a flat and
marshy land. Before crossing the bridge he sat down on the banks of the
stream and sighed dismally over his sad fate. Suddenly a misshapen toad
crawled out of the swamp, and, sitting down opposite him, asked: 'What's
the matter with you, my dear Prince?'

The Prince answered impatiently, 'There's not much good my telling you,
Puddocky, for you couldn't help me if I did.'

'Don't be too sure of that,' replied the toad; 'tell me your trouble and
we'll see.'

Then the Prince became most confidential and told the little creature
why he had been sent out of his father's kingdom.

'Prince, I will certainly help you,' said the toad, and, crawling back
into her swamp, she returned dragging after her a piece of linen not
bigger than a finger, which she lay before the Prince, saying, 'Take
this home, and you'll see it will help you.'

The Prince had no wish to take such an insignificant bundle with him;
but he didn't like to hurt Puddocky's feelings by refusing it, so he
took up the little packet, put it in his pocket, and bade the little
toad farewell. Puddocky watched the Prince till he was out of sight and
then crept back into the water.

The further the Prince went the more he noticed that the pocket in which
the little roll of linen lay became heavier, and in proportion his heart
grew lighter. And so, greatly comforted, he returned to the Court of his
father, and arrived home just at the same time as his brothers with
their caravans. The King was delighted to see them all again, and at
once drew the ring from his finger and the trial began. In all the
waggon-loads there was not one piece of linen the tenth part of which
would go through the ring, and the two elder brothers, who had at first
sneered at their youngest brother for returning with no baggage, began
to feel rather small. But what were their feelings when he drew a bale
of linen out of his pocket which in fineness, softness, and purity of
colour was unsurpassable! The threads were hardly visible, and it went
through the ring without the smallest difficulty, at the same time
measuring a hundred yards quite correctly.

The father embraced his fortunate son, and commanded the rest of the
linen to be thrown into the water; then, turning to his children he
said, 'Now, dear Princes, prepare yourselves for the second task. You
must bring me back a little dog that will go comfortably into a
walnut-shell.'

The sons were all in despair over this demand,