ng to the box, she said,
'Here is my greatest treasure, whose like is not to be found in the
whole world. It is a precious gold ring. When you marry me, I will
give you this ring as a marriage gift, and it will make you the
happiest of mortal men. But in order that our love may last for ever,
you must give me for the ring three drops of blood from the little
finger of your left hand.'

When the youth heard these words a cold shudder ran over him, for he
remembered that his soul was at stake. He was cunning enough, however,
to conceal his feelings and to make no direct answer, but he only
asked the maiden, as if carelessly, what was remarkable about the
ring?

She answered, 'No mortal is able entirely to understand the power of
this ring, because no one thoroughly understands the secret signs
engraved upon it. But even with my half-knowledge I can work great
wonders. If I put the ring upon the little finger of my left hand,
then I can fly like a bird through the air wherever I wish to go. If I
put it on the third finger of my left hand I am invisible, and I can
see everything that passes around me, though no one can see me. If I
put the ring upon the middle finger of my left hand, then neither fire
nor water nor any sharp weapon can hurt me. If I put it on the
forefinger of my left hand, then I can with its help produce whatever
I wish. I can in a single moment build houses or anything I desire.
Finally, as long as I wear the ring on the thumb of my left hand, that
hand is so strong that it can break down rocks and walls. Besides
these, the ring has other secret signs which, as I said, no one can
understand. No doubt it contains secrets of great importance. The ring
formerly belonged to King Solomon, the wisest of kings, during whose
reign the wisest men lived. But it is not known whether this ring was
ever made by mortal hands: it is supposed that an angel gave it to the
wise King.'

When the youth heard all this he determined to try and get possession
of the ring, though he did not quite believe in all its wonderful
gifts. He wished the maiden would let him have it in his hand, but he
did not quite like to ask her to do so, and after a while she put it
back into the box. A few days after they were again speaking of the
magic ring, and the youth said, 'I do not think it possible that the
ring can have all the power you say it has.'

Then the maiden opened the box and took the ring out, and it
glittered as she held