ain to do. In a few days a magnificent wedding was celebrated, at
which the rejoicings lasted four whole weeks, for all the neighbouring
kings had met together to thank the man who had freed the world from
their common enemy. But everyone forgot amid the general joy that they
ought to have buried the Dragon's monstrous body, for it began now to
have such a bad smell that no one could live in the neighbourhood, and
before long the whole air was poisoned, and a pestilence broke out
which destroyed many hundreds of people. In this distress, the King's
son-in-law resolved to seek help once more from the Eastern magician,
to whom he at once travelled through the air like a bird by the help
of the ring. But there is a proverb which says that ill-gotten gains
never prosper, and the Prince found that the stolen ring brought him
ill-luck after all. The Witch-maiden had never rested night nor day
until she had found out where the ring was. As soon as she had
discovered by means of magical arts that the Prince in the form of a
bird was on his way to the Eastern magician, she changed herself into
an eagle and watched in the air until the bird she was waiting for
came in sight, for she knew him at once by the ring which was hung
round his neck by a ribbon. Then the eagle pounced upon the bird, and
the moment she seized him in her talons she tore the ring from his
neck before the man in bird's shape had time to prevent her. Then the
eagle flew down to the earth with her prey, and the two stood face to
face once more in human form.

'Now, villain, you are in my power!' cried the Witch-maiden. 'I
favoured you with my love, and you repaid me with treachery and theft.
You stole my most precious jewel from me, and do you expect to live
happily as the King's son-in-law? Now the tables are turned; you are
in my power, and I will be revenged on you for your crimes.'

'Forgive me! forgive me!' cried the Prince; 'I know too well how
deeply I have wronged you, and most heartily do I repent it.'

The maiden answered, 'Your prayers and your repentance come too late,
and if I were to spare you everyone would think me a fool. You have
doubly wronged me; first you scorned my love, and then you stole my
ring, and you must bear the punishment.'

With these words she put the ring upon her left thumb, lifted the
young man with one hand, and walked away with him under her arm. This
time she did not take him to a splendid palace, but to a deep cave in