreutzwald.]

At last a young man, with a good heart and plenty of courage, set out
to search for the ring. He took his way towards the sun-rising,
because he knew that all the wisdom of old time comes from the East.
After some years he met with a famous Eastern magician, and asked for
his advice in the matter. The magician answered:

'Mortal men have but little wisdom, and can give you no help, but the
birds of the air would be better guides to you if you could learn
their language. I can help you to understand it if you will stay with
me a few days.'

The youth thankfully accepted the magician's offer, and said, 'I
cannot now offer you any reward for your kindness, but should my
undertaking succeed your trouble shall be richly repaid.'

Then the magician brewed a powerful potion out of nine sorts of herbs
which he had gathered himself all alone by moonlight, and he gave the
youth nine spoonfuls of it daily for three days, which made him able
to understand the language of birds.

At parting the magician said to him, 'If you ever find Solomon's ring
and get possession of it, then come back to me, that I may explain the
inscription on the ring to you, for there is no one else in the world
who can do this.'

From that time the youth never felt lonely as he walked along; he
always had company, because he understood the language of birds; and
in this way he learned many things which mere human knowledge could
never have taught him. But time went on, and he heard nothing about
the ring. It happened one evening, when he was hot and tired with
walking, and had sat down under a tree in a forest to eat his supper,
that he saw two gaily-plumaged birds, that were strange to him,
sitting at the top of the tree talking to one another about him. The
first bird said:

'I know that wandering fool under the tree there, who has come so far
without finding what he seeks. He is trying to find King Solomon's
lost ring.'

The other bird answered, 'He will have to seek help from the
_Witch-maiden_,[3] who will doubtless be able to put him on the right
track. If she has not got the ring herself, she knows well enough who
has it.'

[Footnote 3: Hoellenmaedchen.]

'But where is he to find the Witch-maiden?' said the first bird. 'She
has no settled dwelling, bu