it like the clearest sunbeam. She put it on the
middle finger of her left hand, and told the youth to take a knife and
try as hard as he could to cut her with it, for he would not be able
to hurt her. He was unwilling at first, but the maiden insisted. Then
he tried, at first only in play, and then seriously, to strike her
with the knife, but an invisible wall of iron seemed to be between
them, and the maiden stood before him laughing and unhurt. Then she
put the ring on her third finger, and in an instant she had vanished
from his eyes. Presently she was beside him again laughing, and
holding the ring between her fingers.

'Do let me try,' said the youth, 'whether I can do these wonderful
things.'

The maiden, suspecting no treachery, gave him the magic ring.

The youth pretended to have forgotten what to do, and asked what
finger he must put the ring on so that no sharp weapon could hurt him?

'Oh, the middle finger of your left hand,' the maiden answered,
laughing.

She took the knife and tried to strike the youth, and he even tried to
cut himself with it, but found it impossible. Then he asked the maiden
to show him how to split stones and rocks with the help of the ring.
So she led him into a courtyard where stood a great boulder-stone.
'Now,' she said, 'put the ring upon the thumb of your left hand, and
you will see how strong that hand has become. The youth did so, and
found to his astonishment that with a single blow of his fist the
stone flew into a thousand pieces. Then the youth bethought him that
he who does not use his luck when he has it is a fool, and that this
was a chance which once lost might never return. So while they stood
laughing at the shattered stone he placed the ring, as if in play,
upon the third finger of his left hand.

'Now,' said the maiden, 'you are invisible to me until you take the
ring off again.'

But the youth had no mind to do that; on the contrary, he went farther
off, then put the ring on the little finger of his left hand, and
soared into the air like a bird.

When the maiden saw him flying away she thought at first that he was
still in play, and cried, 'Come back, friend, for now you see I have
told you the truth.' But the young man never came back.

Then the maiden saw she was deceived, and bitterly repented that she
had ever trusted him with the ring.

The young man never halted in his flight until he reached the dwelling
of the wise magician who had taught him